Find Out What Fennec Foxes Eat

Being considered the smallest foxes, fennec foxes are exotic and charming because of their small size and enormous ears. Fennec foxes are the inhabitants of the warmest place in the world — the Sahara Desert.

While they can survive without drinking water for a long period, they’d need food to supplement it. Hence, once they’re hungry, they come out of their dens to forage for food in their surroundings. Being omnivores, fennec foxes enjoy a diverse diet ranging from animals to plants. Read on to learn more about their diet while we explore “What do fennec foxes eat?” in this post.

Insects and Animals

No small animal can hide from fennec foxes because of their ability to hear anything underground. Once they’ve detected animals hiding underground, they start to dig the dune to pull out the prey.

They’re usually more active at night, because they’re nocturnal, to hunt for prey. In their vicinity, the availability of food is in abundance. Hence, fennec foxes enjoy a variety of diets including small animals and insects.

Undoubtedly, fennec foxes eat meat in the form of animals and insects. Fennec foxes eat rabbits, bunnies, snakes, jerboa, iguanas, and meerkats. Besides, fennec foxes can catch the birds and their eggs to feed themselves. Hence, fennec foxes eat birds. Together with these, fennec foxes eat rats, insects, scorpions, kangaroo rats, jerboa, and ants.

Fruit and Vegetables

Although they mostly eat meaty food, fennec foxes forage for wild and cultivated fruit and vegetables. Along with meat, they enjoy assorted types of berries like cranberries, for example. Fennec foxes also enjoy devouring vegetables like broccoli and leaves, to name a few. However, they don’t feed on grains because it’s not considered a part of their diet.

How much do fennec foxes eat a day?

In the wild, fennec foxes hunt for food at night and eat as much as their belly requires. However, their diet consists of small healthy portions that keep them full throughout the day. Hence, fennec foxes should eat once a day to gain energy.

What do fennec foxes eat in captivity?

People who keep fennec foxes often worry about what to feed their new exotic pet. You can feed them an assorted diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, insects, and more. Fennec foxes eat rats, worms, birds, fruit like cherries, and vegetables like tomatoes in captivity.

What do fennec foxes eat in the desert?

The environments in which fennec foxes dwell provide them with a myriad of diet opportunities. Hence, fennec foxes eat birds, rodents, insects, snakes, and other small animals in the desert. Occasionally, they consume plants and cultivated vegetables if it’s growing in their vicinity.

What fennec foxes don’t eat?

There are certain foods that fennec foxes wouldn’t consume. Fennec foxes don’t eat cactus, cats, humans, camels, and owls. Additionally, fennec foxes don’t eat their young.