Meerkat For Sale
Although their name contains the word “kat”, meerkats are not related to cats. In fact, they are more closely related to the mongoose. Both are members of the Herpestidae family. Meerkats live in colonies of up to thirty members in the Namib Desert, the Kalahari Desert, and other regions in southern Africa. Meerkats have well-developed social orders. Interest in meerkats increased after the release of Disney's The Lion King (Timon) and Animal Planet's Meerkat Manor.
No Meerkat currently listed for placement
Pet Meerkat
Meerkat Habitat
Although meerkats can be kept as free-range animals, it is best to keep them fully caged for their protection. It is important that the cage be large enough for multiple meerkats, as they are highly social animals, and interesting enough to keep them stimulated by their surroundings. Sandy floors will allow the animals to dig and burrow, but the enclosure should be secure enough to prevent the meerkats from digging out. Meerkats need both sun exposure and shady areas.
Where Meerkats Live?
Logs strategically placed in their enclosure will give meerkats the opportunity to climb and survey their environment. Elevated platforms and ledges also work. Periodically rearranging the logs and platforms will help to keep the animals stimulated. Meerkats are burrowing animals and enjoy investigating small, closed-in places. Cardboard boxes and hollow paper mache balls will give them an opportunity to explore. Similarly, a large pumpkin or watermelon that has a hole bored into it will allow the animal to burrow inside and get a tasty treat. Food can also be hidden inside hollow logs or in toilet paper rolls to encourage the animals to use problem solving skills to retrieve the food items. Because meerkats eat mostly live insects in the wild, they should be given live insects in captivity. Catching these insects will help them keep their natural skills honed.
What do Meerkats eat?
Meerkats do not store body fat so they continuously search for food. They are carnivores, particularly insectivores, although they do eat some plant material. They can be fed crickets, mealworms, silkworms, and grasshoppers. They can also be given raw chicken, beef, or rabbit, as well as frozen/thawed mice or dead chicks. Most vegetables that are safe for dogs to eat are also suitable for meerkat consumption, including carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and squash.
Breeding Meerkats
Meerkats reach maturity at one year old and will produce litters of, on average, three pups per litter and about three litters per year. Although births can happen any time during the year, most babies are born in warmer weather. Female meerkats are pregnant for about eleven weeks and will deliver their young in underground burrows, where they will stay until they are about three week old.
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