Zoo database

Meerkat

Suricata suricatta

Natural diet Meerkat

Meerkats are omnivores, their diet consists largely out of insects but they also eat small mammals, reptiles and birds. When food is scarce, plants and roots may also be consumed.

Insects
Insects
Vertebrates
Vertebrates

Feeding advice Meerkat

Feed quantity per day

5%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 0.7 kg and eats 5% of its body weight, it will get
 
0.7 x 0.05 = 0.03 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

35% Meat and whole prey
15% Insects and other invertebrates
35% Concentrates
15% Other vegetables

Proportions (fresh product)

0.35 x 0.03 kg = 12 g meat and whole prey
0.15 x 0.03 kg = 5 g insects and other invertebrates
0.35 x 0.03 kg = 12 g concentrates
0.15 x 0.03 kg = 5 g other vegetables

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of live insects

In moderation

Whole prey

Not recommended

Fruits

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

  • Taurine deficiency
  • Obesity
  • Secondary alimentary hyperparathyroidism

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least three feeding moments per day.
  • Supplement the diet with sufficient taurine. When feeding appropriate concentrates, this is not necessary.
  • Meerkats should be fed one whole prey per week, cut into pieces for the group.
  • Feeding gut-loaded (or dusted) insects will help maintaining a proper vitamin and mineral balance.
  • Stimulate foraging behavior by hiding, stacking or hanging the feed (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).