RVC Exotics Service
Royal Veterinary CollegeRoyal College StreetLondon
NW1 0TU
T: 0207 554 3528
F: 0207 388 8124
www.rvc.ac.uk/BSAH

MEERKAT CARE
Meerkats are small carnivores originating from southern Africa where they live a strictly diurnal
lifestyle, foraging in the day and sheltering in extensive burrow systems at night. They have a complex
social structure working together to provide look-outs for predators, forage for food and care for theyoung within a group. Colonies may include up to 40 individuals usually with one dominant breedingpair and their offspring.
HOUSING OR YOUR MEERKAT

Meerkats are social animals, so should always be housed in a group to prevent stress andbehavioural problems.
Enclosures should be as spacious as possible, and provide a suitable substrate for digging andcreation of a burrow system.
Multiple hide areas and tunnels should also be placed as bolt-holes, as these animals can bevery nervous. They are however, also highly curious animals, so should be provided withenvironmental enrichment by hiding food in pine cones, toilet rolls or treat balls, burying
insects in a sand box, providing mazes of cardboard boxes, or introducing other unfamiliar
objects which can be investigated.
Ideally an enclosure should have both indoor and outdoor areas, with indoor temperatures
maintained > 20ºC to reflect their warmer natural environment.
Enclosures should be cleaned regularly and disinfected with a suitable pet disinfectant product.

COMPANIONSHIP FOR MEERKATS
Meerkats are social animals, so will be happiest in a pair or small group.
FEEDING YOUR MEERKATMeerkats are mainly insectivorous in the wild, in addition to taking the occasional reptile orbird.
In captivity, usual recommendations are for a balanced insectivore food to make up themajority of the diet. Alternatively low-fat cat food may be fed, but care must be taken to avoid
obesity and associated disorders, resulting from higher calorie foods.
A variety of gut-loaded live insects should also be offered with additional calcium
supplementation applied to any insects given.
Fresh water should always be freely available in a shallow bowl and changed daily.

PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE

Annual health checks are recommended for meerkats. Routine examinations may detectsubclinical conditions such as dental or cardiac disease.
Regular weight checks are particularly important as weight changes may be difficult for an
owner to detect due to the non-tactile nature of these animals.
Routine parasite treatment is not generally necessary.
Vaccination for canine distemper may be considered in animals with outdoor access. In certain
zoo situations, vaccination for parvovirus, feline panleucopenia and leptospirosis have also
been performed if judged to be a high-risk situation.

MEERKAT NEUTERINGVasectomy or castration of males is advised in a group situation to prevent breeding.
Vasectomy may be preferred to avoid disturbing the social structure of the group.
Ovariohysterectomy of females can also be performed, but is a more invasive procedure, anddue to the low incidence of female reproductive disease, not usually recommended as acontraceptive technique.

INSURANCE
We highly recommend that you take out a pet insurance policy. For a monthly fee your pet can receive
the best treatment at an affordable cost. There is normally an excess to pay for each condition thenafter that costs are covered up to a set limit. Once you have the policy, please provide us with a copy ofyour insurance details. There are a lot of different companies and policies available and we suggest you
contact a number of them for information- we have a leaflet advising what to look out for. Our advice is
to choose a policy which provides cover for chronic illness for the life of your pet. If this policy is toomuch for you then the best cover you can afford will provide piece of mind in an accident oremergency.