Zoo database

Meerkat

Suricata suricatta

Natural diet Meerkat

Insects
Vertebrates

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.

Feeding advice Meerkat

Feed quantity per day

5% of body weight

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 = 0.035 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

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

Proportions (fresh product)

0.35 x 0.035 kg = 12.3 g meat products and whole prey
0.15 x 0.035 kg = 5.3 g insects and other invertebrates
0.35 x 0.035 kg = 12.3 g concentrates
0.15 x 0.035 kg = 5.3 g other vegetables

Diet suggestions

In moderation

Whole prey

Not recommended

Fruits

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).

Common diseases

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

Taurine deficiency
Obesity
Secondary alimentary hyperparathyroidism

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

DK Omnivore Diet

Krekels

Fuzzy Rat (15-25 g)

Kleine Muis (8-15 g)

Eendagskuikens (Zwarte Doos)

Marieke Post

Manager R&D & QA