Meerkats have become popular as pets in recent years, and I get the impression that more and more people want to keep them. Meerkats have a very cute appearance and a very cute cry, so it can be said that they are animals that are easily loved by humans. However, if you make a mistake in how to raise them, it will be the worst result for both them and their owners. Owners need to learn about meerkats.
What is a meerkat?
The meerkat is a carnivorous animal classified in the genus Suricata of the Mammalia order Carnivora Mongoose. Wild animals live in southern Africa, mainly concentrated in South Africa, Namibia and Angola. The characteristics, ecology, and possibility of extinction of the meerkat are introduced in the following article.
history
Meerkats are mongoose relatives. It is said that meerkats already existed 2.5 million years ago, and meerkat fossils have been found in various places in South Africa. Meerkats have been around since the days of human hunting, and have lived mainly in the southern parts of Africa. It currently lives in the wild in South Africa, Namibia and Angola.
What is a mongoose?
Mongooses are animals that belong to the order Carnivora. Habitat: Africa, Southeast Asia. Physically, they have long tails, some of which are longer than their bodies. Common features include small ears, short limbs, and inability to retract claws. Mongooses basically prefer forests and savanna climates and live on insects, mollusks, crustaceans, reptiles and birds.
Cat
A meerkat is not a cat. Meerkat means lake cat in Dutch, but they don’t live near water. There are various theories about the origin of the species name, but it seems that it is not known which one is true.
Popular reason
Why did meerkats become popular as pets? The reasons for this are as follows.
pretty
Meerkat looks very cute. In addition, their fur is thick and comfortable to the touch, and they are intelligent, so they become attached to humans.
temperate animals
Meerkats are animals that live in forests and deserts. They are very friendly with humans because they prefer warm climates. Humans also prefer to live in warm and dry areas.
pet boom
Since China spread the coronavirus around the world in 2019, people’s lifestyles have become the basics of staying indoors. More and more people are choosing animal partners instead of humans to escape loneliness and loneliness. Not only cats and dogs, but also meerkats became popular.
natural enemy
Unfortunately meerkats are not at the top of the food chain. They are killed by more powerful predators. If you want to keep meerkats in the future, please do not let them live together with the following animals. Because the meerkat will be eaten. Even the meerkats, who are called gangsters of the savannah, have natural enemies.
Hawk
Birds, including hawks, are natural enemies of meerkats. This is because meerkats live in desert areas and have littlewhere to hide. Meerkats are also good food for birds. Small birds cannot kill meerkats, but medium to large birds can prey on meerkats.
owl
Owls are in demand as pets, but large owls prey on meerkats. Blakiston’s fish owls, eagle owls, and snowy owls reach a total length of 90-110 cm, so they can prey on meerkats.
large lizard
Large lizards also live in Africa. When it comes to monitor lizards, the total length is 200-300 cm, so they can prey on meerkats. When it comes to large animals, even the ferocious meerkat is no match for it.
Breeding
Meerkats are distributed and sold as pets. Below is a list of things to keep in mind when keeping a meerkat and the tools you need to prepare.
personality
The meerkat has a very ferocious personality. Meerkats are also predatory animals, so they are highly cautious and aggressive animals. Therefore, special care should be taken when breeding. If you get used to it, you can hold it in your arms, but it’s better to keep your distance until you get used to it. It will stress the meerkat.
living alone
Meerkats generally live in groups and are highly cooperative animals. But suddenly, they start living with humans, and at first they struggle to find a rhythm for their lives. As above, be patient until you get used to it.
sunlight
Meerkats have a strong image of standing on two legs, but that also means that they are scouting and sunbathing at the same time. They regulate their body temperature by exposure to sunlight. Please make sure to consciously sunbathe in the breeding environment. It is better to raise the room temperature. Since it is originally a desert animal, it is said that around 25 degrees is appropriate.
rearing tool
At a minimum, you will need the following tools when raising a meerkat:
cage
Meerkats are fairly active animals, so prepare a large cage for them. It is better to stop free-ranging because there is a danger that household goods will be destroyed. In nature, they have a habit of digging burrows to live, so it is good to have a tunnel in the cage.
feed
In nature, scorpions are a favorite food. But ordinary households don’t have scorpions, so they give them something else. Meerkats are omnivores and can eat a wide variety of foods. It is also possible to eat cat food and dog food. You also need hydration.
pet heater
Meerkats are native to warm places, so they don’t like the cold. In many cases, the air conditioner alone cannot be managed, so let’s put a pet heater in the cage.
toilet
Some meerkats learn to use the toilet and others do not. At the beginning of breeding, it is difficult to excrete here and there in the cage, but if you can remember it, it is wise to prepare a dedicated toilet.
hospital
If you own a meerkat, you need to secure a family hospital. Meerkats are not popular animals like dogs and cats. As a result, there are very few veterinarians who treat meerkats. If you do not understand this point, you may regret it after starting breeding.
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