Meerkats as Pets?

[Saviah Wildlife]

I've been learning alot about these guys lately, and am loving the Animal Planet series "Meerkat Manor" it got me to wondering what meerkats were like as pets?

That is if it's even possible, as we all know very few wild animals can be "tamed" to the point of being a pet, even down family lines.

I also wonder if their digging could be trainable otherwise I see no way in keeping one

[MissDolittle]

Wow, I totally missed your post here!

But I couldn't have given you any ideas either, because I don't know
anything about them.

I saw the ads on Animal Planet about the Meerkat Menor, but at the same
time, Fridays at 8 pm on the National Geograhics Channel they show The
Dog Whisperer. I wouldn't miss it for the world! :)

However, as you said, it's a wild animal, so why even consider it as a pet.

The past week I had so much trouble and broken hearts, because people
keep calling and asking "Can I keep it?"..about skunks, coons and whatnot.

[thundersquirrel]

i've been meaning to watch that show, it looks so cool on commercials. i love to support animal planet, too.

meerkats are awful cute...i bet they'd be similar to owning a ferret. the thing is, i think they'd lose a lot of their spunk in captivity. i like 'em wild. :D

[WingedCat]

i bet they'd be similar to owning a ferret. the thing is, i think they'd lose a lot of their spunk in captivity. i like 'em wild. Very Happy

I agree. Their spunky spirit comes from them being wild.

[kittymama]

i have recently atrted looking in to getting a meerkat and have found very conflicting advice. there appear to be only 2 opinions.
1 that they are incredibly destructive and completely untrainable. that they fight with other pets and cause a lot of vet bills.
and 2 that they make excellent pets that become very cat-cross-ferret like. these people say that they just need attention and company.
i have a feeling that their temperment, like most animals depednds entirely on the care you give them.
although it is illegal in the states to keep them as pets without a licence , it is perfectly legal in britain. the animals themselves are fairly cheap to buy ranging from £100 to £200 but the transpotation fees are exhorbitant.
i have as yet been unable to find a breeder outside of the states.
i am keen to have a try as even if it doesnt work out i have a friend at a local zoo with a colony who is happy to take the little critter off my hands.
i am determined to have a meerkat in my home by new year and if anyones interested i'll let you know how its going.
hope i've shed a little light . even if it was from both ends of the spectrum!
km

[MissDolittle]

Howdy and Welcome, kittymama! :)

As a wildlife rehabilitator I naturally am against keeping any wild animal as
a pet and deprive them of their natural way of living. In most cases it's
about the owner and not about the animal.

Having said that, I also know that I can't change the world and it's population,
lol. Especially if it's legal to keep the animal. I do not run around and demand
people to agree with me, so don't worry! :)

I think that it's just like with any other animal..some are quiet, some are
hyper, some are sweet and some are destructive. And of course the owner
makes a big difference too, as you said.

I like it that you have a backup if it doesn't work out and I'm curious about
these animals too. I live in Texas..no meerkats here, so I don't know much
about them and would loooove to learn from you if you get one!

[kittymama]

in my defence the meerkats i'm most interested in are the ones that have been confiscated from complete morons so they wouldnt be suitable for release and need homes.
i dont advocate the removal of animals from the wild in any way.
but i am totally happy to keep you upcated on any progress i make.
i have a massive house with 6 cats and 2 dogs so hopefully the new addition will make friends and have lots of good company.
i've owned many ferrets at home and theyv e all been easily trainable to the cat litter trays and have blended right in with the other animals so this gives me hope!
thanks or the reply and the welcome
km

[MissDolittle]

No need for defence, hun. I applaud your efforts! I had animals that I could
not release from squirrels to opossums, but I found them more suitable
homes, because I have a rescue and each animal that stays here would take
room away for others in need.

You sound like me with all those animals :D . 4 cats and 3 dogs here lool.

[Saviah Wildlife]

Cool! Please do let us know how it goes if you get one.

I made the thread just being curious really. They seem like amazing animals.

My thing about taking them from the wild is the fact that they are so social and are used to being with such a big family. With that I wonder how they would do alone with a human.

[kittymama]

recieved a phone call yesterday from customs and excise to say they have 13 meerkats that a moron tried to smuggle in in a tuperware dish! they're only 5 weeks old and there were 17 but 4 have already died. they're looking for foster homes to hand rear them so it looks like i'll be taking 4 for the next few months. i have the chance to adopt them if i can prove i am capable of handling them and escape proofing my house! this will be easier than taking on older ones i hope as they should be more malleable at this young age. A TUPPERWARE DISH! makes me want to scream! they reckon the most he'll get is a fine of 150 pounds per animal and i might add its per LIVE animal. surely it should be that plus 300 for every animal that dies too. sometimes i despair of the human race! well theyre being brought here on monday afternoon so hopefully i'll be able to post some pics soon. wish me luck!

[MissDolittle]

Awesome opportunity! :)

Poor animals though..just today I signed a petition to stop a new law that
would make it legal here to just send 1 day old chicks via mail without
regards of temperature, water or food.

When are you getting them? If ever possible, please make pictures and
post them here! :)

[thundersquirrel]

i think in the future, when i buy a lot of land *hopefully* i'm gonna get in contact with wildlife rescuers in case they find unrealeasables. i don't want the big stuff as pets (tigers and bears and wolves etc. deserves HUGE enclosures) but animals like meerkats would be fun. i've always loved the idea of taking a creature out of a neglectful home and suddenly exposing them to the joys of comfortable living and love. warms me heart. :smt049 :smt049 :smt049

[kittymama]

one of my meerkats has contracted a respitory disease so the transpot has been delayed until it resolves. probably looking at another 8 to 10 weeks now. will keep you all updated though. cross your fingers for me!
km
p.s. thanks miss dolittle :D

[Judyh0311]

I realize this thread is over a year old but was curious about the outcome of someone actually receiving a Meerkat.

[MissDolittle]

Hi Judy :),

the thread is a couple of months old, but I would be curious too if something
came out of it yet.

[Judyh0311]

Thank you. I realized that after I posted. Nothing like skipping a year.... :?

[MissDolittle]

Happens all the time :laughter .

[ShakespeareForever]

I know that this post is old but hopefully others who may wonder the same thing will see this reply anyway.

:smt009 Meerkats do not make suitable pets, and should be left in the wild where they belong. They are highly sociable mammals that constantly require activity and care - they should be seen more as children and less as pets, as far as the degree of attention they require in captivity is concerned.

When their owners realise how very demanding and destructive meerkats can be in a home with their continuous urge to dig, and how very dependent they are on their owners for everything, the meerkats are often then seen as a liability.

Additionally meerkats also have a special dietary requirement, including sand and high roughage foods. Captive meerkats are very often obese and very unhealthy due to a totally unsuitable diet and lack of adequate exercise.

Many meerkats are tragically abandoned after a few short months in captivity.

Wild meerkat groups have unique scents and will attack and kill rival groups of meerkats who intrude in their territories. Annoyingly, people who keep meerkats illegally as pets in captivity do not realise what will happen once the meerkat grows up- it is a time bomb waiting to explode through human ignorance of instinctive meerkat behaviour!

The meerkat will begin to scent mark the area it lives in when it reaches puberty from around six months in captivity and around nine months in the wild. Captive meerkats imprint on their human owners and treat them like meerkats from their own group- because they are fed by people.

All this information can be found at http://www.meerkatmagic.com

[MissDolittle]

Welcome on board and thank you for the wonderful post!!!!! That's what I had been trying to say!

[Saviah Wildlife]

Yes I agree however a trained individual might be able to pull it off.

Keep in mind that if nobody took anything "out" of the wild we wouldn't have ANY pets right now. Domestication starts somewhere.

Not that I think they SHOULD be pets, I was just curious.