# Taming meerkats



## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

Hi just got 2 5 month old meerkats today, they still don't like being touched, can anyone give advice on how to tame them and how long it should take to be able to pick them up and them happily sit on me?
Thanks


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## samurai (Sep 9, 2009)

I don't how tame Meerkats can get but if you only got them today they will probably appreciate time to settle in to their new environment before you try to handle them. Try winning their trust by hand feeding tasty treats but I'd give them a few days at least to adjust. They aren't a domestic pet at the end of the day so I can't imagine them being a pet as such


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

I got them from friend his are better than cats or dogs


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

So did they handle the babies often and were the babies OK about you handling them when they were with their own family?


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

You have had them less than a day. Let them settle in 1st


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

*No* animal likes to be fussed on their first day in a new place, with new smells, sound and sights- and meercats are more intelligent, and therefore more sensitive than a lot of mammals. Give them a chance to settle in, and also talk to Zooman- I know he's kept them.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

I had 2 Meerkats up until recently. They came as babies from a good friend who had handled them regularly from an early age. They were tame, though the female was feistier & not as amenable. 

I would give them plenty of time to settle in & get used to things. Their curiosity & natural nosiness will make taming them easier, & their bellies will help big time.


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

Yeah had some progress for first few days then got savaged when i had to grab the tamer girl, up until a month or 2 ago they were played with every day, I have been told to leave them just in there cage for 4 days then start glove/hand feeding until they are comfortable with our hands anyone with anymore advice I need all the help I can get
Thanks


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## genevie (Jul 12, 2011)

I'm no expert on meerkats but two things you just said there grabbed my attention -
1) _"cage"_ - are you keeping them crated indoors? How big is their enclosure? If you keeping them in a small cage right now then that's probably not going to be helpful, I'd imagine it would lead to territorial aggression of some sort.
2) _"up until a month or 2 ago they were played with every day"_ - have they been handled at all in the last month or 2? A lot of non-domestic animals really require very regular handling and interaction to maintain a level of tameness.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I agree with Genevie and I also wondered why you had to grab her??


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

Because she was running round the room and had to go back to her cage, as I had to leave for work, and I know a few people that keep there meerkats in and extra large indoor cage


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

What is their cage like? They don't make the best house pets.


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## genevie (Jul 12, 2011)

newt newbie said:


> Because she was running round the room and had to go back to her cage, as I had to leave for work, and I know a few people that keep there meerkats in and extra large indoor cage


It's really not ideal for them to be kept in such a small cage, most commercial cages labelled XL tend to be around 4 x 2 ft in my experience - if you're keeping them in something this size, they will go stir crazy. Do they have any enrichment available in their cage - i.e. toys? They really need a much larger space to themselves, either a spare room (meerkat-proofed) or large outdoor enclosure (I'd say no less than 100 sq. ft ideally). Is there no room in your house that you could let them live in, or space in your garden for an enclosure? From what I know about meerkats, they live by strict hierarchies and will want to make every member of the household a part of their pack, which is why most people say they don't make good indoor pets.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I believe when you take on a pet you provide the best habitat you can and, especially with exotics, you look at what their natural environment is and do your best to replicate is.

I don't keep Meerkats and have no intention of doing so, but the way that I see it anyone who knows anything about Meerkats knows that they live underground, so surely digging their own burrow has to be an important part of their life and they can't do that in a cage?


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

I don't care if I get kicked off for this **** the lot of you, really go **** yours selfs I came needing help, the set up I made for them got the approval of several meerkat owners, I wanted help with a problem not people that don't own them telling me I'm doing it wrong lots of exotic owners told me it was the right setup, I have had help now and a taming plan made for me by the guy I got them from cya wankers


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## Drayvan (Jul 7, 2010)

newt newbie said:


> I don't care if I get kicked off for this **** the lot of you, really go **** yours selfs I came needing help, the set up I made for them got the approval of several meerkat owners, I wanted help with a problem not people that don't own them telling me I'm doing it wrong lots of exotic owners told me it was the right setup, I have had help now and a taming plan made for me by the guy I got them from cya wankers


With an attitude like that's it's obvious the only help you will take on board is that which you want to hear. Having worked with Meerkats at college in a large enclosure, I could never even begin to imagine how stir crazy they would go in a cage! Stop thinking about your ego and realise that just taking on board info that suits you doesn't benefit the animals in the slightest, and their welfare should come first. They would be far happier in a large enclosure, with absolutely no contact from you what so ever even if they do tame down quite well compared to other exotics. If this is your attitude when people try to show you what's best for the animals rather than yourself then I can quite safely say you aren't welcome here.

They aren't toys, remember that. I just hope they don't get passed from pillar to post, home to home when they don't fit in with what you want from them.


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## genevie (Jul 12, 2011)

newt newbie said:


> I don't care if I get kicked off for this **** the lot of you, really go **** yours selfs I came needing help, the set up I made for them got the approval of several meerkat owners, I wanted help with a problem not people that don't own them telling me I'm doing it wrong lots of exotic owners told me it was the right setup, I have had help now and a taming plan made for me by the guy I got them from cya wankers


I'm not even sure why I bothered trying to be polite now. Just want to point out that everything that was said to you WAS to help you. If you're keeping them in inadequate circumstances it will be incredibly difficult to get them to tame down, thus improving their living situation would help you tame them.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

newt newbie said:


> I don't care if I get kicked off for this **** the lot of you, really go **** yours selfs I came needing help, the set up I made for them got the approval of several meerkat owners, I wanted help with a problem not people that don't own them telling me I'm doing it wrong lots of exotic owners told me it was the right setup, I have had help now and a taming plan made for me by the guy I got them from cya wankers


Your childish mentality is showing now. If you want the best for your pets, you listen to advice and just because someone doesn't keep an animal doesn't mean that they don't know what's best for them.

Don't forget to pick your dummy up on the way out. :whistling2:


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

hi i do want to say sorry about my attitude and what i said, i was very stressed and i let that cloud my judgement, i have now sold them to someone at a large loss because the home was perfect for them they are going into a large outdoor enclosure with a warm shed too, they were wanted to be animals to observe and not pets and thats what my kats needed, in the next 3 months i will be getting a pair of hand reared baby kits to fit my needs, and wanted to ask you guys for some advice i know most of you wont want to talk to me but i would appreciate any help, i was thinking of building them and indoor enclosure at the size 5'W by 6'L and it being 3' high walls with a small cage for them to sleep and to use as a toilet if they would like, it would have pipes and 2 tree stumps and rocks and a sand bottom and wood shavings i the cage. thanks and sorry again


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

and they will have full roam of downstairs for at least 8 hours a day while me or my partner are at home


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

to be honest, I don't think meerkats are for you..


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

what do you mean?


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## izz (Aug 1, 2013)

Meerkats will never be pets, if you want something remotely tame its better you getting a dog. They NEED an outdoor enclosure. Would you like to be cooped up in a house all day? They aren't used to 4 brick walls around them like we are. They are naturally burrowing animals, and as an owner you will have to satisfy these needs and how can you do that indoors?


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## genevie (Jul 12, 2011)

I, for one, am not the type to hold a grudge and I'm sure most of the other posters here won't either  We're all just looking out for the welfare of the animals and it seems you are too now.

5 x 6 ft I assume, not metres? That still seems on the small side to me, but then as I've said I'm not a meerkat expert so it'd be better for someone more experienced to comment on that. Same with the rest of the ideas for the cage, but it sounds like you're thinking along the right lines in terms of enclosure design. Just not the space requirements. Also, I believe they require Vit D3 which comes from natural sunlight, and I'm not sure that they'd be able to get this indoors.

In terms of letting them have free roam to compensate for being in the cage for the rest of the day, what time of day would this be? Meerkats are diurnal, so they'll be the most active during the day. If you plan to let them roam past sunset, this may be a fruitless effort given that they'll usually be resting or sleeping around this time.

Also, I believe meerkats are particularly territorial animals. I was once told that it's not ideal to have them in an enclosure and bring them into the family home for "playtime", I believe because of this territorial nature and the strict hierarchies they live by.

Take all of this with a pinch of salt though, until someone more knowledgeable than myself comes by!

EDIT: Oops, posted this before I saw the other replies.


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

newt newbie said:


> what do you mean?


What I say.. I don't think they are the right pet for you. 

Just seem's as though you have expectations which might not necessarily be realistic.


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## genevie (Jul 12, 2011)

I do agree that it seems like you're expecting the wrong temperament/demeanor from these animals. But if you really are passionate about keeping them and want to do it correctly, perhaps you should let us know what space you have to work with in your home/garden, and someone could explain how you could convert that into a suitable living space?


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

Some will have you believe that having meerkats running around your house is fine for them. I don't believe so. They're really territorial, meaning they can be very vicious with anyone not in their "family". They also need to be able to dig or have a setup which mimics underground tunnels....which can't really be done in a cage. They're also messy and destructive.

In my opinion, that cage you're suggesting is still WAY too small......even though you say they'll have plenty of time out of it.

Although people have the best of intentions towards their pets when keeping in this way, it's stressful for the animal, and more often than not leads to health problems and an early death.

It's worth spending a good deal of money to build them the correct enclosure. If you aren't able to, then possibly think of getting a more suitable pet?

Good luck:2thumb:


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

IMO unless you can provide an outdoor area or a room similar to this in size and setup..



You shouldn't keep a meerkat as a pet "simples"


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

genevie said:


> I do agree that it seems like you're expecting the wrong temperament/demeanor from these animals. But if you really are passionate about keeping them and want to do it correctly, perhaps you should let us know what space you have to work with in your home/garden, and someone could explain how you could convert that into a suitable living space?


the breeder i am getting them from tames them to that temperament, where they will even stand on your head they are incredibly tame the animals he is getting, and just so you know i did have a dog and for a long time it was my only friend i was very lonely and unhappy as a child but i had her, she once ran off after a rabbit and broke her neck i cried for a month non stop when ever i could be alone i sat down and cried my family does still own dogs and i have never been able to bond with one since, i recently moved out into a 2 bed house in a gated area i only have a communal garden but i have a very large sitting room which i could could lose up to 6' 8'
ps i know the dog comment was on another comment i just wanted you to know


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## izz (Aug 1, 2013)

You have to think of the animals health when getting one, and if you don't have the space to keep meerkats. Why make them suffer?


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

newt newbie said:


> the breeder i am getting them from tames them to that temperament, where they will even stand on your head they are incredibly tame the animals he is getting, and just so you know i did have a dog and for a long time it was my only friend i was very lonely and unhappy as a child but i had her, she once ran off after a rabbit and broke her neck i cried for a month non stop when ever i could be alone i sat down and cried my family does still own dogs and i have never been able to bond with one since, i recently moved out into a 2 bed house in a gated area i only have a communal garden but i have a very large sitting room which i could could lose up to 6' 8'
> ps i know the dog comment was on another comment i just wanted you to know


I'm sorry but the breeder who has tamed them will be what they consider "family" so yes they will be "tame" around him/her but once you take them out of that environment they will be in foreign territory and will display aggression even though they were "tame" with the previous owner it's just how their social system works. I'd advise since you do not have a sufficient enough area to house them, to not get them. Sorry


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

GoodbyeCourage said:


> I'm sorry but the breeder who has tamed them will be what they consider "family" so yes they will be "tame" around him/her but once you take them out of that environment they will be in foreign territory and will display aggression even though they were "tame" with the previous owner it's just how their social system works. I'd advise since you do not have a sufficient enough area to house them, to not get them. Sorry


1 thing to ask and 1 thing to say haha
the breeder always said they settled well in there new home as many people visit them while they are young, and do you keep them and if so what set up do you have?


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

newt newbie said:


> 1 thing to ask and 1 thing to say haha
> the breeder always said they settled well in there new home as many people visit them while they are young, and do you keep them and if so what set up do you have?


well, look how well the first pair you got turned out :whistling2:

I am sure they were "tame" until moved from their "home" to unfamiliar surroundings with you trying to force handle them thinking they will be all cute and cuddly. Like I said before. You don't seem to have a realistic view about this whole keeping meerkats business.


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## GoodbyeCourage (Aug 14, 2013)

No but I know someone who owned them in the kind of set up you're talking about, and it didn't end well. They were very territorial, attacked anyone who visited the house leaving serious injures, they even attacked the owner frequently unprovoked when out in the house and these where hand raised by a breeder. In the end she had to sell them, it's just not worth it. You aren't putting the animals needs first please reconsider your choice of "pet"


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

newt newbie said:


> 1 thing to ask and 1 thing to say haha
> the breeder always said they settled well in there new home as many people visit them while they are young, and do you keep them and if so what set up do you have?


Yeah the breeder would say that, wouldn't he?:whistling2:

Thing is, they may _seem_ to be tame and wonderful and all that, _but are you really supplying everything the animal needs???_ It seems like you may want to change the nature of the animal to suit your own ends, rather than enjoying it for the incredible species that it is.

You'll still end up with stressed and sick meerkats.


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

.....and yes, I have kept meerkats.


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## izz (Aug 1, 2013)

newt newbie said:


> 1 thing to ask and 1 thing to say haha
> the breeder always said they settled well in there new home as many people visit them while they are young, and do you keep them and if so what set up do you have?


They probably settled well into their new homes because they were given the right enclosure and the right amount of space to feel settled and secure. I would love to own these gorgeous animals and have researched them a little, but if I was to get them I wouldn't be able to house them so what's the point in keeping animals if they're unhappy?


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

MrJsk said:


> well, look how well the first pair you got turned out :whistling2:
> 
> I am sure they were "tame" until moved from their "home" to unfamiliar surroundings with you trying to force handle them thinking they will be all cute and cuddly. Like I said before. You don't seem to have a realistic view about this whole keeping meerkats business.


actually your down right wrong there, they came to me feral because after i agreed to buy them their owner left them alone for a month once i went to pick them up they had turned completely wild, i managed to stop them biting out of fear while they were with me actually they were just not keen on being touched


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## MrJsk (Jul 29, 2012)

newt newbie said:


> actually your down right wrong there, they came to me feral because after i agreed to buy them their owner left them alone for a month once i went to pick them up they had turned completely wild, i managed to stop them biting out of fear while they were with me actually they were just not keen on being touched


But still.. Id say find a new choice of "pet" 

I am not attacking you or trying to p*ss you off (you seem to be getting angry, again), I don't care what you do. Everything I am saying is for the sake of the meerkats which if you get, will not have all of their needs met.


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## izz (Aug 1, 2013)

newt newbie said:


> actually your down right wrong there, they came to me feral because after i agreed to buy them their owner left them alone for a month once i went to pick them up they had turned completely wild, i managed to stop them biting out of fear while they were with me actually they were just not keen on being touched


They are meerkats, they aren't domesticated. They aren't going to be keen on being handled. You are trying to turn them into pets which they aren't, would you keep a pet lion indoors if you bought it from a breeder who "tamed" it?


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## newt newbie (Nov 18, 2012)

well i can't promise i'm just going to leave it there, but i will think it over and try and find some ways to make it a better habitat for them if i do decide to get them, i know some people give them a whole room and that seems to work, but thank you, and i have a huge living room thats why i was thinking of measuring it soon and seeing how large i could make an enclosure but i will try and fit there needs a bit more too

i will see if i can make all there needs the priority


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## Chris Newman (Apr 23, 2007)

As someone with practical hands on experience keeping meerkats in a home environment I have found them to be exceedingly undemanding. They are social animals and should not be kept on their own (in my view), they are undemanding in terms of husbandry, but they are very demanding on your time as you (and the rest of the family) become part of the pack. So taking meerkat’s on is a big commitment!

Ideally you should get them as soon after weaning as is practical, but if you want to get them really tame you will need to spend a lot of time with them when they are young. They are not destructive, other than on carpets, they do like digging up carpets! They don’t chew wires or furniture but they will, or certainly mine do, trash shoes, a sweaty smelly shoe is like crack cocaine to a meerkat! Take your shoes off in my house and i.6 milliseconds latter there is a meerkat bum sticking out of it as they rake the inside of the show, they are utterly obsessed with shoes, I have lost count how many they trashed – you soon learn to put them out of reach!

They can be litter trained, you can’t use a litter tray as you would with a cat as they would just dig out the litter! I have found carpet tiles the best; these can easily be cleaned or replaced. There is a lot of debate on diet, pronominally I feed live insects and a small amount of vegetables, rarely they will get either lightly cooked or raw meat. One thing to bear in mind is they are absolute scavengers, they will steal and eat anything they can get their grubby little paws on so be warned. They are also very, very smart they can work together and open a peddle bin! My little gits have recently worked out how to open the upright freezer, along with cupboards! We have now fitted child locks after they liberated the contents of the freezer!!!

They are extremely affectionate and rewarding animals to keep, they can be aggressive towards visitors but if you pick them up and introduce them to people generally they are fine, in fact once they have ‘made friends’ with someone they will remember them even if they only see them ever couple of months!

We use to have room that for them they could be put away in, but that has been dropped and they just live loose all the time. They do have an outdoor enclosure where they can go when the weather permits, and they do enjoy going outside but prefer to be indoors given the chance.

All in all I have found them to be much better ‘pets’ than domestic cats, they are just as affection but without all the associated issues of cats, and environmentally they are much better murdering felines!

They are a commitment, they are very demanding of your time and if you are out of the house a lot then I’m not sure I would recommend them. However, if you have the time they are simply ‘the best pet ever’…….!!


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

We have already ascertained in previous threads that Mr. Newman's meerkats are untypically saint-like....Paragons of virtue and a joy to behold! 

(They are also fed on pot noodles.:whistling2

I think when reading the last post, please take it as an exception rather than the rule. For every person like Mr. Newman claiming they have a pair of little angels roaming their house, you'll hear from dozens of other experienced keepers strongly advising against it.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

My meerkats enjoyed removing plaster from walls! :gasp:


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## Chris Newman (Apr 23, 2007)

Zoo-Man said:


> My meerkats enjoyed removing plaster from walls! :gasp:


My little ‘saints’ have never shown any interest in doing that, they did for a while have an obsession for digging the gout out between the tiles on the kitchen floor which was a pain! The only thing they continue to pull up is carpets, they get obsessed with looking underneath certain spots and will not stop until they have managed to pull it up. The solution is don’t have carpets – simples…..!!


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