Biaza Carnivore Focus Group

Small Carnivore Nest Box database

This document has been produced for the purpose of a species specific guide to nest box requirements
for Small Carnivores for Birthing or sleeping/hiding dens. This is not a set practice which is advised with
any authority to be followed by all collections, but merely a practice adopted by one collection or
individual which has been successful.

Species…Slender Tailed Meerkat (Suricatta suricata)…….

Date……..07.08.10…………………………………………….
Submitted By…..Marc Fox- Marwell Wildlife……………….

A Nest box for Meerkats is fairly straight forward in design.

Tools required- Jigsaw, Combi Drill (screwdriver), set wood drill bits & screwdriver bit
Materials required- sheet of ½ inch Plywood, 24 screws (15mm), 2 x butt hinges

Firstly using the jigsaw and the Plywood, cut 6 sections to create all of the sides of the box,
4 sections should measure approximately 30cm x 12cm
2 sections should measure approximately 30cm x 32.5cm

One of the smaller sections should then have a 10cm diameter hole cut into it to one side, you can do
this by drawing the 10cm diameter circle and then using a large wood drill bit to create a pilot hole within
your circle and then inserting the jigsaw blade into the pilot hole and cutting out the circle.
The 4 smaller sections should then be fixed together by drilling 2 small pilot holes at the edge of each
panel and then inserting a 15mm screw into each hole and screwing them all together to form a square.
Then the square can be fixed onto the bottom panel using 2 screws along each adjoining edge.
The top can then be placed on and fixed using the 2 butt hinges and 8 screws so that the top can be
lifted up.

You could add extra features like a magnetic or hook clasp so that the lid closes firmly, and a small
hinged door to close over the entrance hole, this will make the box versatile as a catch up box and
transport box, however if animals are to be shut inside for any length of time be sure to drill some air
holes first.
Another feature for a good birthing box would be to make it slightly wider and incorporate another panel
of ply vertically inside from just inside the entrance hole running 2/3 of the length of the box so that the
animal has to walk down a ‘corridor’ to get to the nesting area, this will add to the ‘den’ feel of the box
and give greater privacy and security whilst nursing.

For Meerkats these boxes within a group should be made available either throughout the year or just
when breeding is encouraged, and it is preferable to offer more than one of these boxes and in different
locations, so that the Mother can move pups around to different nesting chambers, as would be done in
the wild. Having multiple dens will also offer lower ranking animals in the group somewhere to hide in a
large group scenario (i.e with large groups the higher ranking animals may guard the entrance to a
favourite den and deny access to subordinate animals, so plenty of boxes would be favourable).

Another system used is the tiered structure, which allows natural positions within the den system for
different ranking members of the group. It also allows a mother to move young to different dens when
inside space is limited.