anteater\u2019s diet<\/a> with raw, ground meat, dog or cat food, baby food, and fresh fruits and veggies such as lettuce, corn, avocado, and blueberries.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nKeep in mind that anteaters don\u2019t have teeth. Whatever you feed them will need to be soft enough for them to slurp up and swallow whole; blending their food makes it easiest for them to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Healthcare<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Anteaters are prone to developing respiratory infections, especially if they are kept in cold or drafty conditions. On the other hand, they can suffer from heatstroke if they are left out in hot weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They can develop dry skin or cracked and bleeding foot pads if their environment is too dry. They may also experience organ failure if their diet doesn\u2019t provide the necessary nutrients for them to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of these various health risks, it\u2019s important to find a good exotic veterinarian who is willing and able to care for your anteater. These types of veterinarians may be hard to find, but keep looking until you find one; a good vet is essential for maintaining your anteater\u2019s health.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nTo find an exotic animal vet, start by looking in urban areas near larger cities; they are more likely to be found in the city than in more sparsely-populated rural areas. You can also inquire at veterinary colleges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Long Do Anteaters Live in Captivity?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Anteaters that are well cared for and don\u2019t develop health issues can live a surprisingly long time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The anteaters most commonly kept as pets are tamanduas, also known as lesser anteaters. These generally live around seven years, though they can easily live into their teens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe anteater with the longest-known lifespan was one kept in captivity. It lived for an incredible 25 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Anteaters can be challenging to keep as pets; they require a lot of care and a huge investment of time and money. That said, they can be tamed, and it is legal to own them as pets in many areas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Many people throughout the world keep exotic animals as pets. Perhaps you\u2019re considering this as well. As you consider different animals, you may be wondering: what about anteaters? Can you own an anteater as a pet? Do they make good pets? How do you care for them? Keep reading as we answer each of these … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13064,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[163],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13082"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13082"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13100,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13082\/revisions\/13100"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}