Nutrition in Insectivores, Edentates, and Aardvarks

Successful management of captive obligate insectivores involves feeding live invertebrates as the primary dietary item and as an important source for stimulating species-specific feeding behavior. Information on natural feeding ecology and nutrient requirements of insectivorous mammals is limited. Clinical imbalances (eg, determined through blood samples or veterinary examinations), behavior problems, and other health issues (eg, obesity and GI problems) have been reported in insectivorous mammals. Most shrews, tenrecs, and moles can be fed cat food or insectivore pellets, supplemented with mealworms, earthworms, crickets, and mouse pups. Ground meat fortified with minerals and vitamins, canned dog food, cooked egg, and small amounts of vegetables also are readily accepted by many species.

Bacterial hazards have been associated with feeding raw, meat-based diets to some species. Carnivorous and insectivorous small mammals appear particularly susceptible, and septicemia and deaths have been reported. Canned, meat-based products are a safer alternative.

A commercial diet can be fed to hedgehogs and should contain 22% protein, 15% acid detergent fiber or chitin (skeleton of insects), 5% fat, and a balanced vitamin and mineral supplement (1). If a specific hedgehog species regularly goes into hibernation, the diet should contain up to 30% fat just before hibernation. Hedgehogs eat approximately 6% of their body weight daily, which should be divided into at least two feedings per day with one preferably at nighttime.

Armadillos will eat frozen feline diet, moistened dry cat food, canned dog food, insectivore pellets, or ground meat fortified with minerals and vitamins. Vitamin K supplementation of armadillos has been recommended to help prevent hemorrhages; 5 mg of menadione sodium bisulfite/kg dry diet should be adequate (2).

Even though options for complete diets for insectivorous mammals are limited, several complete diets for giant anteaters, tamanduas, and aardvarks are available. With a complete composed diet, animals spend less time consuming food (which mimics their natural feeding behavior) than when they are fed small portions.