What Do Anteaters Eat? A Complete Guide to Their Diet

Anteaters are fascinating creatures with highly specialized diets. Unlike most mammals, they feed almost exclusively on ants and termites, using their long tongues and strong claws to extract insects from nests. In captivity, providing the right nutrition is essential for their health and well-being. This guide will cover everything you need to know about an anteater’s diet, including what they eat in the wild, how to replicate their natural diet in captivity, and the best feeding practices.

1. What Do Anteaters Eat in the Wild?

Anteaters are insectivores, meaning their diet consists primarily of insects. Their main food sources are ants and termites, but they also consume other small invertebrates and occasional plant matter. Giant anteaters can eat up to 30,000 ants or termites per day, using their long, sticky tongues to extract them from nests. They prefer soft-bodied insects and avoid species with strong chemical defenses. Lesser anteaters (tamanduas) and silky anteaters also consume ants, termites, and occasionally honey or fruit in the wild.

2. How Do Anteaters Find and Eat Their Food?

Anteaters rely on their strong sense of smell, which is 40 times stronger than that of humans, to locate insect nests. They use their powerful claws to break open termite mounds and ant colonies, then flick their long, sticky tongues rapidly to collect insects. Unlike other animals, anteaters do not chew their food; instead, they swallow insects whole and rely on their stomach's strong muscles to grind them down.

3. Nutritional Needs of an Anteater

To keep anteaters healthy, their diet must be nutritionally balanced and similar to what they eat in the wild. Their primary nutritional requirements include:

Protein: Essential for muscle maintenance and overall health, provided mainly by insects.
Fats: A moderate amount of fat is necessary for energy, which is naturally found in insect bodies.
Fiber: Anteaters consume some plant material in the wild, which helps with digestion.
Calcium and Phosphorus: These minerals are needed for strong bones and are naturally present in ants and termites.

A well-balanced diet should replicate these nutritional components as closely as possible.

4. What to Feed Anteaters in Captivity

Since providing live ants and termites in large quantities is challenging, captive diets must be carefully formulated to meet an anteater’s needs. Common food options include:

Live Insects: The best option for anteaters in captivity includes mealworms, crickets, waxworms, and termites. These should be dusted with calcium powder for added nutrition.
Insect-Based Paste or Porridge: Many zoos and wildlife centers prepare special diets using a mixture of ground insects, eggs, and vitamins.
High-Protein Pet Foods: Some facilities supplement anteater diets with high-protein dog or cat food, though this should be used cautiously.
Fruits and Honey: While not a primary food source, some anteaters, especially tamanduas, enjoy occasional fruits like bananas, papayas, or honey as a treat.
Commercial Anteater Diets: Some specialized zoos and research centers develop formulated anteater foods that mimic their natural diet.

A varied diet helps ensure anteaters receive all the nutrients they need while preventing boredom.

5. Feeding Frequency and Portion Size

In the wild, anteaters forage throughout the day, consuming small meals frequently. In captivity, their feeding schedule should replicate this natural pattern as closely as possible.

Giant Anteaters: Should be fed twice to three times a day, with portions adjusted based on their activity levels.
Tamanduas and Silky Anteaters: Require smaller, more frequent meals, as they tend to eat smaller amounts at a time.
Live Insect Enrichment: Offering live insects scattered throughout the enclosure encourages natural foraging behavior.

Regular monitoring of weight and health helps ensure the anteater is receiving the right amount of food.

6. Foods to Avoid for Anteaters

Some foods can be harmful to anteaters and should be strictly avoided. These include:

Hard-bodied or toxic insects: Some ants and beetles produce harmful chemicals that can irritate an anteater’s digestive system.
Sugary or processed foods: Processed human foods, including candy, bread, and dairy products, are not suitable for anteaters.
Excessive fruit: While tamanduas and silky anteaters may eat small amounts of fruit, too much can lead to digestive issues.
Unapproved commercial pet foods: Not all dog or cat foods are appropriate; only those with high protein and low additives should be used in limited amounts.

Providing a species-appropriate diet is essential for maintaining an anteater’s health.

7. Importance of Water and Hydration

Anteaters get most of their moisture from food, but they still require access to fresh water. A shallow water dish should always be available in their enclosure. Some species, like tamanduas, benefit from misting or moisture-rich foods to stay hydrated. Keeping an eye on water intake helps prevent dehydration.

8. Special Dietary Needs for Different Anteater Species

Each anteater species has slightly different dietary needs based on their natural habitat and feeding behavior.

Giant Anteaters: Primarily eat ants and termites and need a diet rich in protein and fiber.
Tamanduas (Lesser Anteaters): More adaptable, they eat a mix of ants, termites, and occasional fruit or nectar.
Silky Anteaters: Have a highly specialized diet of tree-dwelling ants and require a soft, insect-rich diet in captivity.

Providing species-specific nutrition ensures they remain healthy and thrive in captivity.

9. Challenges of Feeding Anteaters in Captivity

One of the biggest challenges of keeping anteaters is sourcing enough insects to meet their dietary needs. Because anteaters require such large amounts of ants and termites, many zoos and sanctuaries develop insect-replica diets or grow their own insect colonies. Another challenge is ensuring dietary balance, as nutrient deficiencies can lead to health problems such as metabolic bone disease or digestive issues. Regular veterinary check-ups and diet adjustments help address these challenges.

10. Enrichment and Natural Feeding Behaviors

To keep anteaters engaged, it’s important to encourage natural feeding behaviors. Some enrichment ideas include:

Hiding food in logs or crevices to simulate foraging.
Using puzzle feeders that require the anteater to use its tongue and claws.
Offering live insects in different areas of the enclosure to encourage natural movement.
Providing artificial termite mounds filled with food paste to mimic their natural feeding style.

These activities not only keep the anteater entertained but also help prevent obesity and inactivity.

Feeding an anteater requires careful planning to replicate its natural diet as closely as possible. Whether in the wild or captivity, anteaters rely on a high-protein, insect-based diet to stay healthy. By providing the right balance of nutrition, hydration, and enrichment, caretakers can ensure that these unique animals thrive. Understanding their feeding behaviors and dietary needs is essential for their overall well-being.

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Our specialty is premium live and dried insect-based feeds like mealworms, superworms, crickets, roaches, waxworms, and hornworms. These insects are grown on an organic diet, making them a nutritious and tasty treat for your pets.

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