342 ANlSrUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1941 



them use considerable fruit. They are all tropical and subtropical animals that 

 require protection against cold. 



MONGOOSES and their relatives (Herpestidae). Feed meat with skin, hair, 

 feathers, and glands; small birds, mice and rats are particularly good. Some 

 of this family are especially fond of snakes, and others like crustaceans, such 

 as crayfish, shrimp, and crabs. Also offer fruit. Tropical and subtropical 

 animals that require protection against cold. The importation of mongooses 

 into the United States is prohibited by law. 



HYENAS (Hyaenidae). Feed the large brown, spotted, and striped hyenaa 

 meat with skin, hair, feathers, and plenty of bones. The aardwolf has weak 

 jaws and small teeth, and is primarily an insect eater. Feed it cooked ground 

 meat, insects, eggs, and try mice and small birds. 



DOGS, WOLVES, COYOTES, and FOXES (Canidae). Feed meat with skin, 

 hair, feathers, bones, and viscera; also fruits, vegetables, bread, milk, and eggs. 

 Much has been written about the care of dogs and foxes. (See bibliography.) 



CACOMISTLE, RINGTAIL ©r BASSARISCUS (Bassariscidae). Feed meat, 

 mice, small birds, insects, and some fruit and green vegetation. 



RACCOONS, COATIMUNDIES, KINKAJOUS (Procyonidae). The kinkajous 

 will thrive best on fruit, boiled sweet potatoes, eggs, and some meat, including 

 mice and small birds. Raccoons and coatimundies will eat meat, fish, frogs, 

 occasionally snakes and lizards, fruit, bread, and some vegetable materials, such 

 as corn in the milk, acorns, and boiled sweet potatoes. Kinkajous and coati- 

 rnundies are tropical animals and should not be subjected to chilling. 



PANDAS and LESSER PANDAS (Ailuridae). Feed the lesser pandas meat, 

 eggs, bread and milk, fruit, honey, bamboo, grass, clover, and other green vege- 

 tation. The large panda is generally supposed to feed mainly on bamboo, but 

 is apparently almost omnivorous, and should be offered a wide variety of vege- 

 tation and fruit, milk, and some meat. 



BADGERS, MARTEN, SABLE, SUN BADGERS, SKUNKS, OTTERS, and 

 their relatives (Mustelidae). These carnivores eat a wide variety of food. 

 Feed whole mice, rats, birds, meat with hair, feathers, viscera, and bones, 

 insects, fruit, some green food, soft nuts, bread, milk. Many of these animals 

 consume quantities of insects and crustaceans; also some fish, frogs, and 

 snakes. Otters have been generally supposed to feed mainly on fish and crus- 

 taceans, but the most succcessful otter keeper has found that they thrive best 

 with a wide variety, such as crayfish, frogs, snakes, worms, insects, and a 

 limited amount of fish. Sea otters have not been kept in captivity. They feed 

 mainly on sea urchins (Echinodermata), mollusks (Mollusca), and small 

 amounts of crab, mussel, fish, as well as other marine animals and some marine 

 plants. 



BEARS (Ursidae). Omnivorous. Feed meat with skin, hair, feathers, viscera, 

 and bones, insects, fish, liberally supplemented with fruits, grass, clover, and 

 other vegetation, including acorns and other soft nuts, bread, milk. Fond of 

 honey and other sweets, which may be given in moderation. In temperate and 

 cold regions they should be permitted to hibernate quietly in a secure den suffi- 

 ciently insulated and provided with bedding so that there is no danger of their 

 being subjected to freezing temperature. Captive bears in general do not raise 

 their young (which are born while the mother is in hibernation) unless they 

 can have such conditions. 



SEALS, SEA LIONS, WALRUSES (PINNIPEDIA) 



SEA LIONS, SEA BEARS, EARED SEALS, AND FUR SEALS (Otariidae). 

 Feed almost exclusively on fish and squid. Sea lions fed on fish are readily kept 

 in capitivity. Fur seals have not generally thrived. Should have large pool. 



