Timon and Pumbaa are the best "Hakuna Matata" duo costume in The Lion King: a skinny, fast-talking meerkat and a big, soft-hearted warthog. It works as a couples costume, a best-friends costume, or a pair for a parent and kid. Both characters have a ready-made suit, so you only need a few details to make them read as the Disney versions.
How to Make Timon Costume
Meerkat OnesieShort Orange WigBrown GlovesBrown Face Paint StickSaveTap any item in the photo to shop itClick any item in the photo to shop it
| # | Item | Description | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meerkat Onesie | Timon's fur is tan with a pale cream belly, and this onesie matches that two-tone look. The hood has a meerkat face with small round ears. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 2 | Short Orange Wig | Timon has a small rust-red tuft of hair on top of his head. A short, spiky orange wig worn under or in place of the hood gives you that tuft. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 3 | Brown Gloves | His hands and feet are dark brown, so wear plain brown gloves over the onesie sleeves. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 4 | Brown Face Paint Stick | Timon has a dark brown nose and muzzle. Paint a brown nose and a patch around the eyes. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
Wear the onesie with a dark brown pair of socks or slippers to copy his feet. If you are wearing the wig, fold the hood back so the tuft shows. Add a few brown stripes across the belly with the face paint, because Timon has faint brown stripes on his cream stomach. If you want a more costume-like version, the Fun Costumes meerkat jumpsuit is a zip-front suit with a tail and a headpiece with a tuft of hair built in.
How to Make Pumbaa Costume
Warthog Jumpsuit with HeadpiecePlus Size Warthog JumpsuitBrown Warthog OnesieWarthog Ears, Snout and Tail SetSaveTap any item in the photo to shop itClick any item in the photo to shop it
| # | Item | Description | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warthog Jumpsuit with Headpiece | This officially licensed Disney jumpsuit is the maroon-brown of Pumbaa's hide. It comes with a headpiece that has the pink snout, tusks and black mane, plus gloves and shoe covers. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 2 | Plus Size Warthog Jumpsuit | The same Disney suit in a plus size cut. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 3 | Brown Warthog Onesie | A cheaper, comfier option. It is a plain brown onesie with a warthog hood, so add a headband with tusks to finish the face. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 4 | Warthog Ears, Snout and Tail Set | A headband with ears and a black mane tuft, a pink snout with tusks, a bow tie and a tail with a black tip. Wear it over a brown hoodie and pants for the lightest version. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
Pumbaa's tail ends in a black tuft, and his mane runs down his neck as a black mohawk. If your pieces do not have those, a black mohawk wig will fix it.
Getting the details right
- Colour: Timon is light tan and Pumbaa is deep reddish brown. Stay away from grey or dark chocolate brown, because the two characters should clearly look different next to each other.
- Tusks and snout: Pumbaa's cream tusks curve up from his pink snout. They are the thing people recognise first, so do not leave them off.
- Poses: Timon is always on tiptoe with his arms out, and Pumbaa is a big, relaxed friend beside him. If you are a couple, the taller person usually takes Pumbaa.
- Props: Carry a plastic bug or a bag of gummy worms. Timon and Pumbaa eat grubs in the film.
- Sign: A small "Hakuna Matata" sign tied around a hand is an easy extra detail.
Alternate looks
If you want a casual version, the Big Warthog Face Tee is a Disney t-shirt with his face on the front. Wear it with the Timon onesie for a mixed pair, or skip the onesie and wear tan clothes with the wig.
Want to add a villain? Scar's look is in our Scar costume guide.
About Timon and Pumbaa
Timon and Pumbaa are a meerkat and a warthog who appear in Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King. They find young Simba after he runs away from the Pride Lands and take him in, teaching him their carefree philosophy, "Hakuna Matata," meaning "no worries."
In the original film Timon was voiced by Nathan Lane and Pumbaa by Ernie Sabella. The two actors were first brought in to audition for the hyenas, and their ad-libbing led the filmmakers to cast them as the pair instead.
The duo got their own animated series, Timon & Pumbaa, which ran from 1995 to 1999. Ernie Sabella voiced Pumbaa for the whole run, while Nathan Lane returned as Timon in only some episodes. They also appear in the 1998 sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and the 2004 film The Lion King 1½, which retells the story from their point of view.
