International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
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or high humidity, esp. extended periods). Eventually serious health problems, such as<br />
aforementioned, could develop.<br />
A lack of sufficient l<strong>and</strong> area, resulting from inappropriate l<strong>and</strong> to water area ratios, may<br />
not offer otters enough area for the aforementioned necessities. Continual exposure to wet,<br />
very damp, muddy, unclean, slow drying, or poor draining surfaces/substrates can cause<br />
poor fur coat condition. Additionally, abrasive (e.g. abrasive s<strong>and</strong>s such as builder’s sharp<br />
construction s<strong>and</strong>), rough, or sharp surfaces (sometimes found in artificial rockwork) can<br />
wear away guard furs <strong>and</strong> result in poor coat condition as well.<br />
It is difficult, unenriching or/<strong>and</strong> uncomfortable for otters to dry <strong>and</strong> groom themselves<br />
when hard, coarse, or tightly packed/compacted (i.e. any substrate that is not loose enough<br />
for otters to easily dig into) substrates or insufficient l<strong>and</strong> area must be used for these<br />
activities. These surfaces are listed in Chapter 2 Section 2. It is important to note that pebbles,<br />
gravel, or small rocks (whether they are smooth <strong>and</strong> rounded or not), soil that is not loose<br />
enough for otters to easily dig into, river rocks, <strong>and</strong> mulch, s<strong>and</strong> or soil mixed with any<br />
kind of pebbles, gravel, small rocks or construction s<strong>and</strong> throughout are included within<br />
this category as well as the other inappropriate substrates. (Hard surfaces, e.g. concrete, tile<br />
etc. are not absorbent <strong>and</strong> water cannot drain through them. When such surfaces are wet or<br />
damp it is impossible for otters to effectively dry <strong>and</strong> groom themselves on them.) It is just as<br />
difficult for otters to dry <strong>and</strong> groom themselves when the only soft loose substrates<br />
available are those provided in nestboxes, small or limited grooming areas or/<strong>and</strong> small<br />
digging pits. Even freshly offered bedding material, such as straw, woodwool, etc., or<br />
small areas for grooming become wet <strong>and</strong> lose their absorbent drying qualities quickly.<br />
As well, when not enough l<strong>and</strong> area (because of inappropriate l<strong>and</strong> to water ratios), limited<br />
(size) grooming areas, or inappropriate substrate depths, types, or qualities are provided,<br />
otters will not be able to carry out the full extent of their innate grooming behaviors as is<br />
necessary to maintain the otter’s health. <strong>Giant</strong> otters with healthy behavior <strong>and</strong> appropriate<br />
enclosure conditions will use the entire expanse of their l<strong>and</strong> area to groom <strong>and</strong>/or dry<br />
themselves, by rubbing, rolling, scratching, <strong>and</strong> digging on the surface of/into soft loose natural<br />
substrates. <strong>Giant</strong> otters groom themselves when they are dry as well as wet. Digging <strong>and</strong><br />
scratching on/into surface substrates are a function of grooming <strong>and</strong>/or drying as well as<br />
marking territory, forming/clearing “campsites”, creating dens, <strong>and</strong> simply digging. (Note:<br />
giant otters dig deeply into substrates whether they can create underground dens or not. They<br />
also rub on substrates to help mark their territory.) During grooming <strong>and</strong> drying substrate<br />
particles are moved/dug freely about <strong>and</strong> otters’ often cover their body/fur with the freed<br />
particles. Being avid groomers, this species grooms frequently throughout the day. See in Part<br />
C below, the mental <strong>and</strong> behavioral health problems/abnormalities that can develop when<br />
grooming <strong>and</strong>/or digging behaviors can not be carried out to their full extent. <strong>Otter</strong>s either will<br />
not or cannot use, or cannot use without inefficiency, difficulty, lack of comfort, <strong>and</strong>/or harm to<br />
their health <strong>and</strong>/or normality, inappropriate substrate types, qualities, or depths, or insufficient<br />
l<strong>and</strong> area to groom on. E.g. otters may groom on smooth rounded pebbles, abrasive s<strong>and</strong>,<br />
concrete, gunnite, or s<strong>and</strong> or soil mixed with pebbles, gravel, or small rocks throughout, if no<br />
other better grooming area exists.<br />
Inappropriate substrate types, depths, or qualities, l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> water area locations or<br />
designs (esp. inappropriate l<strong>and</strong> to water ratios that do not offer enough l<strong>and</strong>), or/<strong>and</strong> locations<br />
for nestboxes, dens or areas for natural underground dens cause the following. (See the<br />
introduction above for more information). The dens, nestboxes (including bedding<br />
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