International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

een exposed to within its environment, the longer it may take for the otter to show
interest in the object or change and become comfortable with it. An otters’ environment
should not remain stagnant or fear of change, boredom, and other abnormal stress causing
behaviors can result. If its environment is stagnant, changes should be introduced slowly
unless they include making changes to provide the recommended enclosure furnishings or
designs. Note: the recommended enclosure furnishings and designs are the most
important conditions that must be provided to avoid that abnormal behavioral and mental
health problems develop and to resolve health problems that may already exist. Making
changes to offer these conditions should be done as quickly as possible, i.e. these changes
should not be made slowly. New/unusual changes should not be made at parturition and
during cub-rearing and all necessary changes should be made before this time.
Most of the following items are inexpensive, easy to find, present, and maintain and are
especially liked by the otters. The institutions surveyed reported that these items were well used
and liked by their giant otters. The condition and size of all toys, esp. tubes, tires etc., should be
checked to prevent possible body entrapment and/or entanglement. For example, an approx. 3
month old cub suffocated in a plastic cup (Flügger 1997). Entrapment or entanglement could
cause severe and potentially dangerous stress. This situation is also esp. dangerous in and near
pools or if more than one otter tried to enter the tube/tire etc. at the same time in the water. As
well, the condition of the items should be checked so that ingestion of toy and toy parts is not
possible. Using a rope, or other similar items to tie objects up with or to simply play with in
itself, should be avoided to prevent strangulation and entanglement. For safety, woodwool,
plastic bread trays and other items with holes that could entrap cubs and any item that could be
dangerous to cubs, e.g. those that could roll on them etc., should be removed before cubs are
born and they should not be offered during cub-rearing.
Giant otters enjoy tossing around large items (as well as medium and small sized items), such as
those that are approx. two-thirds of their body size. These toys should not only be light in
weight because this is what otters like, but also because this is what can be safely used both in
pools and on land. Pteronura are very strong and can lift up very heavy objects that are
overtop of them, with the back of their neck, shoulders, and back (Sykes-Gatz pers. obs.). For
example, during a husbandry training session an adult male giant otter lifted, with the back of
his shoulders, one end of a large and very heavy beam scale which he forced his head, neck,
shoulders, and part of his back under. The beam scale was made of two long heavy metal
beams (used for weighing very large animals) that were connected by a sizable wooden
platform that was located low to the ground.
Playing with cardboard boxes, esp. those large enough to lay on, is a special favorite.
Sturdy cardboard boxes (e.g. boxes used for vegetables/fruits), approx. 60 cm (24”) long,
40 cm (16”) wide and 15 cm (6”) high, are especially liked. Otters will normally toss around,
tear/rip apart into many pieces, dig into, and rest on these cardboard boxes. (New boxes often
need to be offered daily to replace destroyed/wet boxes.) Various sizes can be offered. In many
countries, cardboard boxes are available for free at grocery stores etc. or zoos themselves will
often have boxes available from deliveries. Boxes can be offered in dens or places far away
from swim areas to avoid that they are taken into the water. Giant otters also especially like
thick-sided large cardboard tubes (used for carpets or concrete construction forms, 30 cm in
diameter x 122 cm+ long [1 ft in diameter x 4 ft long]) to play and sleep/rest in. (Large PVC
pipes can be used too, although they are not as favored as cardboard tubes.) (Keep tubes away
from the water to prevent underwater entrapment.) Otters never before exposed to cardboard
boxes or other new toys may take a few weeks of exposure to the item/s before they use it.
182