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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Caution must be taken as initial (e.g. in the first days or longer) positive reactions during<br />
visual <strong>and</strong> full-contact introductions can be very misleading. For example, at first or in the<br />
early stages during visual introductions the otters may seem very compatible <strong>and</strong> may behave<br />
like they want to be in full contact with the other in a positive way. Sometimes, the otters may<br />
also display that they are stressed because they are separated. (Animals that are separated can<br />
become stressed because of the separation alone. If they had previously been housed together<br />
the stress would likely be very significant, esp. if they were more recently separated.) If<br />
although, they were let together too soon they might fight, injure or try to kill each other. Full<br />
contact should not be initiated too soon after visual introductions are started. (Note: in some<br />
cases, unnecessarily long visual introductions may cause undue stress <strong>and</strong> problems, so caution<br />
should be taken in this regard as well.) As well, during the first day/days of full-contact<br />
introductions otters may seem compatible for a short time just after the contact session is<br />
started (e.g. the first 20 minutes), but then they may begin to seriously fight afterwards. In these<br />
cases, otters should be given limited periods of full contact together (e.g. a 20 minute<br />
introduction could be started with, then the next day it could be increased to a one-hour<br />
introduction etc.). When stress seriously or continually escalates, otters become very tired, or<br />
one otter tries to get away from the other <strong>and</strong> the other otter does not let the first alone, the fullcontact<br />
introduction should be stopped for the day. <strong>Otter</strong>s should be separated before serious<br />
physical fights develop. Full-contact should be re-tried the next day or be stopped for a while,<br />
to allow more visual introduction before full-contact time to occur. Gradually, depending on the<br />
successfulness of the previous introduction, full-contact time-allotments should be slowly<br />
increased each following day. Caretakers should be very cautious not to make the decision<br />
of leaving animals together permanently (or even for their first over-night stay together)<br />
too soon, as this may lead to serious problems.<br />
Some otters, after a week or two of visual introduction, have been able to be kept together<br />
permanently after their first day of full-contact introduction. It is important to note that<br />
sometimes, even in these cases, tension, stress, <strong>and</strong> minor fights have been observed to<br />
occur on the first contact day (e.g. for the first 3 hours) (Sykes-Gatz <strong>and</strong> Gatz, pers. obs.,<br />
Dortmund Zoo). Caretakers should allow some minor fights <strong>and</strong> tension to be carried out<br />
rather than separating the otters upon these developments. This way the otters will be<br />
allowed a full chance to work out any minor problems, differences, or dominance uncertainties<br />
they may have, <strong>and</strong> they can adjust to each other’s particular character/personality. If otters are<br />
obviously successfully partnered, then unnecessarily separated, this may cause undue stress <strong>and</strong><br />
problems, so caution should be taken in these regards as well.<br />
Note: when giant otters are separated from their family members or familiar partners (or even<br />
separated unfamiliar animals), but are still in visual-olfactory-acoustic contact with the animal/s<br />
that they have been separated from, the following can occur. They will likely for a time<br />
excessively dig on/into l<strong>and</strong> surfaces immediately adjacent to the containment barriers that<br />
allow vision etc. <strong>and</strong> dig directly on such containment barriers (e.g. fence) in attempts to dig out<br />
or through to the otter/s that have been separated. This should not be confused with the<br />
behavior of excessively digging throughout the entire enclosure l<strong>and</strong> area to relieve their stress.<br />
It is necessary that nearly the entire (including the area next to the containment barriers that<br />
might be dug into) or all of the enclosure is covered with soft loose substrates <strong>and</strong> deep digging<br />
areas are provided as recommended, so that otters can not only relieve their stress, but they can<br />
also avoid damaging their feet. See Chapter 2 Sections 3A-B.<br />
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