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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cub weight growth curve in Graph 2 <strong>and</strong> more weight data <strong>and</strong> cub development information in<br />
Chapter 4.<br />
The cub is grossly underweight or emaciated if one can very easily see <strong>and</strong>/or feel bones (esp.<br />
the ribs, vertebrate, hip <strong>and</strong> tail bones) under the cub’s skin, the abdomen is sunken in or slack,<br />
sides are sunken in beneath its rib cage, <strong>and</strong> its body looks shrunken or eyes are sunken in. Cubs<br />
must have a normal body temperature <strong>and</strong> be properly hydrated before they are fed formulas or<br />
foods. (See Sections 2 <strong>and</strong> 3.) If the otter’s fur coat is not in a clean, shiny, <strong>and</strong> waterproof (i.e.<br />
water does not penetrate or even dampen the white underfur) condition, this can indicate health<br />
problems. These animals can become sick (esp. with pneumonia), unhealthy, <strong>and</strong> they may<br />
refuse to swim or die if the conditions causing this problem are not corrected (Duplaix-Hall<br />
1975). See Chapter 2 Section 3 for problems that can cause poor fur coat condition.<br />
Cubs should be weighed daily <strong>and</strong> at the same time every day, e.g. before the first feeding of the<br />
day <strong>and</strong> after toileting. Cub weight changes after elimination <strong>and</strong> feeding <strong>and</strong> this is esp.<br />
noticeable in very small cubs (see Section 4 below). The otter’s entire body, including its tail,<br />
which is a significant amount of its total body weight, should be weighed. (Sometimes it is<br />
easier to weigh cubs after the second feeding as animals usually get very excited when they are<br />
waiting for the first feeding of the day.) A healthy normally developing cub that is reared with<br />
proper h<strong>and</strong>rearing practices should gain some amount of measurable weight almost every day.<br />
If no weight gain or/<strong>and</strong> especially if weight loss occurs <strong>and</strong> continues (e.g. for more than 2<br />
consecutive days), either the formula or/<strong>and</strong> h<strong>and</strong>rearing practices may be inadequate or/<strong>and</strong> the<br />
cub has other medical/physical problems. The problems must be solved as soon as possible to<br />
prevent poor health or death.<br />
The following factors should be closely observed <strong>and</strong> monitored daily. The information<br />
gathered should be recorded either at every feeding, daily, or when applicable: Cub weights, the<br />
types/br<strong>and</strong> names, ingredients, dilutions, <strong>and</strong> preparation of milk formulas <strong>and</strong> foods, feeding<br />
regimens/schedules (frequency <strong>and</strong> when fed etc.), techniques <strong>and</strong> apparatuses (nipple/bottle<br />
types), amounts eaten, willingness to eat, preferences (e.g. for specific food <strong>and</strong> feeding<br />
apparatus types etc.), beginning <strong>and</strong> ending weaning dates, feces <strong>and</strong> urine condition <strong>and</strong><br />
frequency, physical <strong>and</strong> behavioral health condition, medications given, <strong>and</strong> behavioral <strong>and</strong><br />
physical developmental progress. Cubs can show subtle behavioral signs that may indicate the<br />
gradual development of illness or other problems. If each of these individual behavioral signs<br />
are not recorded, then the slow development of problems may be missed. Many times health<br />
problems can become well developed before they are obvious <strong>and</strong> discovered. Often this can<br />
make poor health conditions much more difficult to successfully treat.<br />
The cub’s body length should be measured <strong>and</strong> recorded at least one time per week. An otter<br />
should be measured from the tip of its tail to its nose <strong>and</strong> again from its tail base to its tail tip. A<br />
body length - weight - age growth curve for the cub’s entire development <strong>and</strong> behavioral <strong>and</strong><br />
physical development records are needed for comparison studies in the wild <strong>and</strong> in captivity.<br />
I.e. measurements <strong>and</strong> records should be taken from the earliest age to the latest age that is<br />
possible. (See Chapter 3 for how weights can be safely <strong>and</strong> easily taken, via husb<strong>and</strong>ry training,<br />
when cubs gets older.) An incomplete weight growth curve is available (see Graph 2), but no<br />
body length growth curve is known to exist.<br />
Census information such as identification, family history, birth, death, transfer, acquisition,<br />
wild/captive born location should also be kept. Record keeping is not only necessary to provide<br />
continued adequate care to individual giant otters, it is also necessary that all institutions<br />
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