International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

Section 4
Toileting: To produce elimination in young or unhealthy cubs.
“Young carnivores require urogenital [the organs that excrete feces and urine] stimulation for
the first several weeks.” (Read & Meier 1996). This is necessary to encourage defecation and
urination as they are unable to eliminate on their own. (Giant otter cubs have required toileting
(also called urogenital stimulation) at 2 ½ and 3 months old as well.) Depending on cub
preference, toileting is necessary before or after each feeding of the day. In some cases, it
should be done both before and after feeding. Some cubs prefer to eat before elimination and
some may not want to eat until afterwards. Even when cubs are able to eliminate on their own,
it is useful to toilet them before weighing and feeding to attain accurate weights (see Section 1).
Toileting before feeding also helps encourage cubs to nurse/eat. On the other hand, elimination
after feeding helps keep cubs and their feeding area more sanitary during feeding. Toileting
also helps keep living areas clean and reduces frequent house cleaning.
To toilet cubs: Cubs should be held over or placed on newspapers or paper towels. The
handrearer’s finger, dampened with warm water, or a clean wet soft cloth, soft paper towel, or
piece of cotton moistened with warm water and placed over the handrearer’s fingers, can be
used to stimulate cubs. The area around/on the cub’s anus and genital area [the area where urine
is excreted] should be gently, lightly, and quickly rubbed. The stomach and lower abdomen can
also be rubbed very lightly and gently with the fingers. (To help reach the anus/genitals, the
cub’s tail and lower body can be lifted slightly. As well cubs can be held by the scruff during
toileting.) Caution: overzealous or improper stimulation could result in irritation or rash.
Immediately after a toileting material, such as a paper towel or piece of cotton, becomes soiled
(urinated or defecated on) it should be thrown away or in the case of a soft cloth, it must be
washed before re-use. (Re-using soiled materials during toileting can cause irritation or other
health problems.) Sometimes several paper towels or small cloths will be needed during each
toileting. If the cub’s urogenital area becomes irritated, warm running water can be placed over
these areas (instead of cloths, paper towels etc.) to toilet cubs. “Ointments containing zinc
oxide provide protection and waterproofing for the delicate tissues.” (Read & Meier 1996).
Cubs must be cleaned and thoroughly dried after each feeding, toileting, elimination, and
bathing/swimming session. (They can get very dirty with food during feeding, and feces and
urine after elimination.) The cub’s face, neck, paws, and body can be cleaned with warm clean
water and damp clean cloths or paper towels. Clean towels can be used to thoroughly dry cubs
off. Cleaning with a moist cloth or bathing in small tubs of water (only use for older cubs) also
helps keep the cub’s skin, toepads etc. from drying out and/or cracking (see Section 15).
Section 5
Formula Choices
Little detailed information exists on milk replacer formulas used for giant otters. Commercially
prepared milk replacer formulas for carnivores, such as Esbilac TM , are highly recommended to
rear all river otter cubs. Although, commercially prepared milk replacers for human babies or
cow’s milk (for human consumption), which are not recommended for use, have been most
commonly used to rear giant otter cubs (Sykes-Gatz unpublished report). Interestingly, these
formulas have been used with success.
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