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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when no other better formula is available. Soy milk is not recommended for use with otters as it<br />
may lead to health problems.<br />
Though not recommended, commercially prepared milk replacers for human babies or cow’s<br />
milk have been/are used with success. A commercially prepared (powdered) human baby milk<br />
replacer was successfully used to rear two captive born 2 month old giant otter cubs at<br />
Hagenbecks Tierpark (Flügger pers comm. 2000). An approximately 2 month old orphaned<br />
wild giant otter cub was successfully reared on a human baby milk replacer formula (cod liver<br />
oil <strong>and</strong> a small amount of multivitamins were also added to the formula) in Columbia (Gomez,<br />
Jorgenson, & Valbuena 1999). (It is assumed that in both of these cases the formulas were<br />
mixed as instructed on the package.) CPPMA (Aquatic Mammal Research Center, Brazil)<br />
(Lazzarini 1998 pers. comm.) successfully rears/reared multiple (“many”) orphaned wild giant<br />
otter cubs aged approximately 1.5 months old <strong>and</strong> older when received. The formula used<br />
consists of powdered integral milk (2 Tablespoons.), rice cream powder (called “Creme de<br />
Arroz Colombo” in Brazil) to thicken the formula (1 teaspoon), <strong>and</strong> 400 ml of water. After<br />
these ingredients are mixed, multivitamins (complex B) are added. The “powdered integral<br />
milk” referred to is powdered cow’s milk used for human (adult) consumption. The formula is<br />
fed with a baby bottle used for newborn human babies. During weaning (usually begun at 3 or 4<br />
months old), small amounts of very small minced fish (with bones <strong>and</strong> skin/scales removed) are<br />
offered with the formula milk just mentioned. As the cubs grow older, small smooth fish with<br />
no scales are given. When the cubs are able to eat fish with scales, the milk formula diet is no<br />
longer offered. Multiple wild born orphaned giant otters, aged approx. 1-2 months old <strong>and</strong> 2-3<br />
months old, were successfully reared with whole powdered [cow’s] milk (Rosas pers. comm.<br />
2003). Additionally for the first feeding of the day, 1 ml of “Poliplex” (liquid vitamin complex)<br />
was added to the milk. Emperor Valley Zoo (Trinidad) (Zoo staff pers. comm., 1997) used<br />
warmed goat’s milk to successfully rear a 4 month old (upon its arrival) giant otter cub. At<br />
Karanambu Ranch (Guyana), Diane McTurk, uses cow’s milk <strong>and</strong> human baby milk formula to<br />
successfully rear multiple (many) orphaned wild giant otter cubs.<br />
The following information has been contributed by Diane McTurk (<strong>Giant</strong> otter rehabilitator at<br />
Karanambu Ranch; pers. comm. 2003). “The initial problem is that the age of the cubs cannot<br />
be determined accurately because they are not born on site: they are brought to me as orphans,<br />
their eyes barely open, or as pets with which their owners can no longer cope (one over 6<br />
months old). Cow’s milk, diluted cow’s milk, various human milk powders to an acceptable<br />
dilution with water or rehydration fluid (judged by scat consistency) is fed. In two cases of<br />
unknown illness, causing constant debilitating diarrhea, raw egg whipped together with<br />
rehydration fluid proved successful. Only 2 otters were raised on a milk replacer designed for<br />
otters – Zoologic [Milk Matrix 30:55 TM ], a relatively recent gift from the Philadelphia<br />
zoological society – which was fed according to the instructions. In every case young cubs were<br />
fed with milk/replacer until they rejected it in favor of an exclusively fish diet – sometimes 2 to<br />
3 weeks after accepting fish for the first time. Every day they were offered a strip of fish<br />
(usually piranha or peacock bass) in which they showed no interest until, suddenly, it was<br />
snatched voraciously.” When the weaning process was started with cubs that were around<br />
approx. 2 ½ months old <strong>and</strong> older, those cubs were successfully reared (Duplaix/McTurk, pers.<br />
comm. 2004).<br />
Additionally, concerning an effective milk replacer for giant otter cubs less than approx. one<br />
month old, either no information is reported or formula fairly tried <strong>and</strong> found successful.<br />
Following are the only cases known or reported where attempts were made to h<strong>and</strong>rear giant<br />
otter cubs less than 2 weeks old <strong>and</strong> the only cases, other than the two reported by Diane<br />
233