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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successfully can often be difficult <strong>and</strong> often it is not accomplished in one feeding or even<br />
several feedings (e.g. it could take a few or more days for a cub to become a consistently good<br />
nurser). Sometimes cubs may nurse well for one feeding, but not be able to nurse successfully<br />
for several feedings to follow.<br />
For easier adjustment <strong>and</strong> to determine what the cub is reacting to, one variable should be<br />
changed at a time. Once successful feeding techniques <strong>and</strong> formulas are found, h<strong>and</strong>rearers<br />
should be consistent with them, as changes could cause problems. Sometimes, even after<br />
appropriate options <strong>and</strong> adjustments have been tried <strong>and</strong> cubs are healthy; cubs may still refuse<br />
food. H<strong>and</strong>rearers must therefore, with great patience, firmly but gently <strong>and</strong> persistently<br />
encourage feeding. A firm attitude must be conveyed to the cub that the h<strong>and</strong>rearer will not<br />
give up until it eats. In some cases, animals given the appropriate formulas etc., may eat<br />
significantly less each successive feeding if a h<strong>and</strong>rearer lets them. This trend may continue if<br />
the caretaker stops trying to feed the appropriate amount, because cubs refuse it. On the other<br />
h<strong>and</strong>, if otters eat the full amount in one feeding--they will be more likely to eat well on the next<br />
feeding.<br />
Slow, gentle, <strong>and</strong> deliberate movements should always be made around cubs (especially those<br />
newly arrived). <strong>Otter</strong>s should be positively reinforced when they start <strong>and</strong> after they are<br />
finished eating, as sometimes food alone is not reward enough. Gentle touches, petting, words,<br />
vocalizations, <strong>and</strong> voice tones that are encouraging, rewarding, <strong>and</strong> praising should be used.<br />
This can also encourage hesitant cubs to feed. Of course, because cubs do not underst<strong>and</strong><br />
words, it is more the h<strong>and</strong>rearers voice sound/tone that is important. If the h<strong>and</strong>rearer is<br />
familiar with positive giant otter vocalizations, they can be replicated. For example, gentle soft<br />
humming can be imitated for encouragement or reward. Caution, a low sounding hum can mean<br />
an angry vocalization, as slight sound variations can mean something totally different. <strong>Giant</strong><br />
otter cubs, during nursing (from the first day of birth) make a “nursing hum” <strong>and</strong> display “tail<br />
wagging” when suckling (both from the mother <strong>and</strong> the h<strong>and</strong>rearer’s bottle). This hum is a<br />
somewhat higher pitched <strong>and</strong> faster vocalization than the contact hum (described in Duplaix<br />
1980). It is also unlike the contact hum in that it has a twittering quality to it <strong>and</strong> it is only<br />
performed when the cub is actually suckling. When this hum is replicated by the h<strong>and</strong>rearer, it<br />
can also encourage cubs to feed. The cubs also displayed “tail wagging” when they nursed<br />
(from the first day of birth) from the mother <strong>and</strong> nursed from the h<strong>and</strong>rearer’s bottle. The cubs<br />
wagged their tails, rather quickly <strong>and</strong> repeatedly, from side to side (i.e. horizontally, but not<br />
vertically/up <strong>and</strong> down), when they suckled. The tip of the tail can also be kept raised upwards<br />
while wagging. Note: sometimes when the cub might be anxious to nurse or immediately<br />
preparing for nursing it might wag its tail. This is another good indicator to determine when the<br />
cub is hungry. This behavior is different from “tail waving” that is described by Duplaix<br />
(1980), in that it is performed during nursing only (except during the situations mentioned<br />
above) from the first day of birth <strong>and</strong> the tail only moves horizontally in direction. (The<br />
“nursing hums” <strong>and</strong> “tail wagging” behaviors are not known to have been described before in<br />
literature <strong>and</strong> the descriptions <strong>and</strong> terms in quotes are originally made by Sykes-Gatz (pers. obs.,<br />
unpublished reports 1999-2002). See a full description of these behaviors in Chapter 3.)<br />
Usually cubs will adjust to scheduled feeding times <strong>and</strong> expect food around those times.<br />
Although, before schedules are adjusted to, <strong>and</strong> sometimes even after adjustment, gentle<br />
encouragement may be needed to stimulate feeding. For example, if the cub is sleeping, arouse<br />
it gently with soft vocalizations <strong>and</strong> gentle touches / petting. Just picking the cub up from a<br />
deep sleep <strong>and</strong> pushing a bottle in its face will not do much to promote nursing <strong>and</strong> it is<br />
inconsiderate.<br />
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