International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

Giant otters are naturally avid diggers and groomers. (Note: grooming includes rubbing, rolling,
digging and scratching on/into substrates and covering the body/fur with substrate particles.
Otters groom when they are dry as well as wet and this also helps to mark their territory.)
Behaviorally healthy giant otters offered the recommended conditions groom on and dig into,
both deep and shallow, soft loose natural substrates throughout their entire enclosure area very
frequently throughout the day. They also, when given the recommended enclosure conditions,
use the entire land area to frequently play and exercise on. Digging, grooming, exercising and
playing on land constitute a significant proportion of a behaviorally healthy giant otter’s daily
goal oriented activities. These activities, carried out to their full extent (i.e. as described), are
among the most important behaviors that giant otters need to reduce or counteract the stress,
boredom and other negative responses that can develop in captivity during any situation. In the
aforementioned inappropriate conditions described in the paragraph above, these activities can
or will not be carried out to their full extent or at all, therefore daily behaviors will be carried
out in an unhealthy and abnormal way. This is not an uncommon report and these giant otters
are also mistakenly thought to be exhibiting healthy and normal behavior. When the behaviors,
that are among the most important needed to help prevent, counteract, or significantly reduce
the chance that negative reactions develop (i.e. stress, boredom, nervousness, fear, frustration
etc.), become severely impaired, the chance that negative responses will occur are significantly
increased. I.e. because the otters can not carry out digging, grooming, playing, and exercising
on land to the full extent, their opportunities to focus/divert their attentions and actions away
from the stressful, frustrating, frightening, or uninteresting situations that can occur during
typical daily, new/unusual, or cub-rearing situations, are significantly limited. Abnormally
elevated or excessive levels of stress and other negative responses can occur when the
recommended enclosure conditions are not offered (see the paragraph above). The more
inappropriate the enclosure conditions, the more limited their opportunities are to carry out
normal healthy behavior, the less the ability they have to counteract/reduce the negative
responses, and the greater the resulting health problems/abnormalities. In order to maintain
their behavioral health and normality and promote successful cub-rearing and adjustment to
new/unusual situations, it is essential that giant otters are able to carry out the aforementioned
activities to their fullest extent possible in captivity, not only when they are cubs, but when they
are adults as well.
The giant otter’s enclosure must have the recommended enclosure land to water area ratios with
at least the minimum size land area ratio percentage required and the wading/swimming areas
designed with safety and swimming abilities in mind. This applies to all enclosures regardless
of their size (i.e. no matter how small the enclosure is) and it is especially critical in small
housing areas. (Note: different enclosure sizes require different land to water ratios.) The other
recommended land area designs and locations for nestboxes should be provided in all housing
areas. See Chapter 2 Section 1B for land to water ratios and throughout Chapter 2 for more
information on the other issues.
It is also necessary that every indoor and outdoor enclosure land and floor surface is nearly
entirely covered with soft non-abrasive sand or mulch (i.e. tree bark pieces only), at least 10 cm
to 20 cm (4” to 8”) in depth, or when applicable, deep soft loose soil with the recommended
qualities. Mulch and soft sand covering land and floors should although be at least 40 cm to 60
cm (16” to 24”) in depth for many reasons. Sand, soil, and mulch must not have gravel,
pebbles, or small rocks (smooth, rounded or otherwise), construction sand, or abrasive sand
mixed throughout and sand must be non-abrasive. Soil should not be used to cover over hard or
artificial surfaces and it should only be used on outdoor natural land areas. Soil that possess the
recommended specific qualities (i.e. it must be soft throughout, remain loose enough to easily
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