International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

ecome healthy and their housing can be expanded, nestbox/housing temperatures can be
slightly and gradually lowered. At Hagenbeck Tierpark, nestbox temperatures are increased to
22-23 o C (72 o -73 o F) (by increasing room temperature) when giant otter parents are rearing cubs
(Flügger 1997). Note: the parents and siblings that accompany these cubs will increase nestbox
temperatures somewhat because of extra body heat. Indoor housing should be maintained
around room temperature, i.e. around 20-21 o C [68-70 o F]. In some emergency cases, higher
temperatures may be temporarily needed for cubs with sub-normal body temperatures (see
Section 2).
When incubators are unavailable or when cubs no longer need incubators, housing can be
equipped with one or more of the following apparatuses to provide heat. Caution: to prevent
cubs from overheating, ample housing space must be provided so that otters can move far
enough away from the heating apparatus to cool down, but not so far away that they can’t
find their way back to the warmth. Cubs can get burned or injured by some heating
sources if they come in direct contact with them (i.e. heat lamps, radiators, heating pads
set on high, overly hot water in a hot water bottle etc.) Thermometers should be placed
next to/in cub housing so ambient temperatures can be frequently read with minimal
disturbance to the cub. Cubs must not reach or make contact with thermometers or other
dangerous heating sources.
Heat lamps or ceramic heaters (these will help keep housing containers dark) can be placed at
one end of a housing container and hung well above it. The height of the heat lamp can be
adjusted to control housing temperatures. A heating pad (e.g. on a low heat setting) can be
placed under 1/2 or under one end of the housing container. Heating pads must be placed
underneath all housing containers (e.g. cardboard box etc.). If cubs make contact with heating
pads, crawl in them (i.e. between the cover and plastic), damage the pad, or urinate/defecate on
it, they could be harmed. A partially filled (i.e. with warm/not too hot water) rubber hot water
bottle can also be placed under the material lining the container’s bottom (e.g. a towel) or
wrapped in a towel so the cub can lie next to it. Hot water bottle covers/encasements (i.e.
cloth/plastic covers) should be removed to prevent cub entrapment and overheating/suffocation
during entrapment. (Items/strings attaching bottle caps to bottles, must also be removed.)
When using hot water bottles, additional heat sources to raise ambient housing temperatures (as
listed above), will generally be required. Heaters/radiators (fixed or portable) can be used to
heat entire rooms, but cubs should be kept away from them (especially those that are portable
and electric). Additional towels or blankets will also help keep cubs warm (see Section 2). If
part of the housing container is covered (e.g. 1/2 of it) with a breathable cloth/cover, then heat
can be maintained more easily. Some of the container should be exposed to open air for excess
heat to escape and proper air circulation. Cubs must not be able to pull covers into the container
with them.
Section 15
Exposure to Water, Swimming Lessons & Cleaning / Bathing Cubs
Giant otter parents must expose their cubs to the water, closely monitor and stay next to/near
their cubs while they are in the water, and teach their cubs how to swim; therefore human parent
substitutes must do the same. The cub’s swimming proficiency and confidence, ability to
enter/exit swim tanks/tubs and pools, and tolerance to water temperatures should be closely
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