International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

elow 240 m² (2,583.4 ft²) in size, requires a different land to water area ratio based on its
specific size. Enclosures between 240 m² to 600 m² (6,458 ft²) require other land to water ratios,
as do enclosures above 600 m².) Continual direct exposure to more than a small area/proportion
of enclosure land/floor substrates that are hard, tightly packed/compacted (i.e. they are not loose
enough for otters to easily dig into), artificial, continually wet or very damp (see below), slow
drying, or poor draining or any direct exposure to coarse, rough, or abrasive substrates will cause
health problems or/and abnormalities. Inappropriate substrates that create the aforementioned
conditions that otters must not be directly exposed to include: concrete, cement, tile, artificial or
natural rockwork, bricks, gunnite, wood, fence; soil (with/without vegetation) that is poor
draining, slow drying, or tightly packed or compacted; small rocks, gravel, or pebbles (smooth,
rounded, or otherwise), river rocks, construction sand, abrasive sand, and mulch, soil, or sand
mixed with any kind of pebbles, gravel, small rocks, construction sand, or abrasive sand
throughout. Various problems occur when the depth of soil, sand, or mulch fall below (i.e.
become more shallow than) the minimum depth recommended or substrate quality (esp. when
new mulch is not added on top of existing mulch that has broken into small pieces and packed
down) is not maintained. Problems can develop when deep digging areas are insufficient in size
(see the recommended minimum size needed in Chapter 2).
A significant amount of water will always be tracked, carried, or splashed onto the land by the
otters. Continually very damp or wet surfaces are caused by not enough land area because of
inappropriate land to water ratios, substrate depths that are below the recommended minimum
depth, or inappropriate substrate types or qualities (esp. hard or artificial surfaces, poor
draining/slow drying soil, mulch bark pieces that have broken into small pieces and packed
down). (Note: new mulch must be added on top of existing mulch that has broken into small
pieces and packed down and new sand, mulch, or soil must be added on top of the already
existing layer when it falls below minimum depth.) Even after continual use (i.e. regular
digging and grooming throughout the entire enclosure and digging away large areas of
vegetation/turf [these natural behaviors must not be prevented] and exposure to water), soil (and
all substrates) with/without vegetation, needs to retain all of the recommended qualities. When
it can not, it will erode too easily, not remain dry enough, or become tightly packed/compacted.
Surfaces will also remain very damp or wet when there is not enough land area bordering and
extending away from the water’s edge, more land area is exposed to the water’s edge than
recommended, inappropriate water area contour lines are used, or nestboxes, dens, or areas for
natural underground dens are located too close to the water. Nestboxes (including bedding
substrates), dens, and natural underground dens, as well as a significant proportion of the other
land/floor areas, can remain very damp or wet when any of the inappropriate enclosure
conditions aforementioned exist. Note: wet or damp conditions can occur easily and rapidly or
become worsened from rain or high humidity, esp. extended periods. Daily enclosure cleaning
with water is not necessary when the recommended substrates are offered, but when unsuitable
substrates are offered (e.g. hard surfaces) this form of cleaning can cause land areas to remain
damp/wet. Small or limited grooming areas will also remain very damp/wet when they are the
only areas offered for grooming. The smaller the amount of land area available, the more
difficult it is to keep the land dry. This is one crucial factor that determines land to water ratios
for enclosures. It is also just one reason why land area percentages (in the land to water ratio)
must be increased proportionately and water area percentages must be decreased
proportionately, as the enclosure size is decreased below 240 m 2 (2,583 ft²).
It is necessary that nearly the entire base surface area that otters are directly exposed to in every
indoor and outdoor enclosure is soft, well-draining, easily drying, and loose enough in texture so
that otters can effectively groom on (which includes digging and scratching on/into the
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