WHY OTTERS AREN'T PETS
WHY OTTERS AREN'T PETS
Every single day I receive questions like: “Where can I buy an otter?” or "Do you breed otters so I can have one as a pet?"
I can go on for hours about telling you the reasons why otters aren't pets. I'll try to give an explanation up here that will be make things clear.
I can go on for hours about telling you the reasons why otters aren't pets. I'll try to give an explanation up here that will be make things clear.
This list will never be completed, because of the many reasons why.
FAMILY ANIMALS
Otters are animals that live in family groups.
It's totally sad to keep an otter that’s raised by other otters without some of their own species.
It's totally sad to keep an otter that’s raised by other otters without some of their own species.
LOTS OF WATER
Asian small clawed otters are semi-aquatic, which means they spend a
lot of time in the water, but they also come onto land. That's not only
for fun, for the health of their body's and because
they have a very fast metabolism and need to drink a lot during the
day, but also for hunt! Otters are predatory animals. That means that
they eat other animals.
Animals that live in captivity, most of the time only get their 'meat food' already dead.
Otters do have lots of energy, and need their hunt moments to make work off that energy.
Otherwise they are going to get bored soon.
So that means, you have to give them also living animals to eat.
Animals that live in captivity, most of the time only get their 'meat food' already dead.
Otters do have lots of energy, and need their hunt moments to make work off that energy.
Otherwise they are going to get bored soon.
So that means, you have to give them also living animals to eat.
MASTER OF DISASTER
Except for their own room in our home we created for them, there is no other space I let her hang around on her own.
Without nobody around who keeps an eye on her, the whole room is a mess and disaster when I'll return.
Without nobody around who keeps an eye on her, the whole room is a mess and disaster when I'll return.
POOOOP
It's not easy to potty train them, and believe me their shit is
dirty. And even when they're potty trained like Pip, they very often
feel the need to do their business on a spot which is not the
litter box.
Next to that, otters have a very fast metabolism. They poop a lot during the day, which means we need to clean up every litter box in and around our home twice a day.
Next to that, otters have a very fast metabolism. They poop a lot during the day, which means we need to clean up every litter box in and around our home twice a day.
Oyea, the stuff that comes out their butt to mark their territory,
is 'lovely' too. You can smell it on yourself, or on your furniture
sometimes.
DESTROY
Otters are very destructive, there’s not much in a human's home that
is otter proof. We changed a lot in our home for her and need to do
that in the future too. Otters are very smart, if you
block their way, they will find an other way to get what they want!
If you like it or not.
If you like it or not.
BREAKS YOU UP
Otters are social animals, they want and need much attention. Next
to the cute and adorable part, when they cuddle and groom, there is also
a much more annoying way they scream for your
attention.
And that happens on the moments you don't want it to happen. Like when you're watching TV, chilling around or doing something else to relax.
You can teach an otter what is right and wha't wrong. But otters are able to use the things they learn from you, against you.
So at those 'relaxing' moments.. they are braking things, climb on things and destroy things you've teached them NOT to do! Just to get you negative attention. But hey, negative attention is also attention! Mission accomplished.
And that happens on the moments you don't want it to happen. Like when you're watching TV, chilling around or doing something else to relax.
You can teach an otter what is right and wha't wrong. But otters are able to use the things they learn from you, against you.
So at those 'relaxing' moments.. they are braking things, climb on things and destroy things you've teached them NOT to do! Just to get you negative attention. But hey, negative attention is also attention! Mission accomplished.
TERRITORIAL
They can be very territorial (there aren't much people that visited us in the past that aren’t bitten by Pip).
And that means lots of trouble around having some friends and family visiting us.
Otters are very close to their family, but do not tollerate other's in their territory.
So that's also a natural behavior that we always need to keep in mind when we do have visitors around.
She desides all by herself who she likes or who she doesn't. The only one who can show her that she is wrong and needs to tollerate the one she is acting aggressive to, is me. And yes... that do cost a lot of energy and isn't always going well as planned.
Otters are very close to their family, but do not tollerate other's in their territory.
So that's also a natural behavior that we always need to keep in mind when we do have visitors around.
She desides all by herself who she likes or who she doesn't. The only one who can show her that she is wrong and needs to tollerate the one she is acting aggressive to, is me. And yes... that do cost a lot of energy and isn't always going well as planned.
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