OTTERS FOR SALE IN FLORIDA

 After copulating, the male and female otters part company, leaving the female to raise the cubs alone.

 Clawless and river otters are only pregnant for a couple of months, after which they give birth to a small litter of between one and six cubs.

 This gestation period is the same for marine and smooth-coated otters as well, but sea otters practice delayed implantation which can postpone the pregnancy for up to 10 months.

 When they do finally give birth, they only have one or two pups, of which there will only be one sole survivor (just like on the reality TV show!)

 You’d have to do a lot of research to establish just how many otters there are in the world. Otters live in a wide range of semi-aquatic habitats, from the icy world of the Alaskan sea otter to the African clawless otter that languishes in the heat of sub-Saharan Africa. Trying to count them all is simply impossible!

 What we do know is that some populations of sea otters are gradually recovering after being virtually decimated during the 18th and 19th centuries, when they were heavily hunted for their rich fur pelts.

 Sadly, the latest exotic pet trend has seen other otter species diminishing. The Asian small-clawed otter was once abundant throughout most of Southeast Asia, but their population is declining rapidly. Other otters are near threatened, while others, like the hairy-nosed otter, are facing possible extinction.

 When I see a cute pet otter video, it’s the fur that really gets me. It’s so thick and glossy I just want to bury my face in it! I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels that way; after all, otters have the thickest, densest fur of any mammal in the world.

 Yes, it’s thicker than panda fur and fuzzier than a koala! Why? Because otters need to stay warm, even when they can’t stay dry, and they don’t have the layer of blubber that seals and other aquatic mammals use to insulate themselves.

 If you examine an otter’s fur under a microscope, you’ll find millions of hairs in every square inch of skin. These hairs are dense and spiky, meaning they can trap air between themselves and the otter’s skin, creating an insulating layer.

 Unfortunately, being wrapped in a blanket of air isn’t very useful when you’re trying to swim underwater, so otters will sometimes fill their underarm pockets with stones to counter the air’s buoyancy. Intriguing, hey?

 Here in South Africa, we can always tell where a clawless otter had dinner from the mess of shells they leave behind. That’s because this otter species feeds mainly on crabs. Other otter species are less selective, eating everything from frogs to insects, with the occasional crayfish thrown in for good measure.

 Giant otters eat mainly fish, while other species, including the endangered southern otter, experiment with birds, preying on gulls, cormorants, and western grebes. Other otter species also take rodents and even rabbits if the opportunity arises.

 There are even reports of otters killing and eating small alligators, beavers, snapping turtles, and even snakes.

 When you’re aware of how diverse the otter’s diet is, you start to realize how difficult it must be to keep an otter as a pet. There’s nothing cute about watching your pet otter devour your daughter’s gerbil or set to work on your favorite snake!

 In theory, otters make wonderful pets. They’re entertaining, furry, intelligent, and ever so cute, but that’s where the theory ends, and reality comes into play.

 Otters are wild animals, and aggressive ones at that. They’re also social animals that may experience stress and anxiety when forced to live a solitary life.

 Otters are almost impossible to house-train and need a highly specialized diet, as we just discovered. They are also prone to infections and need regular injections to keep diseases like distemper at bay.

 Otters naturally live in family groups, so need a lot of entertainment and socializing if they’re to make good pets. Keeping otters means creating a suitable space for them and providing them with enough enrichment that can remain as active as they are in the wild.

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 Otters make all kinds of noises to communicate, including high-pitched squeaks, growls, and chirps. Sadly, they also scream and whistle at the top of their voices.

 Studies show that North American Otters can produce vocalizations well over 70 decibels which would be considered disturbing in an urban environment (it’s about as loud as your vacuum cleaner).

 To say that otters have a distinctive smell is putting it mildly. To be more precise, they stink! Otters have scent glands all over their bodies and like to rub themselves on things to scent mark their surroundings. Although some scientists describe this as “smelling like violets,” most pet otter owners say it’s rather more fishy than flowery!

 Otters also have strong-smelling feces, which in their natural environment, they use to communicate with one another. In captivity, it’s simply smelly and rather unpleasant.

 An otter experiencing stress or anxiety can become extremely aggressive, attacking its owners and biting other animals. These bites are deep and painful and require immediate treatment to reduce the risk of bacterial infection.

 I share my home environment with four dogs, so I’m used to some mess, but it’s nothing compared to an otter! At least my dogs don’t poop in the house or smear their feces on my furniture.

 I’m not trying to make otters out to be the bad guys – they’re not; they’re just not suited to a domesticated environment.

 I’m not trying to make otters out to be the bad guys – they’re not; they’re just not suited to a domesticated environment.

 It’s not only the otter’s natural behavior that makes it unsuitable as a pet. There are lots of different factors to be considered, including:

 The Asian small-clawed otter appears to be gaining traction among those interested in owning exotic pets, but it’s not doing the wild population any good.

 Those supplying these exotic animals often kill the adults so they can capture the cubs and sell them into captivity. Many of these animals suffer from stress, dehydration, and disease and die long before they reach their destination.

 Owning a pet otter is illegal in many countries, including the UK, Japan, and most of the US. We’ll look at the state-to-state legality in more detail in a later section, but for now, it’s enough to recognize that owning a pet otter could earn you a fine of up to ￡5,000 – the equivalent of just over $6,000.

 River otters like the Asian small-clawed otter have huge home ranges in the wild, utilizing up to 20km of riverine habitat. This is impossible to replicate in a home environment, making it difficult for most to provide adequate housing. An enclosure suitable for a medium-sized dog is nowhere near big enough for an otter.

 Not only do otters need large enclosures, but they must also have access to plenty of fresh water. An otter pool needs to be deep enough that the animal can dive and swim as it would in the wild. A children’s paddling pool isn’t going to cut the mustard, even if you’ve only got a small-clawed otter the size of a toy terrier!

 To buy yourself a pet otter, you need about $3,000 to $5,000, and that’s only the start of your expenses.

 Otters eat around 20% of their body weight daily, and they won’t be happy just eating the same run-of-the-mill cat food you buy for your kitten. No, otters need a specialized diet comprised of live crayfish and low-pH cat food.

 And that’s just for starters. They also need regular veterinary check-ups and injections to keep them healthy and free of disease.