Owning a Pet Otter

[ad_1]

It may seem trendy to own an exotic pet, but owning an otter as a pet is illegal in most localities without a permit. They are considered wildlife and have requirements that are different from those of the average household pet.

Reasons Not to Own a Pet Otter

If you are considering applying for a permit to own a pet otter, here are some reasons why you may not want to. Of course, if you work at a zoo or wildlife sanctuary, then these reasons won’t concern you as much.

Otters Bite

Otters have very sharp teeth, and they bite.

Otters Spray

Otters have a musky scent and spray very much like a skunk’s spray. They are definitely not inside animals.

Otters are Nocturnal

They like to hunt for food at night, and the last sound you need at night while you are trying to sleep is that of an otter splashing in your swimming pool.

Otters Need to Be Near a River

Otters like to hunt fish in a river and can eat lots of food in a day. Chances are, you don’t have secure access to a river.

Otters Learn Survival Skills from Their Mother

Otters need to learn how to survive from their mother. Their mother teaches them these skills up to 18 months of age.

Caring for an Otter

Once you have a permit for your otter, there are some special requirements that you will have to consider.

Water for Swimming and Food

Otters spend the majority of their time in the water. They like to live in very cold water, and they have a high metabolic rate to keep them warm. They can even hold their breath under water for up to 10 minutes. They are playful creatures that like to hunt for fish and eat lots of shellfish, frogs, sea urchins and invertebrates.

However, because you are keeping them in an unnatural enclosure, these foods will have to be introduced. Otters eat 15-25 percent of their body weight a day, and that’s a lot of fish. In the wild, they can spend up to five hours a day hunting for food. They can grow to be 100 pounds in weight, so plan on supplying them with lots of food each day.

Mating Season Behavior

Otters can get very aggressive in the mating season so you have to make sure that household pets or other animals are not in the vicinity because an otter will drag an animal into the water and eat it.

By whatever means you obtained a baby otter and want to raise it yourself (don’t go near an adult otter), you can see there is more to caring for a pet otter than meets the eye. For your own sake and the sake of the otter, why not hand it over to the authorities who will know what to do with it for its survival.

[ad_2]

Source by Kate Strong

Related Posts

Pet Hamster Care - Are You Up to the Challenge?

Essential Eye Health Foods For Better Eyesight

[ad_1] In many ways the saying by Hippocrates is true today: "Let thy food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food." This principle can be applied to…

Read more
Dwarf Hamster Care - A Pocket Pet For You?

What Are the Serving Sizes on Keurig Coffee Makers?

[ad_1] While different models of Keurig coffee makers will have different options for cup sizes, they all have one thing in common–the buttons you press to brew a cup of…

Read more
Dwarf Hamster Care - A Pocket Pet For You?

Singing Tips and Techniques – Drop Your Adam’s Apple and Extend Your High Singing Range

[ad_1] The “Adam’s Apple” is the container of the vocal cords. When we swallow it moves up to the top of the throat in order to help keep food or…

Read more
Dwarf Hamster Health and Breeding Tips

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Wealthy and Successful

[ad_1] As far as I know, almost everyone wants to become wealthy and successful. Being wealthy and successful allows you to lead a comfortable life, buy anything you want to…

Read more
Dwarf Hamster Health and Breeding Tips

9 Obstacles That Keep You From Achieving Your Goals

[ad_1] While you may have spent a lot of time working on your goals for the next year, there are plenty of things that are going to get in your…

Read more
Dwarf Hamster Care - A Pocket Pet For You?

Prostate Massage – How Much is Enough? How Much is Too Much?

[ad_1] Prostate massage is without a doubt one of the most powerful tools for healing a sick and painful prostate. It's not because of the massage itself. It is because…

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *