From: schwae@marcus.its.rpi.edu (Eric A. Schwartz)
Subject: Re: River Otters?
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 04:24:52 GMT

In article <16819@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> nathan@charles.ucdavis.edu (Nathan Rollins) writes:
>
>  Hi, I was just wondering something... I've met several people who have
>had river otters as pets (none had them at the time I knew them, however)
>and yet I'd always thought that otters were under some sort of wild
>animal protection act... Where did these people get otters? Were they
>legal? Are they legal in California and if so where could I look into
>getting one?
>
The regulations vary from state to state.  I don't know what the current
regulations are anywhere, but as of 1969 (really current, eh?), NJ didn't
require any special license.  I have no idea about CA, but considering
their treatment of ferrets, it isn't likely they allow it easily.  Most
states require some sort of license, usually some sort of trapping license
or wildlife rehabilitators permit.  

Otters are sometimes imported from other countries, usually after the
mother is killed for her fur.  Obviously, encouraging this trade is
wrong.  Aside from the death of the mother, the cubs are treated very
poorly after they are taken.  Lots die before making it here.  Some 
people trap their own otters.  ( I think that is why some states 
use a trapping license:  They figure you could always get your own.)
There are also a few otter farms around the country.  The only one
I know of is Bayou Otter Farm in Houma, Louisiana.  I hope they did O.K. 
in the recent hurricane.  There were a couple more open in the '50's and
'60's but I don't know if they still are.  Game farms occasionally deal
in otters, but those often come from less than reputable sources, such as
the exotic import trade. 

Your first place to look for info is the local library.  The more you 
read up on them, the better prepared you will be to get one, not to 
mention that you will be prepared to decide whether you actually want
one.  Look for books, magazine articles, and journal entries, if
your library has research journals.  Also, go to your local zoo and
watch them.  The zookeeper will probably have lots he can tell you
about them.  Most zoos also have a docent program, where you can
volunteer some time to the zoo.  They may even let you get some first
hand experience with them.  I've been working with a captive pair of 
otters for 5 years now.  They are delightful creatures, but not something
to think lightly about trying to keep on your own.

> (Yes I know they are a hell of a lot of work.... probably twice as much
>as ferrets, at least...)
>
Oh, yeah.  Not to mention many times as expensive.  They eat about 3 lbs.
of food a day, of very lean beef, horsemeat, and seafood.  Then you 
have to get a vet who takes care of exotic animals.  They aren't always
easy to find, and frequently charge extra.  You will need to otterproof
your home, in ways you wouldn't even think of for ferrets.  You need,
for example:  pipes to run all your electric cords through, to keep
the otter from chewing on them,  replace every door in your house
with two-part doors, so you can open the top to see where the otter is 
before opening the bottom.  The bottom must be lockable, because otters
readily learn to open doors, including any latch you can figure out,
so everything, including doors, fridge, cabinets, toilet lid, dressers,
etc. must have a lock.  A good strong one, since otters are one of the
strongest mammals, lb for lb.  The doors to cabinets must be strong,
too, or the otter will pry up a corner to slip inside.  Everything
must be out of reach, at least 5 feet away from the nearest point
the otter can get at it from.  No furniture near the walls, if you
want to hang pictures, no chair by the desk, nothing near a ledge,
etc.  Expect them to figure out how to turn on faucets, and for 
everything to get wet.  And dirty, if you have a fireplace, because
they will roll in the ashes and then on the sofa.  They are litter
trainable, but 3 lbs of food means frequent changes.  Their aim isn't 
very good either, and used seafood smells.  They can break most furniture
if the fancy strikes them.  So you see, lots of money must go into their
care.  They need almost constant attention to stay tame.  Because of
their strength, what would be norma play for a ferret can be somewhat
painful with an otter.  Playful nips can draw blood, they can wrestle
hard enough to hurt you, etc.  One writer called it "an abrasive affection."   
In breeding season, some of them can get nasty, and if playful nips do
damage, imagine being bitten.  Of less importance, I suppose, would be
the scent marking.  They sometimes stop using the box when breeding
time rolls around.  They are related to skunks, but the smell isn't bad.
  
>The people in question weren't forest rangers or anything like that... 
>just ordinary folks.  What's the story?
>
Normal folks sometimes do abnormal things.  I personally plan to get
an otter once I can afford one.  For me, this was a decision involving
close to seven years of research and five of hands on experience.  And
x more years until I have the money and a place to keep them.  I can
get away with ferrets in my dorm, but I doubt they'd take kindly to a
wild animal. :-)  At each step, consider if you already have what you
want with an otter.  Maybe in reading about them, you feel satisfied
with what you learned, or find something that scares you out of getting
one.  Maybe seeing them at the zoo gives you the contact you want without
the trouble.   Maybe working with them as a volunteer is everything you
need without destroying your home to accomodate one.  And if all that
just serves to convince you more that you want one, at least you will
know what you are in for.
 
> _Otter (Not Nathan Rollins, but his SO)

Eric A. Schwartz
otter@rpi.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets