Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest otters in the world, and they're constant motion. They swim, chase balls into the water, pile together in their bedding and have babies quickly. They're also one of the best animals to show both above and below the water.
Space and group size
- Group: 2 to 15 (up to 14 males or 14 females).
- Space for a starter group: 62 m² of deep water, 88 m² of water surface and 240 m² of land.
Check these against your group with the pin species button before you add more otters.
The barrier
- 1.25 m, grade 2.
- A mesh fence looks nicer than glass for a jungle theme.
- For underwater viewing, use a watertight glass barrier.
Temperature
Otters like 18–33 °C, and here's the trap: the water temperature counts too. My otters kept saying they were freezing even with heaters around the pool. The fix was putting a heater in the water itself. After that they were happy.
Ground and plants
- Sand and light soil with a little short grass.
- Mangroves (they like these).
- Common reed, broken mossy trees and the tree litter nature brush.
- Hollow logs. Otters use them.
Bedding and shelter
- A bedding platform or leaves.
- A den. A rock grotto built from big duplicated rocks with flat rocks for the ceiling works great. Add one-way glass so guests can peek in.
Enrichment
- Balls. They chase them into the water.
- Water hoop
- Sprinklers
- Food grade 2
Thriving
My otters' thriving requirements were simple:
- Two more sprinklers
- Food grade 2
After that: "Asian small-clawed otter is now thriving."
Breeding
Otters breed fast. I had babies within minutes of game time. To avoid inbreeding, use contraceptives on offspring you're keeping, and move extras to storage or a release group.
Building ideas
- An otter river with two waterfalls flowing into a bigger manatee river.
- Torrent water effects angled slightly upward so the water falls naturally, with splashes at the bottom and mist effects.
- An underwater viewing area with a bridge above.
- A soil and mud back wall made from scaled soil pieces at different heights, with tropical rocks and basket ferns.