OTTERS FOR SALE IN FLORIDA

 A cat parasite called toxoplasmosis also poses a threat to these creatures. Found in cat feces, it enters waterways through runoff and flushable cat litter.

 Baby otters usually are called pups. They can also be called kits or kittens. Female otters are sows, and males are boars.

 Otter groups are called a family, bevy, lodge, or a romp. The latter is the most common term for a group of otters on land. A group of otters in the water is most often called a raft.

 The giant otter is an endangered species found in South America, primarily along the Amazon river and the Pantanal. It is the longest of the otter species. Giant otters grow to as long as 6 feet and weigh as much as 75 pounds. They eat 9 pounds of food each day.

 Poaching for their velvet-like fur caused significant population declines. Threats also include habitat degradation, pesticides, and pollution from mining. Experts estimate that fewer than 8,000 exist.

 Hairy Nosed Otter with long white whiskers standing on the rocky side of a pool

 Hairy-nosed otters are an endangered species found in Asia. They were considered extinct until 1998 when a scientist in Thailand found small populations. This rediscovery, after presumed extinction, makes them a Lazarus species.

 The biggest threats to hairy-nosed otters are poaching and habitat loss from wildfires, dam construction, and clearing swamp forests for oil palm plantations and fish farms. These otters seem to love peat swamp forests, especially those with Melaleuca, the swamp tea-tree. Unfortunately the number of tea-trees is diminishing.

 Most otters have sharp claws at the end of each toe, which helps them to grab prey. However, there are three species of otter that have blunt claws or none at all. They are the Asian small-clawed otter, African clawless otter, and Congo clawless otter. These otters also have less webbing between their digits. This combination allows them to have greater nimbleness when foraging. They use their front paws with a dexterity that nearly rivals humans.

 Family of Eurasian river otters (Lutra lutra) sprainting on high point. The spraint is a method of marking territory and high points are a favoured location, even those washed by tides.

 River otters perform "scat dances" by stomping their hind feet and lifting their tail. They then leave droppings called spraints, which refer to a single bowel evacuation and that researchers describe as smelling like violets.

 Otters have a communal latrine area. There they exchange information via chemical cues in feces. Otters also excrete something called anal jelly that contains secretions from anal glands and shed intestinal linings.

 Sea otters don't just have the densest fur of all otters—they have the densest fur of all animals. Otters have as many as 2.6 million hairs per square inch. That makes it about a thousand times more dense than human hair. That thick coat is needed because otters are the only marine mammal without a blubber layer for insulation. They rely on all that fur to trap a layer of air against the surface of their skin, and their fur is perfectly designed to do so because it's dense and spiky. The barbs on each hair strand hold in place the air bubbles that the otters blow into their pelts while grooming—which they can spend up to five hours doing each day.

 This air has the sometimes undesirable side effect of making them highly buoyant. Occasionally an otter must grab on to a rock or some kelp to remain submerged while swimming.

 Hefty appetites aren't unique to giant otters: All otters eat 20-33% of their body weight each day. They spend around five hours each day foraging. They tuck prey into pockets of loose skin under their arms and use rocks as tools to open shellfish. Otters' big appetites protect kelp forests by eating sea urchins. Without sea otters, the urchin population booms and destroys the kelp forest habitat.

 The presence of a healthy otter population indicates a healthy watershed. Otter disappearance is evidence of pollutants, habitat fragmentation, or loss of prey due to habitat destruction. Prey shortages are very damaging due to high caloric needs. Otters may emigrate to find food in that case. Being at the top of the food chain causes pollutants to become concentrated in their bodies, leading to illness and death.

 Sea otters cannot swim at all for their first month, despite being born in the open sea. Clean fluffy fur keeps them warm and traps air, which allows them to float. Mothers groom pups and blow air into the clean coat to create buoyancy. She wraps the pup with kelp to anchor it while she hunts.

 Mothers spend up to 14 hours per day foraging to support a pup's intense nutrition needs. This high demand leaves otter mothers depleted, and many die from minor illnesses. They do it all on their own, with no help from the fathers. They provide full-time care for their babies for six to eight months, until the babies can survive independently.

 Otters sometimes take up residence in abandoned beaver lodges or muskrat dens. Some even move in while beavers are still present.

Buy Otter

 They also take over the riverbank dens of foxes, badgers, and rabbits. Resting spots, called hovers or couches, are usually little more than a bed of reeds. Otter "holts" are small underground dens where otters escape danger, take shelter, or raise their young. These usually show evidence of regular use in the form of tracks, smell, spraints (feces), and general wear-and-tear. These holts can be found along riverbanks, among tree roots, under branches, brush, or boulders.

 Otters reach swim speeds of up to 7 miles per hour. This pace is three times faster than the average human swimmer. Otters can hold their breath for 3-4 minutes, closing their nostrils and ears to keep out water. Powerful tails propel them through the water. River otters have webbing between their toes to aid them as well.

 Few animals play as adults, and otters are one of them. Researchers found that playful sliding on a riverbank was not just efficient locomotion, but play. Rock juggling doesn't improve hunting skills or efficient extraction of meat from shells. Instead, researchers learned, they are more likely to juggle rocks when hungry or bored. Young and old otters most often juggle rocks. Playfulness does disappear, though, when food is scarce. This suggests that the otters must first satisfy their nutritional needs before engaging in playful behaviors.

 Otters are cute, furry water animals that hold hands and groom each other to bond. Because they’re so cute, there’s been a high demand to own them as pets, but they may not be a good choice.

 Illegal poaching and sales have hurt the global otter population. Pet otters are sought after in many Asian countries like Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia.

 Freshwater otters live in family groups of up to 15 in the wild. When they’re captured and sold as pets, otters are not living their full, natural lives. Your bathtub or pool can’t substitute for the large bodies of water otters are naturally found in.

 The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest species of otter. It is the most common type trapped and sold as pets. Many Asian countries have taken measures to protect them through bans and regulation.

 The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest species of otter. It is the most common type trapped and sold as pets. Many Asian countries have taken measures to protect them through bans and regulation.

 Otters need space to roam. They aren’t easily housetrained and they’re very active, social animals. Keeping an otter as a solitary pet can make them very sad. Not having enough entertainment or putting stress on your pet otter can also lead to destructive, aggressive behavior. Living in captivity is simply not a good life for an otter.

 Otters are wild animals. Owning native otters is illegal in many countries including the UK, Japan, and the U.S. Yet otters are still being illegally smuggled into these countries to be sold as pets.

 Loud noises. Otters make loud whistling or screeching noises. They can be very destructive when they don’t get what they want.

 Strong odor. Otters have an odor that lingers around them. Their unpleasant smell can permeate a home if they live indoors. They also mark their territory by smearing their feces around, which contributes to the odor.

 Aggression when stressed. When otters are agitated or stressed they can bite and become aggressive. Their bite is sharp and piercing. If you are bit by an otter, you'll need to treat the wound immediately. Also watch for signs of bacterial infection to the wound.

 Messy housemates. Otters can be destructive. If left untrained, they can leave many droppings around the house. They are wild animals and do not like to be restrained.

 Owning an otter is a big commitment. If you have adopted one, you’ll need to have the proper habitat for it. They need plenty of space and care.

 An otter’s enclosure needs to be large enough for them to get exercise and forage. They need a much larger enclosure than a typical dog. Likely, your otter will spend most of its life in the enclosure. Otters need a tropical climate. Their ideal temperature is 75 to 85 degrees. They’ll need a dry area as well as a pool. If they are constantly wet, they can develop health conditions.

 Otters like to climb and dig, so your enclosure will need a top and to be dug into the ground. The best enclosure for an otter is outside. Living inside comes with many challenges, like cleaning up otter feces and keeping your furniture intact. Otters can be destructive and are difficult to housetrain.