clawed otters for sale
Asian small clawed otters: The Asian small-clawed otter(Amblonyx cinerea, syn. Aonyx cinereus), also known as the orientalsmall-clawed otter or simply small-clawed otter, is a semiaquatic mammal nativeto South and Southeast Asia. It is a member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae)of the weasel family (Mustelidae), and is the smallest otter species in theworld.[2] Its paws are a distinctive feature; its claws do not extend beyondthe fleshy end pads of its partially webbed fingers and toes. This gives it ahigh degree of manual dexterity so that it can use its paws to feed onmolluscs, crabs and other small aquatic animals.
Distribution : India, Asia, Philippines, Taiwan, China
Habitat : Rivers,creeks, wetlands, mangroves and rice fields
Height : 70-96cmincluding the tail
Weight : 1-5kg
Lifespan : Wild:8-10 years; captivity 20 years
The Asian small-clawed otter inhabits mangrove swamps andfreshwater wetlands in South and Southeast Asia. It lives in extended familygroups with only the alpha pair breeding; offspring from previous years help toraise the young.
Asian small-clawed otters Behavior and habitat:
Behavior:
These is a long tradition of using small clawed otters asworking animals in the Far East, from China to Malaysia (Gudger (1927). Theseanimals are still prized as fishing companions in Malaysia and Bangladesh, wherea trained animal from a known pedigree can change hands for high prices – theseworking otters are generally from captive, working mothers, and learn theirtrade by swimming free whilst their mother, usually wearing a harness with arope attached, drives fish into the nets.
On the other hand, there are reports of Asian small clawedotters kept in Indonesian Zoos being beaten and starved to make them perform inshows.
This is by far the most common species of otter kept incaptivity because it is small, and easier to manage than other otters, breedsprolifically in captivity (even if cub mortality is high), cute, and moretolerant of non-ideal conditions that other otters.
Native Habitat:
Asian small-clawed otters are found in southern India,southern China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines. These otterslive in small streams, rivers, marshes, rice paddies, seacoasts and inmangroves. They share their habitat with three other species of otter:Eurasian, smooth coated and hairy nosed.
Asian small-clawed otters Food and Eating Habits:
In captivity:
Asian small clawed otters are fed a prepared meat dietcalled Natural Balance, small fish such as smelt and capelin, canned felinediet and kibble. Like domestic cats, Asian small clawed otters have apropensity to develop kidney stones, so they are given cat food which includesingredients that prohibit the growth of these stones. They are also givencrabs, mussels, clams, mealworms, crickets, live crayfish and live goldfish asenrichment items. With a very rapid metabolism, otters have boundless energy,but a meal passes through their system in just a few hours. Because of this,they are fed multiple times a day.
To keep their body at a constant temperature, ottersmaintain their metabolism by eating the equivalent of 25 per cent of their bodyweight every day.
They are seen as a valuable form of pest control for ricefarmers as they eat the crayfish and crabs which damage their crops. They havealso been utilised by fishermen and trained to herd fish towards their nets inreturn for food. However they are seen as a pest by prawn farmers as they willregularly raid their farms and eat their stocks.
In the Wild clawedotters:
In the wild the otters eat primarily crustaceans andmollusks but will also eat fish, insects, amphibians and reptiles. Asiansmall-clawed otters use their forepaws rather than their mouth to locate andcapture food items. Incomplete webbing between the toes gives them a great dealof manual dexterity. They have sensitive digital pads that help them feel underrocks or in murky water for food. They dig in sand and mud at the shoreline forvarious types of shellfish (clams and mussels) and crabs. To get at the meat,they either crush the shell by hand or let heat from the sun open the shells.Their teeth are broad and robust, well suited for crushing shells.
Asian small-clawed otters Communication:
Communication is important; they are very vocal with 12distinct calls used to communicate with the group. They use a series of yips,barks, whistles and chattering noises including greeting, mating, and alarmcalls.
These otters also use scent markings as an important form ofcommunication. With paired scent glands at the base of the tail, otters emit anintensely musky smell that can delineate territory and communicates informationconcerning identity, sex, sexual receptivity and time elapsed between scentingvisits. They tend to defecate or spray in communal latrine areas to pass onthis information.
Asian small-clawed otters reproduction and development:
Small-clawed otters start exhibiting breeding behavioraround six months old, although they generally are not sexually mature untilone and a half years. The most successful breeding occurs between 1.5 and 3years old. Once they are mature, they can breed year-round. They dig nestingburrows called holts into the muddy banks where they live. The female’s estrouscycle is 28 days, with a three-day period of estrus. After a gestation periodof 68 to 72 days, females give birth to a litter of one to six pups. Typically,two litters of pups are born each year, 8 or 9 months apart. All members of thefamily group help feed and care for the young.
Requirements before owning an Asian small-clawed otter:
The Asian small-clawed otter is one of the fortunate breedof otters that can be easily own privately, being a protected breed of animalin general there are some legal steps and paper work any private owner orbreeder will be required before owning one or making it legal.
CITES Permit
The health certificate 2 years warranty (Vet certificate)
Veterinary Record certificate
The transfer of ownership certificate.
Sales contract Certified by the Board of Livestock here.
There are specific enclosure requirements detailed; theenclosure for one otter
needs to be 10’x8’x6 (Though not applied to all countries,most in USA)
https://majesticexotics.com/asian-small-clawed-otters/
