Otter Removal
Otters prefer not to trouble or pester other animals or humans, but they end up doing this anyways. If you share a water source with a family of otters you may find that they are pests and they can do damage to your house. Otters must eat a lot of food and will eat up all of the fishes, crabs, etc. that live in the water. They also might eat decorative fish in your personal landscaping pond. Otters will also make their homes under your house if you live close enough to the water source. They sometimes make nests in human areas, such as in a dock, boathouse, or even a boat itself, if it is not commonly used. They can also have their babies in there or die in there which causes and unbelievable stench. If you have otters that you want to get rid of, follow these do it yourself tips.
- Install sturdy steel fences in an area you don't want them to access.
- Use large steel cage traps to catch and remove and relocate them.
There are ways that you can keep otters from damaging your yard and home by ensuring that they do not come in your yard at all. You can do this easily with a sturdy fence made of wood, iron or wire mesh. If you cannot afford to fence in your whole property you can surround just the areas that you are having trouble with like your garden, certain bushes or around the base of your house or porch.
There are several repellents that are available on the market to deter the otters from coming around your house, but they are not always guaranteed to work. There are varieties of predator urines and chemical sprays, but you must make sure that it is non-toxic or harmful to the otter. Again, you do not want to get in trouble with the fish and game agency because you hurt an otter.
If an otter has taken up residence under your homes there is one thing that seems to work rather well. You will exclude them out by plugging up all the entrances to their burrow except one, and then you will sprinkle flour in front of the entrance and throw a rag soaked with ammonia (or another foul smelling substance) into their burrow. They will quickly vacate the area to get away from the stench and then you simply need to plug up the hole.
About Otters - Otters are a type of semi-aquatic river mammal that is native to North America. Otters usually prefer temperate climates that have fresh cold water for them to hunt and play in, but they can also venture on to land to make their burrows. Otters have cylindrical bodies that are covered in a brown water-resistant down coat that protects them from cold water. Otters are excellent swimmers and are at their best when they are in the water. Water is where an otter’s main source of food comes from and they also use the water as their playground. Otters are omnivores and are on the hunt everyday because they need consume at least their weight in food every day in order to survive. While the otter is usually docile and looks adorable, do not make the mistake of walking right up to them as they can defend their territory and young aggressively.
How To Get Rid of Otter - Tips and steps for getting rid of otters.
Otter Information
Biology
Otters are semi-aquatic mammals which like consuming shellfish, fish, amphibians, birds, small mammals and other invertebrates. They have long slim bodies and webbed paws which help them in swimming. The limbs are small and powerful. The tail is used as an additional limb that aids in swimming and provides stability and small rapid propulsions which aids them in swimming and floating. While swimming, their head including their eyes, ears and nose stay above water. On land they can run, walk, slide or jump. There are 12 different species of otters in the world which vary from two to six feet in length and can weigh from five to 100 pounds. They have two layers of fur of which the inside layer is really smooth and soft while the outside layer is made up of long hair to protect the inner layer. Air gets trapped in between the two layers and serves in keeping the body dry and warm when they are in water. Depending upon the surrounding temperature, otters need to consume a minimum amount of food per day in relation to their body weight in order to stay warm and survive. Because of this, they are known to hunt for three to five hours in a day while a nursing mother hunts for around eight hours. Otters of a few species prefer to live alone while others live in groups.
Habitat
Otters live in a den called a couch or a holt. These are made in an areas which are close to water; their preferred areas for living and feeding. Otters live on land because this prevents their fur from getting soaked in water; however, they need to be near water as this is where the majority of their food sources are located. Otters are widely distributed and are found in as many as five continents of the world. River otters inhabit inland waterways, estuaries, marine cover and rocky seashores. Giant otters inhabit slow moving rivers in forests, marshes and swamps. Clawless otters choose to live in areas with fresh water as well as salty water including rivers, estuaries, coastal waters and ponds while sea otters usually choose coastal waters. The entry of their couch or holt is generally submerged in water. However, there are a few species of otters that do not dig their dens and prefer to make their homes under ledges and boulders instead.
Life Cycle
The gestation period lasts for about 60 to 86 days. The pup or kit is taken care of by the entire family including the father, mother and other pups. Father otters are called ‘dogs’ while mother otters are referred to as “bitch”. Male otters reach sexual maturity when they are three years of age while the female otter reaches sexual maturity a little earlier, about the age of two years old. A Female otter gives birth to one to two pups at a time. The pups are blind and furred at the time of birth. They open their eyes in 21 to 28 days and start walking in about a month. The pups come out of the home for the first time after about one month of their birth and start swimming in another 30 days. They stay with the family for about a year before moving out and starting their own. During this period the pup is protected by the parents while learning the skills necessary for life. Otters are known to live for around 16 years.
Diseases carried by Otters
Otters are known to cause Rabies and Mycobacterium Bovis. Rabies can result in full body paralysis and even death. The symptoms include insomnia, confusion, anxiety, abnormal behavior, terror and paranoia. Mycobacterium Bovis causes tuberculosis in humans.
Otter Nuisance
Otters can cause damage to aquatic vegetation and fish. They love to eat fish and starfish from a fish hatchery or a fish culture facility. Also, as they live and move in groups, they can eat all of the fish in a fish pond within no time.
