A Florida-based influencer has captured hearts online after sharing a sweet video showing a baby otter being fed fish for the first time. Though widely shared for its charm, the video has sparked curiosity about the legal and regulatory limits around keeping otters in the United States.
The Florida influencer in question is TikToker Paul Cuffaro, a content creator known for his vlogs, animal content, pond and fish-keeping videos, and lifestyle clips. While the video first appeared on TikTok, it’s since made its way to Reddit where it’s getting a wave of new reactions and comments. In the footage, we’re introduced to Lola, a baby otter, and Cuffaro explains, “Alright, folks. Today, I’m gonna see if Lola, our baby otter, wants to eat fish for the very first time. She’s been on milk for about eight weeks now. So I think it’s right that we add a little bit of fresh tilapia to her diet.”
After cutting the fish into little bite-sized “nuggets,” the content creator lifts the baby semi-aquatic mammal out of her cage and she happily follows the influencer’s footsteps, trailing behind him, squeaking merrily. “I have no idea whether she’s gonna eat this or not.” exclaims Cuffaro as he holds a teeny nugget of tilapia in his hand. The result? Lola wastes no time gobbling up the bite of fish and seems to love every second of it. She even licks his fingers afterward, a clear sign that she’s a fan of the new food.
The wholesome clip, which has accrued over 63.4 million views on TikTok, quickly drew a wave of positive reactions online. One TikTok user wrote, “I want a baby otter.” accompanied by a grumpy Squidward image from SpongeBob Squarepants. A second netizen added, “otters are so sociable, and no matter how much they’re loved, humans can’t replace the species interaction they need. I really feel that she should have at least one other of her species around“.
Others on Reddit also weighed in, with the discussion shifting toward criticism of the creator for keeping such an exotic animal at home. “God this sucks because [expletive] anyone who thinks they can just own a wild animal but god dammit I want an otter” wrote one, while another added, “Trust me, you do not want a river otter as a pet. Cute as can be, but they smell awful, can’t be reliably house trained and WILL bite you, hard. Oh, and they really need to be kept in family groups of at least 3-4. The aquarium I volunteered at didn’t allow even the caretakers to touch/handle the river otters. They were crated at night while we cleaned their enclosure and MY GOD the stench! Love those little dudes, but yeah- they’re wild animals, not pets.”
While the video has charmed viewers online, it’s important to remember that otters are protected wildlife in the U.S., and private ownership is only legal under strict permits for licensed professionals.
