Giant Otter Shrew - Food Habits

Food Habits

P. velox is a nocturnal predator, hunting primarily by touch and scent in and around calm pools . Each dive lasts only seconds . It searches both within the pool and along the bank for prey using the sensitive vibrissae and odor and apparently not eyesight . It prefers areas that have cover to retreat to when it feels threatened . P. velox attacks prey using sharp bites, sometimes pinning the prey with its fore feet, and flipping crabs over to attack the weaker ventral surface they usually avoid crabs larger than 7 cm across . The prey preference varies among individuals; some prefer crabs; others, frogs, or even fish. Frogs are eaten headfirst and fish are pulled apart into manageable bits. Prey is consumed on the bank. They also eat insects, mollusks, and freshwater prawns . In captivity eats 15– 20 crabs per night. Diet includes amphibians, fish, insects, terrestrial non-insect arthropods, mollusks