What is it like being a zookeeper? What do you do daily? How

>Average day
Picking up mounds of shit
>Story
Picked up some shit yesterday

>>2266314

Join a volunteer program. Half the employees at any animal-related place are volunteers. The other half have loads of experience (from volunteering) and probably 3 or 4 degrees. Competition is fierce for those kinds of jobs and employees can be very picky and pay you shit and get away with it.

Also, if you love animals, never work with them. Ever. It will crush your soul when you learn, for example, what goes on behind those swinging doors at the Petco grooming salon - where they take the animals that aren't super-excited about nail trims.

Animals are treated like animals when no one is looking. You're better not seeing that.

I'm a vet tech in Spring Hill, TN.

>>2266357
i like animals but i wouldn't say i love love them. A few years ago my dog died by being hit by a car and i got over it in like a day which sort of surprised me. But what do you mean by >where they take the animals that aren't super-excited about nail trims.

>>2266366
Pretty much nothing, any groomer will have a table designed to help keep unruly animals in place. Not just petco, and as a groomer if you bring in a dog that bites I'll have to restrain it and muzzle it while I do everything and be a bit more rough. I don't hit the dog, but I don't care about it's fee fees at that point anymore and just get the job done.

But I'm guessing a wage slave groomer at petco won't care as much.

>>2266370
my great aunt was a poodle breeder and a general dog groomer for decades so i know how a dog gets groomed. I thought you were eluding to abuse or something weird.

>>2266375

I am the original guy you were replying to. I didn't mean abuse as per the legal definition. But most people would call what happens behind closed doors abuse.

As a vet tech, when we're asked to clip nails or do sanitary trims or other petty junk, and we can tell the dog is going to be a dick, we take it in the back away from the owner so they don't see.

We do a lot of stuff that looks really bad to outside viewers. I forcefully pin down at least 30 dogs and cats a day. Putting my body weight on them, gripping their paws will full strength to hold them still, gripping their neck and forcing it to the table so it can't move its head. We have harnesses attached to the tables, as well, and animals look horrifying when tied down. It is just not pretty.

See, it's not like Dr. Pol where everything is all "Oh, hey, let's just sedate this cat and work on it" ... sedation is dangerous. It is a last resort and normally reserved for invasive surgical procedures. We use harnesses and brute force because it's much safer for the animal, although a little more traumatic.

You hear a lot of whimpering and crying and feel like an ass, so it's not for the lighthearted.

>>2266394
Well if it's safer and it benefits the animal then why not but i would try to be as careful as possible.

>>2266366
If a dog isn't cooperating with you for grooming, they bring them back out of public view so they can be a bit rougher if needed. I saw the groomers at my local pet smart smack my dog because he would lay down for nail trims, since she was an old man.

>>2266422
I would get rough with an animal if i needed to but i wouldn't smack it.

>>2266430

Well, the OP is talking about zoo animals, so probably not a good idea to run around smacking them, anyway. But hey, not my call.

>>2266357
>tfw wanted to work in a zoo as a kid
>get a biology/zoology degree
>no zoo will hire me
>visit zoo around me
>all I see is picking up shit like >>2266323 said
>everyone tells me I should just do it for free to get a foot in the door
>are you fucking crazy.jpg

I do volunteer stuff now elsewhere (indoor, no shit involved) but it won't help at all for getting work in a zoo. How the hell do guys like Jack Hannah do it, where they're boss of the zoo and go on every late night talk show and play with animals? That's the job I want.

>>2266484
Why won't any zoo hire you? Is it because their full or...?

>>2266486
Every listing requires like "5 years elephant handling experience" or something like that, which of course I don't have, and everything else is doing retail at the gift shop or serving food. I've never seen a job posting for the shit shovelers. I guess they don't publicize those and just offer them discreetly to volunteers as needed.

>>2266357
Worth noting that mostly just holds true for retail animal shit.
Working as a zookeeper is fine, but like everyone here has said, I hope you like picking up shit.

>>2266488
I'd get a job at the gift shop or whatever. You might be able to meet or befriend someone who can help you get to the ultimate position you want.

want to work for free for at least a couple years to get a low paying job? well, good luck, because it'd take some damn good luck to make it

>>2266496
How much does a zoo pay?

>>2266488
Newsflash - that add for elephant care will be mostly shit shoveling.

>>2266571
According to PayScale.com, the salary range for zookeepers was $18,074-$39,725 per year in January 2016. Factors that influence the salary of a zookeeper include years of experience, size of zoo, geographic location and current economic conditions.

For those who wish to become zookeepers, a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline is strongly advisable as job competition is intense, even though job growth is strong. Zookeepers must know how to handle different types of animals and their temperaments. Salaries vary, depending on experience and the employer, but the median pay for zookeepers in 2016 was around $30,000.

In case anyone is interested i found some really good info.

So, You Want to Be a Zoo Keeper, Trainer, or an
Aquarist?
For those that enjoy being around animals and have a drive to make a
difference, a career in a zoo may be just for you. But, do you have
what it takes?
Keeping in mind that this field is very competitive and to help you
make that decision, here are some things to do…
 Intern at a zoo or an aquarium
o Can be three months or more at some institutions
o Very valuable in understanding the field
o Normally unpaid positions
o Normally work 40 hours per week, including weekends
o Interns are frequently hired for permanent positions
 Volunteer at a zoo or an aquarium
o Most schedules are flexible
o Can volunteer on a set schedule: weekly, biweekly,
monthly
o Can volunteer for just special events: pregnancy watch,
medical watch, animal introduction watch just to name a
few
o Volunteer for special activities: SCUBA diving, camps, etc.
 Get SCUBA certified (open water)
o If you already have this certification when applying for an
aquarist position, you will have an advantage over the
other applicants who are not certified
o Some aquariums may pay for you to get this certification
o Must feel comfortable underwater and be aware of your
surroundings
o Depending on insurance of the aquarium, you may be
required to get a dive physical every couple of years and
go through a check-out dive
 Check-out dives include: setting up tank
successfully, clearing mask, clearing regulator and
following radio/safety procedures correctly
 Obtain CPR/First Aid certification
o This is mandatory if you are SCUBA certified
 Become familiar with Microsoft Word®, Microsoft Excel®, and
Powerpoint®,

>>2266605
 Understand that the job is not glamorous…you will get dirty!
 Understand that the job involves a lot of strength, flexibility and
stamina
o Most cases, must be able to lift 50#
o Must be willing to work variable shifts, weekends and
holidays
o Understand that animals can be stubborn, so having a high
level of energy and determination is extremely valuable
o Although this is a very rewarding career, understand that it
normally doesn’t pay as well as other professions where a
college degree is desirable.
o Pay is based on experience
o Pay is also based on cost of living for zoo’s geographic
area
 Obtain a college degree in a biology related field
o Math and science are very important in this field
o The best form of communication is written communication
 You must be able to write clearly when entering data
in the daily logs
 Having some public speaking experience also helps
in your interactions with the visiting public.
A Keeper’s Day…
 Animal Husbandry
o Exhibit maintenance
 Scrubbing, cleaning, fixing anything that’s broken
o Diet prep
 Weighing out food items, adding vitamins
o Animal observations
 Ensuring the animals are well cared for
 Introducing species
 Research observations, etc
o Training/Enrichment
 Keeping schedules of enrichment
 Keeping training schedules
 Training new behaviors
 Having patience and flexibility when providing these
opportunities
o Administering health care under the supervision of a
veterinarian
 Writing protocols and proposals
 Networking with zoos and aquariums around the world
 Understand that safety is #1
 Becoming involved in research projects…maybe even pioneering
one
 Public speaking
o Keeper chats
o Behind-the-scene tours
o Presentations to a wide variety of audiences
 Realize that if an animal is sick, you are technically on call 24/7

>>2266606
Highlights of some documented interviews by keepers…
 Staff meetings can occur in the mornings or once a week
 If you’re low man on the totem pole, you will work weekends.
Your days off will probably be two days during the normal
work week.
 The love of the job is the diversity!
 You have to be physically strong
 You’re not going to make a lot of money.
 You must be able to work in the pouring rain and freezing
snow!
 Daily routines include feeding animals, cleaning exhibits,
written and verbal communication, animal observations and
maintenance upkeep on exhibits.
 You never realize how much you love working with animals
until you start working with animals!
 To be a good zoo keeper, you have to have common sense
and good animal sense. You must be able to know when an
animal is just not right.
 There are dangers working with every animal.
 During your day, you will educate so many people about
animals and conservation…you are a teacher.
 Zoo keeping is a lot of hard work.
Growing within your career, become involved in…
 Committees within your zoo
o Fun teams
o Shooting teams
o Grants committees
o Training and enrichment committees, just to name a
few
 Taxon Advisory Groups
 AAZK (American Association of Zoo Keepers)
 AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums)
 EMA (Elephant Managers Associaiton)
 ABMA (Animal Behavior Management Alliance)
 IMATA (International Marine Animal Trainers Association)
 Attend conferences
 Attend AZA classes
 Become involved in any other zoo or animal organization not
listed. There are several.

>>2266607
What’s the best route to take in climbing the ladder?
The best place to start is to volunteer and/or intern. There is no rule
that says you have to start here, but some zoos will hire their interns
and volunteers first before hiring somebody they don’t know. When
someone starts out in this field, they are a keeper/aquarist/trainer.
Depending on the zoo and aquarium, your title may be Keeper I or
Assistant Aquarist. After a couple of years in this position, you may be
eligible to move up to a Keeper II or Aquarist position. You can then
keep working your way up to Senior Keeper/Trainer/Aquarist. As you
continue to climb your way up, you will be challenged with more
responsibility and may even take on some supervisory duties.
As you continue on your journey and have a drive to enter
management and more of a desk job, there are many avenues you
may take. These range from area manager to curator to director and
all the opportunities in-between, including veterinarian care.
But, then there may come a time where you feel the need to move
away from animal care, but still want to work within a zoo or an
aquarium. Again, the opportunities are endless.
They include, but not limited too:
 Horticulture
 Education
 Marketing
 Public Relations
 Graphics
 Membership
 Human Resources
 Gift Shops
 Catering
 Volunteer Coordinator
 Commissary/Warehouse

The link is here if you want to read more
https://www.aazk.org/zoo-keeping-as-a-career/

>>2266609
>>2266607
>>2266606
>>2266605

I will never understand how our government allowed internships to become a 'thing.' I am 35 years old, spent 1.5 years doing unpaid internships in my life. It is absolute bullshit. You are doing work. Your work is benefiting someone. 'Experience' is not proper reciprocation. There is no way 1 week of experience is worth $800 in wages you'd earn if it wasn't an internship. It's a fucking racket.

>>2266583
>$18,074

I think they literally pay more at McDonalds.

>>2266610
thank republicans.

it started with their "training wage" laws iirc.

>>2266742
McDonalds pays around $24,000 a year

also bump