2023 continued....

Hello, 

So, I have been working very hard over the past few months at my new job at GTKA get to know animals. 

Since I have been working there for almost 8 months now, well back in July when I worked for them for just over 4 months, I was promoted to supervisor. Yay! Finally something I can be proud of! 

The owners, said they recognised my leadership qualities and experience, for the business this is what they needed. So, now I am leading the team forward with my manager, Kelly. 

The aspect of the job is great, being able to bring my skills and experience to the business is a positive, however the supervisor job is very stressful. I have had a lot of crap sent at me, I am only learning, as I've never been in this position before but the team seem to give me crap on my shifts hahaa but hopefully after a couple of team meetings this will be resolved. 

This is me my new profile picture on the website, with the two little furries ferrets von doodle and van helsing, our two little boys. 

Being a supervisor, has not only taught me life lessons but has given me the opportunity to grow as a person and gain new skills and knowledge of being a Zookeeper supervisor. 

I hope to grow with the business as they grow and complete their mission. New big opportunities are arising in the new future which I hope to be apart of. 

2023 is nearly at its close, being now in November, and only one month to go until 2024, it is scary that life is evolving and my life is only just starting out, but hey ho, everyone blooms in parts of their lives and jibe is obviously later in life. 

2023 has also brought me a holiday to Denmark 🇩🇰 which was brilliant. Me and my family went there for a country concert to see Luke Combs. His set was amazing! Can't wait to see him again. The sites of Denmark were great! We went to places like Copenhagen zoo, Copenhagen aquarium (why not eh??!! Hahaa), the little mermaid statue 🧜‍♀️ , the round tower, nyaehavn, copenhahen botanical gardens, canal tour along the river. All these things were group choices, they were pretty good! 

Just some cool pictures of Denmark 🇩🇰 above 👆

2023 was a blast, here's to a better and more efficient 2024!! 😆😆

Life....2020- 2023

Heyy heyyy, 

Me again haha 

Again it's been a long time since I posted, a lot has happened since then. 

I have a few drafts to continue but this is the main one I've been trying to write hahaa

I have drafted this a fair few times lol so at the time of drafting.....

I am still working at my little hadham branch, but instead of working as a patient care assistant, I am now working as a Student Veterinary Nurse. I started college in September 2021, and I am nearly half way through my course, scary huh? 

I am enjoying this course so much and being able to be a student vet nurse is enjoyable too, there is so much more you are able to do and be more independent. 

Being a student veterinary nurse means you are more responsible for patients and become a lot more independent but are still under supervision by a veterinary surgeon and/or Registered veterinary nurse. 

Being at a small practice, a busy practice has been tough, but it is worth the whole training. You get to do so much, see many different cases and interact with clients as well as the animals. 

In the last year we have gone from being a one veterinary surgeon practice to two, then back to one for around 8 months then finally we were able to get another veterinary surgeon to be perminant. This is also what has made it tough over the last few years, but it had been worth it. 

Being a student veterinary nurse isn't all cuddles and grooming the animals, it's taking care of them when they are at their worst and ensuring their health and welfare is maintained to get them back to normal health again. It is also client based, speaking to people on the phone, organising payments, insurances- doing claims and also sorting out procedures on a day to day basis. 

A student veterinary nurse isn't easy at times, you have to take away your emotional attachment and think about the pets, they aren't your animals, they are someone elses animal and you've got to realise the consequences of your actions and to understand the owners perspective too. 

On the subject of a student veterinary nurse, you have to attend college one day a week and Carry out practicals and lectures. Which is a tough one, balancing work,student and home life. I have found this journey hard, hard  because I just can't seem to get myself into a routine of studying, time for myself and exercise. 

I have had some troubles with this course, and my practical work at branch. I am not getting on with practical things for example forgetting things I've been told and also not understanding why we do things the way we do. I am not gaining the knowledge, understanding and skills I need at this specific time in my career as a nurse. I am potentially going into 2nd year nursing but I am just not competent enough for this stage at the moment. 

I have had trouble with my exams and failed my last attempt at one of the harder modules, so I would from here need to take time out of the course and become a PCA again, which I don't particularly want to do, but hey ho. 

So that's the end of an ear for my nursing career.... 😢 but now onto a new exciting adventure 😄

So... January 2023- I have had to make the hardest decision in my life to leave the nursing profession and carry on with my zookeeping career- but hey what do they say "once a keeper always a keeper". 

In the recent years we have also gotten a little puppy 🐶 Her name is 

Reba, she is now 18 months old haha she's names after Reba Mcintrye a country singer 😀 she has grown up so much, she know sit,stay,wait,down and okay. She is very well trained and loves her ball. 

Below are some pictures of her, her litter mate brother Rucker and her cousin Rhett. Rhett and Rucker belong to my sister and her partner. 

During 2022, my lovely sister got married to her partner Steve, so she is now married hehe. Monday 18th July, the hotest day of that year, very very hot. Over 40 decrees Celsius. So she is now Mrs patient, instead of a chase, although she has kept her name but embedded it as a middle name, which is nice. 

Also my best friend got married that year too so she became a Mrs instead of a miss. Hehe both weddings went smoothly and we all had a fabulous time. 

Hmm what else has happened in the last 3 years hahaa .... 

Oh yeah.. I got a new Job hehee as a Ranger Zoo Keeper, at a brand new zoo that opened February 2023. 

The new Zoo and job is called GTKA get to know animals and is based outside of Epping, Essex, UK. This Zoo is very small but houses over 300 animals and they are all rescue animals. The zoo helps to educate people of all ages to learn how to care and protect these animals and wildlife. 

With this small zoo, you can pay extra to handle the animals and really get to know them, the experience is great. They also do parties, corporate events and also therapy sessions at the zoo in their brand new party cave. 

Just some of the animals I get to work with 🙂🐒🦎🐢🐊🐸🦜🐟🐌🕷🐞🦂🦔 I love being able to work with the small mammals and reptile exotics again 😁 

My time to shine again. 

So here's to new adventures and new exciting opportunities ☺️☺️🥳👍👍

Life between 2019-2020

Heyy Heyy,

So, I have been active lately adding and editing this blog, which I feel needs to be done.

I have actually in th last 6 months, had a career change from being a zookeeper to a vet nurse (well Patient Care Assistant which leads to being a vet nurse). I decided to change my career purely because it was very hard to get a paid job in the zoo industry and I was getting very stressed out, so I applied for a veterinary job to see if I would enjoy something different as I have always loved wathing and following the zoo vet around the zoo, to see what he does as its interesting. I still miss the zoo and the zoo animals, however this needed to be done for me oin my situation, as I needed a full time paid job and I wasnt getting that in the zoo industry. This doesnt mean I cant go back to the zoo industy, as I am just having a break, I might be able to go back as a zoo veterinary nurse which would be good.

I got the job and started in Novemeber 2019. I started as a mobile Patient Care Assistant, where I go from practice to practice where the business is needed. My area is Medivet Enfield region, so some of the practices include Cockfosters, Southgate, Enfield 24hr, Waltham Abbey, Welling Garden City and many more. Within the 6 months, I have learnt so much about my self and the veterinary industry. I have experienced a lot of things that I havent seen before which is interesting. I have never thought about going into this type of industry, but its actually quite interesting.

I have now been made permanent at one of the Enfield regions practices, which is Little Hadham Medivet. This is a small practice that is near to where I live which is convienient to them and me.

There is so much to learn in this industry, although I have already learnt a lot but so much more to learn and experience. I have learnt how to do blood and urine tests, monitoring; heart rate, respiration rates and temperatures, surgical instrumemts (still have many to learn though), how to talk to clients on client telephone conversations, how to set up theatre for different procedures, how to triage animal owners on the phone, how to take phone payments and much more!  I have over the past few months been putting a notebook together of all the stuff that Ive learnt, this is so I can use it everyday when I need it to refresh my memory.

Just a few pictures of my nursing career

Emergency Set up

Vet Nurse Board to inform customers

Surgical Instruments 

   So, now in 2020, this whole Covid-19 virus thing, most business have closed its doors or limited its staff and customer intake.

The veterinary industry has been hit by this virus too, Vet surgeries and practices are still open, however to emergencies only. They are offering video and phone consulations if the client is worried or concerened about their pet/s and would like to speak to a vet about it, then the vet can diagnose whether the pet/s need to be physically seen or just prescibed medication. Flea and worming is still being prescribed as well as the ongoing medications that animals need.

They are not letting any customers in the practices, so the vet speaks to the customers outside with the 2 metre distance then takes the animal in for pysical examination and then handed back to the owner. Payments are done over the phone, this is to limit the amount of contact between customers and staff and also limiting the touch between the card machines.

I have personally been put on the furlough scheme, that is being made by the government to allow of companies to keep on staff rather than having to let them go. Some veterinary staff have either been put on furlough or reduced hours. The vet practices are on reduced hours to help stop the spread of the virus.

So, you now say, what am I doing with my time during fulough?? .... well I have recently found a few hobbies to do whilst on break from work. I have found a new hobby called Pyrography, which is quite interesting. I'm just a newbie to this so the work I have done is not to perfection but I am getting much better each one I do. I have also found a new hobby which is painting by numbers, I ordered a canvas painting which is quite hard with small number areas however like the other hobby I am getting there slowly with it and when it comes to the end it will all come together and be a proper picture.

I have also been active and walking my sisters dog nearly every day which is fun and gets me out of the house for a bit even if it is in the morning, it still gets me up and then I can start the day like I would do if I was still working. Isnt he just so adorable??

So I have been busy, however just like everyone, I wish to be back to work as soon as possible. Lets just hope this virus dies down soon. 

Life as a zookeeper 2018/2019

Heyy Heyy, 

This one is about my internship at Shepreth Wildlife Park.

I started my internship on the 8th January 2018 for a whole year for 4 days a week, I am also continuining this into 2019 to get more experience as needed.

It has been absolutely amazing!

Although I'm not getting paid and this is voluntary I really feel like I am getting the experience I need to become a full time zookeeper. Being a long term placement student, allows me to become more independent and learn more about the zoo industry.

I have been able to get closer to the animals, learn about them and their behaviours.

Being a zookeeper isn't all about getting closer to the animals, it's about being aware of your surroundings and conservation of these animals. 

We as zookeepers dont just hug the animals and take pretty close up pictures, we do a lot more than that! We clean up after them, cleaning their faeces (poop), maintaining their enclosures (so doing essential work on them and changing them up and adding new things into them when need to for a bit of change for the animals), we prepare their diets fresh everyday for them whether it be carnivores or herbivores (or omnivores) or insectivores we do all of them to help with their nutrients making sure they have the appropriate ones for that species and the right amount. One other thing we do is enruch the animals, this means giving them something to do to help with the boredom and reduce less stererotypical behaviours. We can do this in the form of natural or man made, which means we can use things like scent trails and fur of the prey they have, or more unnatural things like boomer balls and puzze feeders.  

We dont just do that though we also educate, in the form of many types. We educate through school visits, regular animal talks, online talks and seminars, animal handling, animal experiences, and much more but they are the main ones. 

Being a zookeeper is not easy, its tough, its hard work. You need to be physically fit to be able to do this job. Somedays you can have a really good day where all your animals comply with you and it goes smoothly, the next day you can have a good morning then something happens and the day gets worse or vice versa for bad morning and good afternoon.

You will see many different things being a keeper, you will see good things and unfortunately bad things too. I wont mention all the things ive seen as a keeper but I will mention that you will see sick animals that need medical care and attention and might need medication as well, you will also see animals that are very sick and either die of natual causes or that for welfare reasons need to be euthanised (Put to sleep). This profession isnt for the faint hearted, you dont need to be strong, you just need to be prepared for what can happen in the industry and you need to know your stuff, as there is a lot involving animals such as their health, diet and behaviour.

I have learnt a lot from this placement, not just about the animals and how to be a keeper but a lot about myself. My confidence has grown, as I have gotten better at the tasks I am doing and gotten better at speaking to people in public (As I never really had spoken to the public and done public speaking before the placement). During my placement, I have gained a lot of skills too, not just public speaking but skills that are involved with everyday keeping such as being able to do tasks quicker,

This placement has been so much fun and educational. I have had the chance to get close to the animals that you dont see everyday in the wild, I have had the chance to train these animals so we can get closer to them and visually health check them so that we dont have to get the vet to do it all the time.

On that note, training these animals for example the Red Pandas, is very helpful for us, in the sense of veterinary checks and visual health checks we can get closer to these animals instead of being away from them and having to crate them. When we train the animals, they are doing it on their own accord, we do not force them to do things they dont want to do, it is just helpful that they do it, some are mainly food based so this helps too. This is also enrichment for them, something to look forward to and prevent them becoming bored.

As keepers we have to care for a variety of animals, which means a variety of diets and regimes. The food that most zoos get are donated from the local stores and local farm shops. This is a great way of keeping in touch with the community and educating them on how important it is for zoos to keep these endangered animals.

I have written a post previously about being a zookeeper so I wont go on wrambling about it all, as you may just want to read that.

During this placement, I have met so many inspirational people that I will not forget as they have become part of my life. I have met some fabulous volunteer keepers along the way too, some just volunteering as as side job or they are retired, some for a college or university course and some others just for a break from normal life. All these people want the same thing, good care for the animals, good health and well being for the animals.

Below is just a selection of the pictures I have taken over the time of my placement, there is quite a lot but Ive chosen just some of them: