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: