Zoos have barriers to keep you safe and to keep the animals safe.
Barriers come in different forms. Fences, walls, railings, ropes, and landscaping to name a few.
There are even signs posted. "Danger Stay Back" or "Stay On The Walkway"
MANY times EVERY day I have to tell people to get down, stay on the sidewalk, stop dangling your child into the exhibit.
No joke.
Stay on the public side of the barrier.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Puzzles and Scents
Saturday February 18 is Enrichment Day. I need to make enrichment items for all my critters. Cardboard boxes and paper towel rolls are always good standbys, but I need to get more creative. I am going to make a maze for the rhino ratsnake, buy clear plastic hamster tubes for the Arizona kingsnake and the tentacled snakes, and build a jungle gym for the skinks. Others will get puzzle feeders or scent boxes. The puzzle feeders are boxes or tubes with small holes. The animal knocks it around until the food falls out of the holes. Puzzle feeders are great for any animal including domestic pets. The feeders I make will contain crickets for the frogs and monitors. Scent boxes are pure stimulation. A box with some old mouse bedding is great. And easy. The snakes will sense what smells like food and then search for it. The pond turtles will get a floating puzzle feeder made from a plastic bottle. The skinks will get new items to climb. I can make and/or buy bird toy ladders and small cargo nets. I still need something for the pancake tortoises. Oh well, back to work. Got to get started on painting some boxes!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
2012
First day of work in 2012! Nothing new (except my new shiny green carabiner), but it just feels good. It could be the new cards. Every animal in the reptile house has a card to record daily events such as feedings, sheds, births, etc. The cards are practically destroyed by the end of the year. The new cards are crisp and clean. It could be knowing my goals for getting this building more organized. Some items need to be rearranged while others need to find a new home. Any where but in here. It could just be a new year means a new future. Right now options are endless and limited only by my imagination. And I love that!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Columbus Day and More
School is closed today, so the kids and I went to the zoo. Visiting your employer on a holiday isn't most people's idea of a good time, but in my case it's an amazing time!
We were there for about 4 hours, taking our time looking at every exhibit. We walked through the Mann Museum, rode the train and horse trail (2x), ate at the Overlook Cafe and fed the giraffes. The only thing we missed were the peddle boats. It was closed due to weather. Luckily, the rain held out until we were in the gift shop. I'm proud of myself for leaving there having only spent $2.40 on a rubber snake and inflatable monkey!
I know I'm biased, but I love my zoo. It's medium sized with a great species selection. The exhibits are neat and tidy (because we bust our butts), the layout is nice, and there is a lot of shade.
My kids always make me proud. They can get wild and crazy, but they follow the zoo rules (like no tapping on the glass) and they love to educate others about the animals.
NEW EXHIBIT COMING SOON
We are in the process of building a parakeet feeding flight cage. I can't wait! The giraffe feeding is a big success and I hope this will be too. The frame work is up, so it shouldn't be much longer.
ZOOBOO
ZooBoo starts this Thursday! Employees are working hard getting all the scenes ready. It will run every Thursday-Sunday night and Halloween night. There will be two hayrides, a non-scary Pumpkin Pull for the little ones and the scary hayride for others. There will also be games, prizes, candy, inflatable jumpers, the Education department will have the Creatures of the Night presentation, and more! We always need volunteers, so call 240-4900 if you want to join the fun!
We were there for about 4 hours, taking our time looking at every exhibit. We walked through the Mann Museum, rode the train and horse trail (2x), ate at the Overlook Cafe and fed the giraffes. The only thing we missed were the peddle boats. It was closed due to weather. Luckily, the rain held out until we were in the gift shop. I'm proud of myself for leaving there having only spent $2.40 on a rubber snake and inflatable monkey!
I know I'm biased, but I love my zoo. It's medium sized with a great species selection. The exhibits are neat and tidy (because we bust our butts), the layout is nice, and there is a lot of shade.
My kids always make me proud. They can get wild and crazy, but they follow the zoo rules (like no tapping on the glass) and they love to educate others about the animals.
NEW EXHIBIT COMING SOON
We are in the process of building a parakeet feeding flight cage. I can't wait! The giraffe feeding is a big success and I hope this will be too. The frame work is up, so it shouldn't be much longer.
ZOOBOO
ZooBoo starts this Thursday! Employees are working hard getting all the scenes ready. It will run every Thursday-Sunday night and Halloween night. There will be two hayrides, a non-scary Pumpkin Pull for the little ones and the scary hayride for others. There will also be games, prizes, candy, inflatable jumpers, the Education department will have the Creatures of the Night presentation, and more! We always need volunteers, so call 240-4900 if you want to join the fun!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Do Not Tap On The Glass
Treat the Reptile House with respect.
You will not make anything move by tapping on the glass. The only thing you will accomplish is stressing the animals that I then have to handle. How would you feel if I came to your house, job or school and started banging on your windows and shouting "Move!"? The first time you may just lose bowel and/or bladder control. Hundreds of times every day you may go insane. I would.
Please don't let your children tap on the glass. I have to stop what I'm working on every 15-30 minutes to tell yet another group what should be common sense. Or least common courtesy.
In case you didn't notice, the two sets of glass doors have pull handles and push bars. Cleaning hundreds of people's funky grease and germs is not how I want to spend my mornings. And there is also a No Food/Drink sign on the door. It's there for a reason. That includes the precious toddlers in strollers dropping their juice boxes or Cheerios, and then the stroller crushing them into the carpet. It also includes spitting out sunflower seeds all over the floor. Eww. The reptile house is not a trash can, so please use the cans provided outside to dispose of your garbage.
The two pictures show the nasty fingerprints on one of the doors this morning and a sign on the same door.
You will not make anything move by tapping on the glass. The only thing you will accomplish is stressing the animals that I then have to handle. How would you feel if I came to your house, job or school and started banging on your windows and shouting "Move!"? The first time you may just lose bowel and/or bladder control. Hundreds of times every day you may go insane. I would.
Please don't let your children tap on the glass. I have to stop what I'm working on every 15-30 minutes to tell yet another group what should be common sense. Or least common courtesy.
In case you didn't notice, the two sets of glass doors have pull handles and push bars. Cleaning hundreds of people's funky grease and germs is not how I want to spend my mornings. And there is also a No Food/Drink sign on the door. It's there for a reason. That includes the precious toddlers in strollers dropping their juice boxes or Cheerios, and then the stroller crushing them into the carpet. It also includes spitting out sunflower seeds all over the floor. Eww. The reptile house is not a trash can, so please use the cans provided outside to dispose of your garbage.
The two pictures show the nasty fingerprints on one of the doors this morning and a sign on the same door.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Airport Security Drama
Really people? Every time?
Zoos send and receive animals all the time. Animals die, new exhibits are built, some are exchanged for breeding purposes, etc. Zoos buy, sell, trade, and loan animals to each other. Animals travel by truck or plane. This is not a new concept. Magical fairies don't show up in the middle of the night bringing monkeys and macaws.
I understand that since 9/11 airport security has tightened. But why does there have to be drama every time?!
I don't care if it's a duck, an otter or a tiger, I am NOT getting it out of the crate for them to scan. It's not a pet. It's not a Persian or a Chihuahua. It's a wild animal with an extreme fight or flight response. In some cases the animals have the potential to be deadly. Every time a superior has to be called over and they always say the same thing "Look in as best you can with a flashlight and swab the crate" (for certain chemicals).
The two agents that were there when we shipped out the tiger cubs kept trying to explain to the horde of others what needed to be done, but they wouldn't listen. They insisted on calling the head supervisor, who was not pleased to be disturbed over a problem that should have never been.
After all that, I walked out to the truck and there is a $25 parking ticket tucked under a wiper blade. Really?! I quickly found a security guard "Um, seriously?! I'm not paying this. I'm in a loading/unloading only zone UNLOADING an animal. This is the same spot we always park in." He muttered something about letting him know next time and took the ticket.
My first experience taking an animal to the airport was adult cheetahs. After being told that the animals would have to be removed from their crates, the keeper I was with said "Feel free. But only after we are in the truck and drive off."
I'm waiting on the time I get to ship out snakes. I'll be more than happy to let them slither across the counter and scare everyone. ;)
Zoos send and receive animals all the time. Animals die, new exhibits are built, some are exchanged for breeding purposes, etc. Zoos buy, sell, trade, and loan animals to each other. Animals travel by truck or plane. This is not a new concept. Magical fairies don't show up in the middle of the night bringing monkeys and macaws.
I understand that since 9/11 airport security has tightened. But why does there have to be drama every time?!
I don't care if it's a duck, an otter or a tiger, I am NOT getting it out of the crate for them to scan. It's not a pet. It's not a Persian or a Chihuahua. It's a wild animal with an extreme fight or flight response. In some cases the animals have the potential to be deadly. Every time a superior has to be called over and they always say the same thing "Look in as best you can with a flashlight and swab the crate" (for certain chemicals).
The two agents that were there when we shipped out the tiger cubs kept trying to explain to the horde of others what needed to be done, but they wouldn't listen. They insisted on calling the head supervisor, who was not pleased to be disturbed over a problem that should have never been.
After all that, I walked out to the truck and there is a $25 parking ticket tucked under a wiper blade. Really?! I quickly found a security guard "Um, seriously?! I'm not paying this. I'm in a loading/unloading only zone UNLOADING an animal. This is the same spot we always park in." He muttered something about letting him know next time and took the ticket.
My first experience taking an animal to the airport was adult cheetahs. After being told that the animals would have to be removed from their crates, the keeper I was with said "Feel free. But only after we are in the truck and drive off."
I'm waiting on the time I get to ship out snakes. I'll be more than happy to let them slither across the counter and scare everyone. ;)
Theres An App For This
Just downloaded the FREE Blogger app for my iPhone. This is a test, trying it out.
So far I like it. Simple, but that's what I want in a mobile app. :)
Quick snapshot of a sign on the Reptile House.
So far I like it. Simple, but that's what I want in a mobile app. :)
Quick snapshot of a sign on the Reptile House.
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