# animal related work



## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

How many of you would actually work with animals as a career as well as a hobby if you had the chance? Maybe in a zoo, a ranger, breeder, petshop, wildlifepark etc etc I know work is very short in this field and thats why many of us do other careers and keep reptiles as a hobby maybe do some breeding etc or that an animal career doesnt pay enough? 
You see reptiles is a hobby for me but I would love a well paid career in reptiles too but seems there just arent many jobs about.Eveen if I took a less paid job I still probaly couldnt find work in a reptile related field although they have all got my cv lol

Anyone else find this?


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

The words "Well Paid" don't fit here! :lol2:

I've been working as a Herp keeper in a zoological institution for 2.5 years, I started on 14k with a modest housing subsidy.


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## mrsslithers (Aug 31, 2009)

*hey*

always wanted to work with animals in any career really, got my qualifacations and experience etc but as u said the jobs just arnt ther


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

haha yea! so many of my friends intrested in this field have got sooo much practical experience but they are always outdone by the people with qualifications, then these people get stuck cause they got no hands on skill, one of decided to get a qualification to go with it but still didint prevail. No jobs left


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

There are plenty of jobs going, despite the recession. 

You need to know where to look, know what you actually want and have the skills, experience and qualifications to be considered for the job.


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

any suggestions mate? ive based my goals related to work on my practical and theory experience, got the good old cv in all the petshops, zoos, hoping there mite be a vacancy coming up.: victory:



Saedcantas said:


> There are plenty of jobs going, despite the recession.
> 
> You need to know where to look, know what you actually want and have the skills, experience and qualifications to be considered for the job.


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

Animal Jobs, Jobs with Animals, Work with Animals, Careers with Animals

Zoo Jobs

BIAZA Public Access


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

:no1:


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## exoticsadmirer (Oct 22, 2009)

I want to work as either a conservation or as a zookeeper if I got both jobs in One I would die a happy person. I mean my ideal places to work would be at Durrels conservation zoo in Jersey or Australia zoo as they have great conservation methods and breeding programs.


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

oh that would be amazing working abroad doing conservation


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## x_firefly_x (Sep 18, 2009)

Cold blooded but prime said:


> How many of you would actually work with animals as a career as well as a hobby if you had the chance? Maybe in a zoo, a ranger, breeder, petshop, wildlifepark etc etc I know work is very short in this field and thats why many of us do other careers and keep reptiles as a hobby maybe do some breeding etc or that an animal career doesnt pay enough?
> You see reptiles is a hobby for me but I would love a well paid career in reptiles too but seems there just arent many jobs about.Eveen if I took a less paid job I still probaly couldnt find work in a reptile related field although they have all got my cv lol
> 
> Anyone else find this?



I'm really lucky to currently be studying Bioveterinary science(final year) at uni and have a place on the veterinary medicine degree, so with any luck this year I'll graduate as a biovet and in another 4 years will graduate as a vet(and hopefully after a few years of specialisation I want to become a rep vet)!!  Though even if the vet thing doesn't work out for whatever reason, thanks to the biovet degree(which combines vet and biology) I should have the flexibility to be able to get a research job around animals, whatever happens I'm determined to have a career with animals!! I don't care if I end up with the worst wage ever, if I'm working with animals, then I'll be happy. :mf_dribble:


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

oh kool, good luck with that! where you studying? 



x_firefly_x said:


> I'm really lucky to currently be studying Bioveterinary science(final year) at uni and have a place on the veterinary medicine degree, so with any luck this year I'll graduate as a biovet and in another 4 years will graduate as a vet(and hopefully after a few years of specialisation I want to become a rep vet)!!  Though even if the vet thing doesn't work out for whatever reason, thanks to the biovet degree(which combines vet and biology) I should have the flexibility to be able to get a research job around animals, whatever happens I'm determined to have a career with animals!! I don't care if I end up with the worst wage ever, if I'm working with animals, then I'll be happy. :mf_dribble:


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## big stu (Oct 19, 2007)

i'd like to do some field/lab research as a career but my main aim is to be a lecturer on an animal/evolution related course


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## x_firefly_x (Sep 18, 2009)

Cold blooded but prime said:


> oh kool, good luck with that! where you studying?


At Liverpool university at the moment, hoping to also get a place here for the vet degree, but so far only got an offer of a place at edinburgh...waiting to hear from liverpool!! hehe though this is all assuming I pass this degree...and then find the money to pay for the next one. Just wish there was more reptile related content on my course! So far its been mainly cows, sheep...more cows :lol2:
How did your reptile hobby start off? And how long did it take to explode lol...I started off earlier this year with one snake(I blame the snake lectures I had and the gorgeous snakies at my local wildlife park!) and said "I'll just get the one..." snake count so far is 4, with 2 more on the way!! Ahh how did that happen...:gasp:


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

ah kool, yea expensive hobby, expensive courses lol yea my first course at college was more domestic pets. Haha mine started at 14 with the arrival of a leopard gecko for my bd, i blame the parents lol



x_firefly_x said:


> At Liverpool university at the moment, hoping to also get a place here for the vet degree, but so far only got an offer of a place at edinburgh...waiting to hear from liverpool!! hehe though this is all assuming I pass this degree...and then find the money to pay for the next one. Just wish there was more reptile related content on my course! So far its been mainly cows, sheep...more cows :lol2:
> How did your reptile hobby start off? And how long did it take to explode lol...I started off earlier this year with one snake(I blame the snake lectures I had and the gorgeous snakies at my local wildlife park!) and said "I'll just get the one..." snake count so far is 4, with 2 more on the way!! Ahh how did that happen...:gasp:


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## Scarpa (Dec 31, 2009)

exoticsadmirer said:


> I want to work as either a conservation or as a zookeeper if I got both jobs in One I would die a happy person. I mean my ideal places to work would be at Durrels conservation zoo in Jersey or Australia zoo as they have great conservation methods and breeding programs.


I did a months college placement at the DICE reptile and amphibian research center at Kent uni. Keeping up the Durrell tradition. Fantastic place with herp experts from all over the world. Met Mark O'Shea and performed an autopsy under the guidence of one of the top UK herp vets. Oh happy days... I eventually got a job working with electronics for many years... nowhere near as exciting.


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## hannahdougal (Nov 27, 2008)

Im training to be a veterinary nurse at the moment and loving it, very hard work but very rewarding. once qualified i want to work in New Zealand as British qualified vet nurses are like gold dust out there. Thats the plan!


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## Sarah1340 (Sep 14, 2008)

I'm in my final year of my animal science degree and I'm hoping to go into animal related work too. I really want to work in zoo keeping or zoo education. The single most important thing when trying to get animal work is experience! I devoted my summer last year to getting some valuable experience; I worked in three different zoo-type organisations and that's going to be nowhere near enough. I'm hoping to get a job just to pay the bills after uni and volunteer at another place on weekends until I can get a job in the field I want to.


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

hey is this sarah, the same sarah who volunteerd at the rescue centre in essex? sorry if its not just the description you wrote made me ask lol 



Sarah1340 said:


> I'm in my final year of my animal science degree and I'm hoping to go into animal related work too. I really want to work in zoo keeping or zoo education. The single most important thing when trying to get animal work is experience! I devoted my summer last year to getting some valuable experience; I worked in three different zoo-type organisations and that's going to be nowhere near enough. I'm hoping to get a job just to pay the bills after uni and volunteer at another place on weekends until I can get a job in the field I want to.


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

sounds intresting you got an adress? phone number? might have to look into it!



Scarpa said:


> I did a months college placement at the DICE reptile and amphibian research center at Kent uni. Keeping up the Durrell tradition. Fantastic place with herp experts from all over the world. Met Mark O'Shea and performed an autopsy under the guidence of one of the top UK herp vets. Oh happy days... I eventually got a job working with electronics for many years... nowhere near as exciting.


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## Cold blooded but prime (May 22, 2009)

take me? lol



hannahdougal said:


> Im training to be a veterinary nurse at the moment and loving it, very hard work but very rewarding. once qualified i want to work in New Zealand as British qualified vet nurses are like gold dust out there. Thats the plan!


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## Marcia (Aug 23, 2009)

I just applied to work for a wildlife hospital : victory:


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## Zak (Jan 7, 2008)

Cant remember where the statistic is from exactly but i think theres approximately 1800 jobs within registered zoological facilities within the UK with an obscene amount of people vying for them.

For anyone who wants to be a zoo keeper, try it, zoo's are crying out for volunteers even if its just few hours a week, they're not government funded so need as much help as they can. I did it for 3 months as work experience and it is the hardest work ive ever done in my life. The floors need scrubbing no matter the weather, -10, snow, torrential rain and so on. Chopping fruit and veg for up to an hour a day isnt that glamorous and unfortunately cleaning comes first. However i did have some amazing experiences whilst i was there but think most people see as a very one sided job.

As Saedcantas said the wages are horrible, especially bearing the 45 hour + weeks you'll work, with little holiday as animals need feeding even on Christmas day.

From what ive seen and maybe im wrong its who you know in the animal sector, not neccesarily what you know. Need connections to get your foot in the door and work your way up. 

Im just waiting till i win the lottery, im going to open my own zoo then.
My eventual goal is to worth within the animal sector and ideally as a zoo researcher specialising in exhibit design and enrichment, however if exotics only stay a hobby ill still be happy.


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## Matt Harris (Aug 21, 2007)

I used to work as a zookeeper and before that a zoo educator. I would love to go back to it but couldn't afford to cut my salary in half...


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## Sarah1340 (Sep 14, 2008)

Cold blooded but prime said:


> hey is this sarah, the same sarah who volunteerd at the rescue centre in essex? sorry if its not just the description you wrote made me ask lol


Haha no, I'm from Yorkshire.


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