# Veterinary nurse/working with reptiles



## Crags (Nov 6, 2007)

Hey,

I'm considering studying to be a veterinary nurse. I also may have the oppurtunity to do voluntary work in a reptile shop, where I would obviously gain a lot of valuable knowledge and hands on experience.

Would the two of these combined give me the oppurtunity to work more closely with reptiles (and other exotics) after I'm qualified?

I've been looking through the other posts here about reptile jobs and the general feeling is that that are very limited careers with reptiles aside from breeding or owning a shop.

I'm just wondering if being a qualified veterinary nurse with experience dealing with reptiles would open any doors for me as far as reptiles go, even if it means looking for a job abroad?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Craig


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

This all depends on what type of Veterinary practice you work in, there are obviously vets that specialise in exotic animals and this is the sort of practice you should look to do your training. As the hobby becomes more and more popular there will be a higher demand for specialist vets and therefore veterinary nurses. Having lots of hands on experience with 'LOTS' of different species is defenatly an advantage. 

I completed a National Diploma in 2001 and I had 5 different work experience placements during this time, also a part time job in a veterinary practice as an assistant. I gained lots of different experience with lots of different animals, but it still took till now to actually get a job training as a veterinary nurse! The jobs are hard to come buy, put so worth it when you get one.


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## K.J.Geckos (Sep 7, 2006)

hi.im a vet nurse.dont go into is all i would say.there are hardly any jobs in it and its poorly paid.you get better money if you work in tesco and as least there the customers dont try to claw and bite you all the time unless you get the odd tramp loose in the store lol.

i went into vet nursing thinking exactly the same that there would be a great oppertunuity for me but i tell you now there isnt.

its good if you can manage on a low income but there is no way you can have a morgage and live on it really hence the reason i looked into threatre nursing with humans.

The hardest thing to train as a vet nurse is you have to find a reg TP (training practice) that is willing to employ you and train you for 2 or 3 years depending on if you do degree or nvq.You cant do it volutary it has to be be full time emplyment before your even trained before you can even apply for the course.

I love being a vet nurse as i love being in the theatre environment and being able to do anethetics and everything myself whilst the vets are busy at work and also to be able to actually theatre work yourself but sadly in the real world it doesnt pay well.

at the end of the day from someone who actually spent 4 years studying it then realised all this i would strongly advise you not to go into it.its not worth it other then the job satisfaction even with the low pay.and low pay im talking about 12K a year once qualified around here.


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## BecciBoo (Aug 31, 2007)

I think that depends where you work, I just got a trainning post and I'm on more money now than I was teaching. But I agree the Jobs are few and far between, and you do need to go into it with your eyes open (so to speak) I knew exactly what I was letting myself in for as my mum had previously been a vet nurse and I had assisted at a practice. I surgest doing some voluntry work in a local practice to see if you enjoy it. For me its all I've wanted to do, and the job satisfaction far out weighs everything else.


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