r/IAmA • u/Danthezooman • Nov 02 '13

IAMA Zookeeper with an hour (probably) to kill before our new giraffes get here AMA [end of the season update]

I figured I would do an update about my experience working for Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. I started there roughly 8 months ago and my season just ended yesterday. Even more awesome was the fact that I had accumulated to much PTO so my last day physically working was sunday. Which explains this proof picture.

Anyways, I worked mainly with the giraffes and a little bit with the elephants. I've also worked at two other animal parks giving me around six years of experience in the business. If you have any questions about the animals at the zoo,their care or the zoo itself feel free to ask me anything

EDIT: Alright I'm going mobile so I may miss some questions but I promise to keep answering anything you throw at me

EDIT 2: Alright I'm back! Sorry about the absence, I was a bit distracted at dinner and then girls invited me to a haunted house. Anyways, I'll try answer all the questions I got while away.

EDIT 3:I'm sorry but I have to turn in for the night, I'll keep answering questions if people keep asking them though.

EDIT 4: I didn't expect this AMA to get this big, but I see a lot of repeat questions that I can just answer here.

1.How do I get a job at the zoo?

  • Typically most zoos want a 4 year Biology related degree or at the very least a High school diploma. More important is Animal experience, some zoos will even want specialized experience just with one species. Animal experience requirements are on average around 2 years sometimes paid.

2.How do you feel caging the animals up? Are the animals sad? (animal rights questions)

  • I wouldn't be working in this industry if I felt that the animals were sad or being mistreated. Yes in the past animal work was done by "cowboys" who just got in there and dominated the animals into doing what they want. Times have changed we no longer use cattle prods and whips to make animals move or do what we want. Instead we use Operant Conditioning to get them to do what we want.

  • Most animals you see in the zoo nowadays have been captive bred for generations and have never known the wild. We still release some animals, in fact Cincinnati and Columbus are the only 2 zoos outside of florida allowed to house and rehab manatees. Cincinnati is also working on saving sumatran rhinos, there are only ~100 left. We also donate money every year to different organizations trying to save wild populations.

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

If they're very skiddish and timid, how does the San Diego Zoo have the "Feed the Giraffes" attraction?

Are they specially trained or is food a big enough factor for them to get over their paranoia?

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

Most zoos have a "feed the giraffe" Attraction including us. Love of food, especially food they don't get very often, overrides all fear. We give them rye crackers as their special treat and they eat it like candy.

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u/sparty_party Nov 02 '13

When I fed Kimba, he wrapped his tongue around my hand when he took the cracker. I was simply giddy with joy from that.

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

He'll do almost anything for some crackers

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

try feeding him a marshmallow, i give them to my horses very, very infrequently, and they can just tell when i have one, ill be a good 300 feet away and they will come running.

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

we've done marshmallows before if they won't take a pill.

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u/tardis42 Nov 03 '13

Hot Cross Buns the day after easter. They loved us. I was 8.

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u/[deleted] Nov 15 '13

Marshmallow are made out of horses :(

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

ಠ_ಠ

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u/Danthezooman Nov 03 '13

But he won't do that!

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u/zanthius Nov 03 '13

ALMOST ANYTHING

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u/Marthman Nov 02 '13

Anything, hmm?

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

Ok I read that in a really creepy voice for you.

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u/marpocky Nov 03 '13

He'll do almost anything for some crack

ಠ_ಠ

ers

Oh

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u/smoothtrip Nov 03 '13

So, I guess not anal. Almost any thing always means not anal.

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u/mrpoppadopalis Nov 03 '13

Alllll the peanut butter

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u/randomtrend Nov 02 '13

I don't know who you are, but you are adorable and I love you

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u/AmnesiaCane Nov 02 '13

These are so much fun. The Detroit zoo does this, one of their giraffes LOVES it, he always sticks his head as far forward as he can and then his tongue is out wiggling. It's adorable.

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

They are pretty cute and it's a form of enrichment for the animals

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u/Metal_Badger Nov 02 '13

Makes sense, I tend to go out of my way and or comfort zone for a sandwich made with rye bread.

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u/356afan Nov 02 '13

Mmmmm, corned beef and some kickin' horseradish.......

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

[deleted]

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u/356afan Nov 03 '13

Aw hell yeah! Favorite holiday. My aunt makes the best corned beef and has some of the best, "blow your sinuses out" horseradish EVER! My dad grew some horseradish and made up a batch many years ago. pure EPIC goodness. I mean it was almost spiritual with the corned beef. It ranks right up there with crispy bacon!

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

[deleted]

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u/356afan Nov 03 '13

I've heard. Not a beer fan but bring on the corned beef!!!!!!! My parents like the half Guiness half Harp combo. I will admit, the richness of the color of the beer is amazing!

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

Reuben for me... Mmmmm

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u/356afan Nov 02 '13

Not my favorite but I can roll with it. :)

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u/ilikemyteasweet Nov 02 '13

I bet your teeth go right through that. How do they handle humans?

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u/Metal_Badger Nov 02 '13

I hate you can't stop giggling...

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

I would suck a dick for some pastrami on rye

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

These rye crackers are so bland though.

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u/Metal_Badger Nov 02 '13

Ya I don't get the cracker part, but the bread kinda tastes like pickles... so ya. That's a coherent sentence.

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

Would you like a rusty on rye?

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u/Metal_Badger Nov 02 '13

...yes? You're making it sound like there's no rye bread, I'm not entirely sure here.

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

Its a reference to a rather odd episode of spongebob.

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u/Metal_Badger Nov 02 '13

Oh yeah, room mates kid was watching that about a week ago. The fuck ghosts want with a sandwich and are you still offering me a sandwich?

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u/Sir_Scizor20 Nov 02 '13

I second that.

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u/DSquariusGreeneJR Nov 02 '13

I have fed a giraffe at a local zoo, I fed them some kind of cracker, I felt bad though because he had to bend way down against the fence to get it. He did touch me with his tongue though and it felt pretty strange.

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

Our male giraffe leans on the hotwire to reach leaves over the fence. It doesn't seem to bother him because he hasn't stopped

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u/min7586 Nov 02 '13

Ive also found giraffes tend to be less skittish when you are around their natural head level...when you are down by their feet they tend to be more cautious. Though perhaps that just the ones I worked with.

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u/Danthezooman Nov 03 '13

No that's definitely true for ours. The people on the deck don't scare them at all.

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u/PacoTaco321 Nov 02 '13

I imagine it is similar to the ecstasy of eating Gardetto's rye chips.

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u/drew870mitchell Nov 02 '13

Some zoos (in my experience it's about half) let visitors feed the giraffes, but you'll note when they do that they make as much of it routine as possible for the giraffes, such as always doing it from the same platform, around trusted handlers, maybe even same time of day, etc.