u/eo8242

I am wondering how people learn the skills that can only be learnt on the job but should really be always done by experienced keepers? Specifically, things like handling stressed or dangerous animals. These aren't skills I can practise outside of work, but having someone learn while doing could be stressful and dangerous for both keeper and the animal. For instance, how do you learn or practise netting birds when it needs to be done quickly to avoid stressing the birds out? As a relatively new keeper, I don't feel comfortable practising catching birds if I am not able to get them quickly, but that means I have no way to improve that skill.

Looking for a book of mazes where you had to collect objects to move between pages. I remember the first pages had some poisonous puddles, and you needed to collect gumboots to get through them. Pages connected via several passages that took you to different points of the pages. Im pretty sure there was a cave map, and one with a dragon. The book was picture book sized and had lots of colour and detail. Read in Australia in 2000s.

Looking for a YA romance novel about a girl who used to get made fun of for talking to a boy she hears in her head, and then discovers he is a real person she has been communicating with, possibly from mid 2010s?

Asked a while ago but thought I would try again. YA book about a girl with an R name, maybe Risk? Her sister goes to some island where everyone parties constantly and she takes a boat to try and find her there. MC meets a guy who plays guitar and resists all the temptations until the end, where she is brainwashed with possibly drugs and joins the partying. Very dark vibes, read in the early 2010's in Australia.

Editing to add this was a fantasy book and there may have been demons involved in this island?

I have been working in a small private zoo for a few years, and have just started working at a gorvernment zoo. Obviously they are much more professional and organised than I am used to, but I am finding a huge knowledge gap between what was expected of me and normal at the smaller zoo and what I am doing now. I feel like I am so much less efficient and knowledgeable thab any of my new coworkers, and am struggling with confidence and keepimg up with everything.

Has anyone else had this experience, and how did you deal with it? Any advice?