r/Zookeeping

Hey everyone,

I could really use some honest advice from people who work in this field. If you could give me any advice, I shall be forever grateful!

Quick background: I’m an international student from India, finishing my MSc in Human-Animal Interaction in Scotland next month. My dream, the whole reason I’m doing any of this, is to become a wildlife rehabilitator. I’ve already got some hands-on experience: a placement at a Scottish SPCA wildlife rescue centre (seals, corvids, pigeons, native casualties) and an internship back in India at a mixed exotic collection (capybara, cassowary, rodents, inverts, all sorts).

How I got into it: I was terrified of animals as a kid. Then my dog Noddy came into my life when I was 10 and slowly turned that fear into love. Pretty much everything I do now is because of him, so this isn’t a whim, it’s the thing I care about most.

Where I’m stuck:

- I need a job by November. My course finishes in September.
- I’m in India for the whole of October (family, and sorting documents), flying out at the end of September.
- To stay and work in the UK I’d need to get on the Graduate visa, which costs a fair bit (the fee plus the health surcharge), and I’m still fully dependent on my family for money, there’s only so much I can ask my father to do for me. Applying before the end of the year gets me 2 years on it.
- I don’t have a UK driving licence yet, and this feels like the thing killing most of my applications. So many keeper and ranger jobs list a full UK licence as essential. I don’t have an Indian one either. Basically, I don’t know how to drive, and to learn this skill here in the UK would cost over £1000, so I was thinking that I’ll utilise my one month in India fully to get the license there, and it’ll give me permission to drive in the UK for a year.

I’ve applied to a LOT of places, speculative CVs, posted roles, everything, and it’s mostly been rejections or silence. I even tried Mandai (Singapore Zoo) and got rejected. Going back to India for work isn’t realistic either, there’s basically nothing there for what I actually want to do.

So, my questions:

1. Should I pay for the Graduate visa even if I don’t have a job lined up? Or is that just throwing money away if nothing comes through?
2. Or would that money be better spent leaving the UK for good and trying to get into zoos or rehab somewhere else in Asia?
3. For anyone who’s hired keepers, or got hired themselves, what really gets you in the door when you’re early-career and international? Am I missing something obvious?

Not looking for sugarcoating, just real talk from people who’ve been through it. Thank you so much for reading, it really means a lot.

I’ve posted a lot on here about my poor experience at my prior facility. I returned back to a different wildlife park that I work at now once my mental health plummeted but need to move on for many different reasons. As I’m in the process of job searching again, I’m reminded that the chance of being in the same situation I was in before is likely.

For those that have trauma, how have you faced it and take the gamble anyways?

I just finished my first week as a full time keeper at a new facility. I have previous experience in education/ambassador training and multiple internships at different facilities. This is my first keeping focused role.

I had 2 different people start training me and it went very well, I was excited and learning and comfortable. A different person started training me later in the week and it all went downhill. I felt like I was on one of those competitive cooking shows. The entire time she was training me she’d constantly be saying “you have two minutes left” “you have 4 minutes left” “I usually don’t spend this long in this section”. She has worked there for 10+ years. She is also very blunt in her corrections and offers little to no explanation, and often makes me feel like I’m a huge inconvenience and not catching on quickly. As I mentioned this is literally my first week, and I’m still learning and figuring out all the quirks of everything along with the individual steps. I feel so defeated and like I am stupid when earlier I felt confident and was moving quickly. She also makes me redo things her way if I do them the way I was trained previously (mind you by a manager who is higher up than her) and then complains that it’s taking too long. Worth noting that all my previous experience is from AZA facilities and this new job is not currently AZA. When I ask questions or try to understand things better (nothing even AZA related) she seems to get offended and give snarky remarks somehow relating back to being a smaller facility and not having the money/resources etc. when it didn’t really have anything to do with what I was asking.

So all this to say how long did it take you to feel comfortable and confident in your routine when you first started out? I am hoping the answer is longer than just a week and that I am not falling behind lol

I have an acting audition where I have to play a zookeeper. Is there anything specific that stands out, something you do that instantly makes people recognize you as a zookeeper? Or do you have any tips on how I should do my hair as a female?

Hello! I am a baby zookeeper at the moment, been working hands on for about a year at this point.

I was wondering if there were any tips or tricks (especially from anyone with ADHD brain) that might have a good way to remember locks.

Im not sure what is going on with me, but I've noticed a trend (especially lately) in that I seem to have a hard time remembering locks, specifically ones that are on the outermost areas (keeper entry areas).

Today even, I went back to my area after finishing husbandry and double checked all locks, pointing and saying outloud "locked!" before leaving, only to come back later and see that my keeper door lock thats was right infront of my face WAS locked, yes, but on the i-bolt 2 inches above where it was supposed to go on the door. Truthfully, I dont know how I missed it, maybe I was just going too fast? Idk.

For a bit of background, I have been diagnosed with ADHD and have had trouble my whole life remembering things. I do plan on seeing a psychotherapist soon, but am hesitant about being on meds.

I know its a bit of a loaded question, but has any experienced zookeeper run into these sorts of issues? And if you have, how have you been able to over come it?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate it.

*EDIT: WOW!!!! Thank you all so much for all you suggestions!!! It makes me feel so much better to know that there are many others like me who have had the same problems I am currently experiencing and have found ways to overcome these obstacles. :)
I am going to try and speak with my team and staff that oversee my area and see what I can implement! Thank you all SO much! I will try and respond to you all when I can. Thank you all again!!! ♥

EDIT 2: I didnt realize how often people use their phones at their facilites, hah! Unfortunately I am unable to have my phone while performing husbandry where I am at currently, but I'm definitely taking any and all ideas that include phones and pocketing them for when I go to a facility that allows them! Thank you all again! :)

Hello, I am a new keeper at a small zoo. I’m about 4 months in. Right now, I am learning the commissary. I am expected to make diets for about 30 species and take care of one small exhibit. This is within a 7.5hr shift.

Just as I felt I finally got the hang of the timing, I’ve been told that I need to finish with more time to work on other tasks around the zoo. I’m not sure if it’s different at larger zoos, but we all chip in with gardening and maintenance and such. If I go on to the next level, I would also start training animals.

When I’m on the other runs, I have plenty of time in the afternoon to work on tasks. But I am quite slow with the commissary. I really need to improve my time or else I could be in trouble. They have made it clear to me.

I use timers. I try to go as fast as I can. I’ve never been that experienced in the kitchen, so I’m a bit slow with the knife, but I’ve been getting faster.

I even made a chart organized the way my brain likes it, and got it approved to use. It has helped a lot, but I’m still not fast enough. I can get everything done, but with no extra time. They want me to finish it faster.

I’ve been learning this for about one month and two weeks.

Can others please share their tips? What is commissary like at your zoos?

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Edit: to be more specific, they told me if I don’t improve within 2 months, they are letting me go.

If anyone wants more specifics on what they said, feel free to DM. I don’t want to give too many specifics here because I want to stay anonymous.

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As a side note, I have AuDHD (Autism and ADHD), so if there’s any neurodivergent specific advice, that would be a bonus! I do not have access to ADHD meds right now, but I am trying to find one that my insurance covers (that also works).

For me, I feel like there is just so much more to process in my brain. So on the outside, it looks like I’m moving slower, but really my brain is just sifting through a lot of information.

I think most people at my work are neurodivergent, but they don’t struggle with commissary like I do, and so I don’t know if I’ll be granted any kind of accommodation. I haven’t brought it up yet, or talked about my AuDHD in reviews.

Hiii I’m new to keeping just got into hoofstock at my zoo and I’m struggling to find smaller clothes that fit me.
I was wondering if anyone would have recommendations

My work shirts, vests, srubs and long shirts are all xs adult but I’m swimming in them due to how long they are😭.

So when ever I wear length appropriate shorts it looks like I’m wearing no shorts at all. And this is with me wearing size 10-12 boy cargo shorts 💀
At my last job I had to hunt down every xxs shirt with our company logo on it. And pin it so it would look like I’m wearing pants in the summer but this new uniform can’t do that.

Basically struggling with pants…
Any shoe recommendations?
All the shoes I can find are men’s and larger women’s sizes that are one way to big and two $150 + 😗 I meannn I can I guess but idk what brand will have good shoes I’ve been looking at vans MTE 3 but I can’t find them anywhere 🤦‍♀️ my Walmart hiking shoes aren’t surviving our Equine terrain exhibits..

Very curious

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.

Is there anyone on here that has been part of a hiring committee for a zoo that may be willing to give me feedback on my resume?
I graduated a few months ago with my degree in zoology and have over 10 years of experience with a large variety of species, both professionally, personally, and through volunteering and internships (including one at a very well known AZA accredited zoo). And I have good reference letters. But I have been applying for months to jobs all across the USA and UK and have not had any luck at all, only 2 interviews from dozens of applications. I know it’s a difficult field to get into, but this feels ridiculous. I did build my resume with the services provided by my college. But have had no luck. So I wanted to check and see if anyone on here that has experience in hiring for zoological facilities may be willing to take a look at it and give me any feedback? I am really trying to a herpetological or education/ambassador position, but have applied to others.

As a note, a lot of the applications I have even received a response from have all been a very generic response, with many saying they can’t give feedback due to having so many applications. So that’s why I am here instead of just asking them!