Coyote Yawn

Coyote Yawn, originally uploaded by Lostfiniel.

Thomas and I went to the Santa Ana zoo today. I was very lucky. Thomas had worked a 24 hour workday from friday morning through saturday morning. Despite all those long hours and work, he was determined to keep saturday "our" day. We spent a couple very happy hours wandering the zoo. Part people watching but mostly animal watching.

I dashed his childhood education by telling him that ponies are NOT baby horses. His mom still thinks that is true. Ha!

I was spoiled rotten today. I loved it.

Chuckwalla

Chuckwalla, originally uploaded by Lostfiniel.

I've finished the book "Kicked Bitten and Scratched: Life at America's Teaching Zoo" by Amy Sutherland. I loved it. EATM is a very unique program and the book offers very useful insight into the goings on there. While the book is FULL of examples of less than desirable situations, I still crave going there.

I won't be. There are too many negative sides about it. I'm not in a position where I could, but boy would I love to.

I got out of the house today and visited the Orange County Zoo. It is a mere 2.00 for entrance per adult and 3.00 for parking. There are only a hand full of animals and you can easily see them all within an hour. But, it is a charming little zoo. They are under new management and one of the zookeepers commented on his hopes for a better zoo under the new director.

This is the zoo I have already scheduled the volunteer meeting for. I'm looking forward to it. Especially if there will be changes made. I would love to help make some differences there.

Talking to several zookeepers has proven that most get their start by already being part of the zoo. Either as a volunteer or as an intern...or a mix of the two.

Thomas and I will be heading over to the Santa Ana zoo. This is where I'd like to take my second day of volunteering. They have a large collection of monkies. Should be fun!

One Step Closer

07260061, originally uploaded by Lostfiniel.

There is a meeting on April 26th at the Orange County Zoo for people interested in becoming volunteers. I REALLY hope that going to the meeting will result in volunteer work! Volunteering and having experience in zoos is such an amazingly vital part of becoming a zoo keeper.

It sounds like the biggest thing is being available and meeting some of the requirements. I hope I can fill both, I really do. Sorry to sound so desperate. But, I guess I am.....no, it's more like a strange combination of desperation and immense hope and excitement. It feels good. It feels right.

In the meantime, I have an appointment with a school counselor to review what I need to do to get an associates degree that will transfer me over to a Cal State school. The plan is to transfer over to Cal State Fullerton and get my biology degree. Bachelors is what I would be aiming at so far.

The school will take a while to get through. Between working full time, volunteering and going to school, even the associates will take several years. But, this was always planned to be a long term goal.

I'm also working my way through a book I got on animal training. Although, these techniques would work on just about everything from self-discipline to marriages to dogs to hamsters. I love it. If anyone else is interested, the book is "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor.

I think that is about it for now.

No, wait. Frigg will be coming home from the vet tomorrow morning. She just got spade and, while I feel bad for her having to go through surgery, I am relieved to know I will be getting full nights of sleep from now on.

I also have a video of the hamster, Czarina.

Introduction to Animal Keeping

Balding, originally uploaded by Lostfiniel.

So, I have the applications for volunteer work filled out. I will be applying to the Santa Ana Zoo, the Orange County Zoo and a couple of local wildlife rehabilitation centers. I'm hoping very much someone will accept me. The Orange County Zoo is pretty small. Only about 8 acres and they mostly have animals you would find in the southwest. I keep hoping that the lack of "glamorous" animals will allow for less competition for volunteers. I also have hopes that with the increase of people for summer, places will be taking on more people.

I have also found a college class I could take that would easily fit in my schedule. The lecture is an online course and the lab is at night well after I get home from work. If I work each morning, go to school at nights and volunteer on the weekends, I think all could go well. I will be exhausted but that will just be getting me used to the profession, right?

Czarina waking up

Czarina waking up, originally uploaded by Lostfiniel.

Czarina is my little diluted russian dwarf hamster. Originally she was named Natasha but I found the name Czarina more fitting. "Female ruler"

I had been so excited about having a hamster again that I forgot that they can be mean.

Czarina started out being very sweet. I don't know if it was because she was so young or because she was still in a bit of shock. After a couple days she did start nibbling though. My natural instinct was to put her back when she would do that. But, while I was reviewing operant conditioning in animal training, I realized what a mistake it was.

So instead of returning her to the pet store I will be trying to train my hamster. We started out today with my new regime. She is only a hamster so I knew the consequences needed to be instant so she could better associate them with the wrong behavior. I doubt that hamster would understand physical abuse or any strange noises so I chose to blow on her until she would stop biting.

It has been working well, she started getting it within the first 15 minutes or so. I am going to continue with the blowing when needed. I also want to work on her running from me when I go to pull her out of the cage, so, from now on I will give her a piece of apple when she has been with me a while and acted well. Apple is her favorite. The apple will only be offered to her when she is out with me. She will have plenty of normal hamster food but no treats unless she has been good.

We'll see how it goes, I have high hopes.

Upc|473

Things are still a little mixed up. A couple boxes left unpacked here, books piled there. But, for the most part, all is well.

Two changes worth mentioning:

I got a hamster!! The pet store had listed her as a female russian dwarf hamster. But, because of the red eyes and light color, I think she is a dilute. She was mixed in with other non-dilutes. I was told she was the sweetest hamster they have and I believe it. She never squirms too much when I go to pick her up, she is easy to handle and she has yet to bite, or attempt to bite, me.

The other update is that I have made a serious decision as to my career. Although not specific, I know that I will be going into working with animals. Ideally, I would like to work in zoos....but I know that is a very competitive field. I may have to start somewhere else and work myself up.

I have been using most of my spare time researching. Trying to figure out exactly what I would like to do exactly, what I would need to get where I want to be and how I can improve my chances of being accepted over other people.

There is a program up in Moorpark. It is based in a community college but the program isn't as open as a community college is. It is a very good program for what I would need in an education. It is 22 months of education AND hands-on experience. More than 80% of their graduates find jobs in the field in under 6 months. Most of the other 20% go on further in their education.

But they only take 50 people a year.

So, in the meantime, I am going to work on fulfilling the requirements needed to apply for the college. I expect this to take a year or two before I am ready. But, that is ok. I need the time.

Most people who want to become zookeepers go and get an associates or balechors degree. Many get some volunteer experience in. I am hoping to go above and beyond that. The job I will have to do to get where I want to be is a long one. I will be trying to get a job at a pound, animal rehabilitation center, or vet office. I will be working toward getting first-aid training. I will try and obtain a handgun safety certificate and training in tractors and bobcats. I doubt anyone would take me on, but I would like to look into joining a taxon advisory group for one of the animal types that interests me.

Crazy stuff.

It's been busy

We are married now, Thomas and I. After the ceremony at the county clerk's office we had a very small party with family and family friends. It was a very calm and personal reception at the Overseas Chinese restaurant in downtown Carlsbad.

The next morning we went up to see a friend of my mom's concerning a cat they had. She is a very cute little tortoise shell cat. Probably a year old or less. She is with us now and slowly getting used to the apartment. She started out in areas that were more secure. Under the coffee table, behind the couch, etc. This morning she has found more comfort and I woke up to her mewing. I looked down and she was taking a morning sun bath near our sliding glass door. I know she will like it, it's a south -facing window and, for now, we get many hours of sunlight through ought the day.

We have named her Frigg, I find it suiting that not only is this loving cat named "Beloved one", Frigg was also the goddess of married women. How fitting!

The rest of our lives have been pretty ordinary. I have pictures to upload as soon as I get back my camera. We managed to pay all of our bills, our rent and the various other things. Our credit cards have once again been fully paid off. We still have some money left over. I think we will be doing fine.