General Chat

l'll be a Zoo Keeper for the day:o))) can't wait:o))

jude:o) x

I'm intriqued? - what's that all about?

Sounds exciting - tell us more............

Tec

Hello Tec......welll its my birthday present from my OH last year. l spend the day at the zoo helping with mucking out and feeding

Start with the Rhinos, then the farm, then Penguins plus small mammals (Meerkats,Prairie dogs etc), then Lemurs, Reptiles and Giant Tortoises, Tapir, Peccary and wolf feed and last the Big cat feed :o))))))

l've always wanted to work with or help with animals, helped in an animals rescue centre years ago and had often said to OH l would love to do something simular again....so he organised this with our daughter:o)))

jude :o)

Ohhh yes they are real!! mind you if it was kiddie winks l would'nt mind that either:o)) lol

jude

Enjoy Jude
but rather you than me lol
Jenxx

Hello Jude.........it all sounds amazing . I hope you have a fantastic day .

Hi Island, thats ok, l realised you had altered your post:o))

jude :o)

Ooops .... sorry meant to say Thanks all:o))

Sounds wonderful, Jude! Dont forget to bring your wellies! lol BC XX

Ohhh BC dont be silly it won't rain....lol... l got em packed anyways and me kagool,gloves, scarf,walking shoes, brollie and a thick woollie and camera:o))

jude:o) x

No, Jude, it's so you wont get your dainty feet all mucky with all that mucking out! lol BC XX

BC...Oh yeh:o))) lol....but my feet are'nt dainty, they are a size 8...lol

Thanks Maggie:o)

jude

JUDE. HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY, BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T ENVY YOU LOL

Hope you have a fantastic day Jude.....
Watch out for the Meerkats - devious lot.

Enjoy it - can't wait to hear all about it

Tec

What a great experience it will be.

Do please tell us about it,after you've worked there.

Gwyn

Morning Jude,

Sounds like you are going to have a wonderful day.

I love all animals and used to spend many a holiday in the wild just admiring them while they feed.

Dawn is the best hour, I would quietly slip out of the bungalo and wait for my eyes to adjust to the early morning light and stand very still.

It's amazing what animals you can see that blend in with the early morning mist which in an hour's time will have been long gone.

Wonderful memories of days gone by.

It you like pm me your email addy and I will send you a mini video clip of Lions and a hyena playings.

Lindy xx

Hi Jude,
I do envy you, It will be fantastic....I love animals and would love to do something like that.
Have a brilliant day xxx

Thanks everyone:o)))

Lindy....will pm you:o))

jude xx

Jude, same size feet as mine lol

Hope you have a great time, and get lots of pics

Lizxx

Hi everyone:o))

WEll l am rested after my amazing day at Cotswold Wild Life Park:o))Left home 7am arrived 9am as planned:o) Keeper waiting in the carpark for us, he went through all the health & saftey issues and off we went to the Farm area. Could'nt go in with ponies and goats etc as they are abit pushy and one pony bites:o(( We then trundled off to their stable area and mucked out. The keeper gave me the wheelbarrow to push, bad move!!! l pushed it straight into the fence....lol.

Then onto the Rhino's....oh my gawd how fantastic was that, l tickled and stroked Monty, he just loved it and behind his ears and legs was so soft. We walked into his paddock and saw the Zebra and the other Rhino called Bull, but stayed well back by the barrier, the Zebra are not friendly!!
The Rino are seperated because Bull is quite old where as Monty is'nt and he loves to play and run around....Bull wants to join in but his arthritus won't let him and he gets knackered....they meet up everynow and then cause they are friends:o))

From there we went to the Penguins, l was just in time for the feeding session (had to dash to the loo) and was watched by hoards of school children. Funny little things they are, some were getting ready to lay eggs others were pairing up, others were just being mischievious. They nip with those beaks l can tell you, but l put on a brave face:o))) stunk of fish after too.......Madoc was very interested in my trousers when l got home!! lol

Next was the Meercats, l went in with them and fed them live crickets and meal worms!!! lol oh my g-d they are so cute, a couple sat on my knee and took food from me. Was'nt allowed to stroke them though, they don't encourage it. One mum had 2 babies, they were about 3 - 4 "long plus tail, so cute. Then l fed Squirrel Monkeys some scrambled egg.....again how cute were they, taking the egg from my hand.

Each section l am given a new keeper. the one who met me at the carpark was also incharge of the meercat section. He gave me some trout next to feed the Otters...they did'nt come very close, l think there were 7 of them including 3 or 4 babes. Like the Meercats so appealing:o))

All the time the keepers are telling us about the animals and themselves, so interesting, everyone was just great:o)

Next section Reptiles and Giant Tortoise........l actually held a Crockerdile:o)) it was about 12" long and 2yrs old, so small. We met their mum who was protecting more eggs, so she was abit grumpy,(naturally) She was about 5ft and the dad about 8ft.....phewww...we did'nt stay long there and moved onto the snakes, lizards and frogs. Some of the most poisenous frogs, so tiny and brightly coloured. l held a baby Spiky tailed lizard, again so cute. Watched a Python being fed, don't know how long that was but they can get to 18ft!!!!!! we stood back from him!! Then onto the Giant Tortoises....blimey how big!!! they were fed a box of mushrooms, had a photo taken but was abit unsure cause a mushroom was right by my foot, l kept trying to push it towards the biggest one....they bite!!!!

Next was the Bats, l fed them by hanging skewers of fruit onto hooks under wooden trays which are then pullied up higher for them. They were flying around the encloseure but l was'nt bothered by them fascinating:o)) The keeper though loves working with them but hates it when they fly around, she's getting used to it now!!

From there we went for a break and had lunch somewhere along the way:o))

l may have the rest in the wrong order now.......

l did'nt realise how many types of Lemurs there were, we saw about 4, l think the keeper said there are about 40 or so....there was so much to take in everywhere me brain was getting faddled by now. Again l was watched by hoards of kids, bless em:o))) The Black lemurs had to be watched as they will pinch things from peoples handbags, they smell fruit etc and will just grab the bag!!...lol one or two tried hanging on my trousers, ohhh yeh that remins me l had a cricket crawl up my trousers, fortunately a member of the public told me...lol

Next was the Tapir, oh they were gorgeous, and loved a tickle. The male would get so carried away he sometimes falls over and you have to tickle his tummy:o))) he did'nt do that yesterday, but his head was almost turned right round...he just loved it:o)) l fed them fruit:o)

The Peccarry (sp) were'nt friendly at all infact could be quite dangerous, they reminded me of a wild Boar. Quite noisy too!! Then the Wolves...beautiful, there are four of them. We did'nt go anywhere near them, stayed on the public walkway. The keeper went in their paddock to feed them but they would'nt feed because we were there.

ooops l've run out of space, will have to start another post:o))


jude:o)

Page 2….

FROM THERE....we went to the last section THE BIG CATS:o))) blinky blinky heck.....l fed them from a stick with raw meat. The male was very grumpy and l had so much respect for his amazing power and strength...phewww, he lept at the cage at the keeper, which is what you would expect him to do. The female was much more friendly and the keeper can stroke her, l did’nt l might add!! l would love to have done they so cuddly:o))) When l fed them l was about 2 ft or so away and my hand was 12 – 15” from the paddock fence….that really was an amazing experience.

The last to see were 2 Leopards….Jessie who is quite old now and partially blind, he has cateract type problems and the youngster who kept away apart from when his food was left at the door entrance…he was so quick l missed it…..lol We did see him when Jessies food was put in, he was hoping he could have his aswell.

So that is it apart from a bag of gifts which included a framed certificate.

A wonderful amazing experience, l recommend anyone interested to look into it. The thing too with this zoo is that you are always on a one to one with the keepers where as some other zoo’s take groups of 12 or so.

Amazing….l hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as l have telling you:o))

Jude :o)) xx