This morning I cleaned the giant tortoise yard, but the tortoises were not very interested in saying hi since the over night low was fairly cool. I then went around the building to pick up salads trays. After the salads were picked up I cleaned the black worms and started cleaning some of the cricket tubs. During the morning break, my manger and I talked about the TSA symposium and he was complimenting me on the good job I did networking with people there! After break I started working on the cricket shipment. Another zookeeper was getting fish ready to go feed the Alligator Snapping Turtles and when I asked if I could watch, he said I could come help if I wanted to! I got to help feed fish to the turtles using a long pole, which I really enjoyed!
After dishes and lunch, I then misted the galliwasps and cleaned salt off of the inside of the Jamaican Iguana exhibit. Reptiles and birds have less efficient kidneys than mammals, so to get rid of the excess salt, they have salt glands. There are different types of glands for different species of reptiles/birds. Iguanas release salt from their salt gland a sneezing/snorting motion. The male iguana on exhibit spends a lot of time at the front of the enclosure, so when he expels excess salt, it dries on the glass. I then assisted another zookeeper in collecting fecals from a few McCord's Box Turtles and learned how to fill out the paperwork that goes along with the samples to the vet. I changed the water in some water bowls and then soaked the Northern Spider Tortoises and Egyptian Tortoise. Placing the tortoises in a small amount of water lets them drink, gain moisture, and helps them in waste excretion. After break, I got to go out behind the building and open up the gate of the pen for the three Aldabra Tortoises to come out and walk around in the backyard. I had to lure out two of the tortoises using mulberry branches and the last one came out on its own. It was really fun being able to watch the tortoises and sit near them while they were exploring and eating the grass. Normally the tortoises are skittish around people, but one time when I was sitting on the ground with them one came up right next to me to check me out. Soon after another one came over and this one actually let me scratch its head and neck a little bit. The three tortoises were all so curious, once they got over the confusion of leaving their pen, I think they loved having a chance to roam around more! I then gathered trash from the building and helped close.
After dishes and lunch, I then misted the galliwasps and cleaned salt off of the inside of the Jamaican Iguana exhibit. Reptiles and birds have less efficient kidneys than mammals, so to get rid of the excess salt, they have salt glands. There are different types of glands for different species of reptiles/birds. Iguanas release salt from their salt gland a sneezing/snorting motion. The male iguana on exhibit spends a lot of time at the front of the enclosure, so when he expels excess salt, it dries on the glass. I then assisted another zookeeper in collecting fecals from a few McCord's Box Turtles and learned how to fill out the paperwork that goes along with the samples to the vet. I changed the water in some water bowls and then soaked the Northern Spider Tortoises and Egyptian Tortoise. Placing the tortoises in a small amount of water lets them drink, gain moisture, and helps them in waste excretion. After break, I got to go out behind the building and open up the gate of the pen for the three Aldabra Tortoises to come out and walk around in the backyard. I had to lure out two of the tortoises using mulberry branches and the last one came out on its own. It was really fun being able to watch the tortoises and sit near them while they were exploring and eating the grass. Normally the tortoises are skittish around people, but one time when I was sitting on the ground with them one came up right next to me to check me out. Soon after another one came over and this one actually let me scratch its head and neck a little bit. The three tortoises were all so curious, once they got over the confusion of leaving their pen, I think they loved having a chance to roam around more! I then gathered trash from the building and helped close.
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