Wildstar Intro - Etoro

[Darlantan]

I think I'm more jealous of your job than that of anyone else we've had around here~

 

Welcome!

[Makiko]

Also.

I'm just waiting for the opportunity to say "Run Forrest, run!!!" at some point in-game. Is that ok? ;p

[Gravey]

I can only imagine what real life Forrest's have been through since that movie's release.   

Edited May 18, 2014 by Gravey

[Makiko]

Hmmm, fair point.

If it's any consolation, I say that when people's names aren't Firrest, too.

But I understand :<

[Ashin]

I'm totally excited to have someone who works w/ animals at a Zoo in our guild!  My mind is spinning with all the things I want to ask.

 

I'll start with the lions - what sort of training / safety instruction to you need to go through before you're allowed to handle or feed them?  Do they have pretty individual personalities?

[Midri]

Your job sounds amazing!  What kind of snake personalities are there?  Do they recognize you and/or have favorites among their caretakers?  

[Darlantan]

Yes! More snake info!

 

*clamor*

[Tinymanz]

Welcome to SoH!

[Etoro]

Are you... petting a lion in your avatar picture?

O____O

I mean: Hello! Welcome to SoH!

Your job sounds awesome. Do you ever get the urge to sneak an animal home in your pocket?

I love all the videos I've seen of pet hedgehogs! They seem so adorable! How's maintenance on the little critters? What kind of dogs do you have?

See you around ^_^

Yes, that is Mufasa and he's my buddy.  I helped resuce him when i interned and now volunteer at an exotic animal sanctuary.  The animals I want to bring home the most are our dingoes.  The best thing is when you go on break and spend the 15 minutes with them.  You go in and lay in their hay beds with them and make what we call "puppy piles" and crash for a little bit.  Hedgehogs can make good pets if you know what you are getting into.  they only live 2-6 years on average and are nocturnal (although they can be conditioned to come out during they day).  They can be litterbox trained but they still will poop when running on their wheel.  This then travels around and falls getting skewered onto their spikes.  Weekly baths are usual too keep them clean (some hedgies more and some less often).  Their food has to be ordered online as pet stores don't carry it and all in all vet care for them is limited because the knowledge base just isn't there yet.  As for dogs i have an Australian Shepherd (10 yrs old) and a Belgian Shepherd (14 yrs old).

 

Also.

I'm just waiting for the opportunity to say "Run Forrest, run!!!" at some point in-game. Is that ok? ;p

I've heard it and every iteration of the saying before so go for it, I've got thick skin!

 

I can only imagine what real life Forrest's have been through since that movie's release.   

no........ no you really can't lol

 

I'm totally excited to have someone who works w/ animals at a Zoo in our guild!  My mind is spinning with all the things I want to ask.

 

I'll start with the lions - what sort of training / safety instruction to you need to go through before you're allowed to handle or feed them?  Do they have pretty individual personalities?

It all depends on the institution, their accreditation, and handling limitations.  The highest level of accreditation is AZA which allows no free contact with dangerous animals.  What you see in my picture is protected contact (there is a fencing barrier).  I was taught in a manner of one day how to "pet" him but it would only be on his terms.  Since he has bonded with me he will take any attention I can give him.  With that being said most lions aren't as affectionate as him.  He is a little "special" and has brain damage.  He had oxygen deprivation as a cub (died on the table during surgery and was resuscitated).  Its more knowing the animals individual personality more than a set training.  As for feeding thats simple as they are locked out when you feed, leave the area, lock it up, let them in to eat.  The hard part for many (doesn't bother me) is butchering the roadkill deer for his food.  All animals of a species will have similar traits in behaviors but they all have very distinct personalities.  Many people would argue they are similar but the more you work with them the more different they become.  similar to how people lump groups of people together based on a stereotype.

 

Your job sounds amazing!  What kind of snake personalities are there?  Do they recognize you and/or have favorites among their caretakers?  

Snake personalities aren't quite as vast as that of "higher" animals but they definitely are there.  Some many have unique quirks about only eating when their food is placed in a certain spot (we do dead feedings) or they may only want to be held close to a body or further away.  Some come to people to be handled while others will try to hide.  We have a Kenya Sand Boa that hates one of the keepers.  We think its due to the amount of awful cologne he wears.  She will try to strike him whenever he cleans her enclosure

 

Yes! More snake info!

 

*clamor*

My favorite one that I talk about with guests the that some snakes have a 6th sense.  Many families of snakes have heat pits allowing them to sense heat.  So what you may say, I can touch a stove and know if its hot.  Well that's using your sense of touch.  You can' be on the opposite side of the room and tell if its hot by looking that direction.  We don't truly know how it works as we don't have the sense.  We assume it works like infrared where warm shows up different than cold.  But trying to understand it from such a simple definition would be like trying to explain the color green........... to a blind person.  Or what a piano sounds like........... to someone deaf.  Without the sense understanding it is basically impossible.  We just know that the snakes with these primarily hunt warm blooded animals.  Since the body temperature of the animal is going to be warmer than the air around it, they can sense the animal, even in the dark.  Its kind of amazing if you think about it.

 

Snakes also do not have ear drums.  For a while scientists thought that meant they couldn't hear.  Tricky buggers figured out how to pick up the vibrations in the air and ground through their jaw and interpret that into sound.  After all it made no sense for snakes to have holes on the side of their head.  It would get packed with substrate (dirt, sand, etc) and they can't pick it out with their imaginary fingers.

 

All in all animals are a lot cooler than people.  We think of our senses as being amazing but really they are lacking.  Dogs can hear better and smell better.  Many birds can see farther.  Butterflies can see ultraviolet wavelengths.  Heck there are colors we can't even imagine.  Every color we see if the combination of 3 because of the rods and cones in our eyes (we have a lot of them but only 3 types).  The mantis shrimp has 7.  Just let that soak in.  That little shrimp can see more colors than you.  You can't even imagine the colors it sees as any color you can make is a combination of the original 3.  now take that and add four more base colors and then combine the 7 into an infinitesimal number.  Nature is truly jaw dropping when you step back and look at it from all angles.

 

Keep the questions coming =P

[Ashin]

Don't get me started with mantis shrimp.  I still say they are aliens.

 

That's really interesting about the one snake you described - so its docile around everyone except that keeper?

 

All these stories are really amazing.  Despite the fact that our guild holds a "people first" attitude, I think you'll find wide agreement that animals are generally cooler (and often more civilized).