taysanimaladventures

[taysanimaladventures]

Can anyone with hedgehog experience reach out please? I had a question about them I can't find a solid answer to.

#hedgehogs

[taysanimaladventures]

If I could

Begin to be

Half of what

You think of me

I could do about anything

I could even learn how to love like you

Rose Quartz the leopard gecko. Born in 2010, adopted in 2015, humanely euthanized 2023.

I know things on this blog have been depressing as fuck lately. I quit my job, realized my jobs had caused significant mental damage on me, my grandma passes, and only a few weeks later I had to put Rose down. I got her footprints today.

I adopted Rose after the passing of Jasper, a leo I had gotten from a pet store chain and failed to thrive. I obviously refused to buy animals from those chains since and I ended up getting Rose from a former breeder going through a nasty divorce. I brought her to my college dorm in an empty beer box. Since getting her she has done a ton of traveling up and down California as I moved from college to home to the middle of nowhere to where I am now with my husband. She was always one to eagerly pop her head out as you walked by, hoping you had a snack. She had the most beautiful, vibrant colors that made her look like the unhealthiest lemon popsicle. She was also a mini celebrity on this blog for a period of time.

Last year she started to refuse to eat and looked bloated. We went to the vet who said it could be a minor infection or organ failure and she was given antibiotics and pain meds. After her course of medications she did well for the rest of the year up until a few weeks ago. We repeated the same medications but this time she was not improving. She was losing weight, still refusing to eat, was still looking bloated, and was clearly unhappy with all the medications being forced on her. Additionally the vet had felt a lump inside her. I had always suspected cancer since the first time we went through this. She had a suspicious spot on her skin. The vet and I agreed to humanely euthanize her. She was only 13.

I think in a sad way my time with her is another piece of what makes me want to leave the animal care field. Prior to her passing I looked through this blog and saw all my posts of her and how enthusiastic and excited I was about her. But as time went on I lost my passion. I was already burning myself out taking care of dozens of reptiles every day and coming home to needing to do more reptile care became a chore. She was never neglected and I have always made it a point to give my animals the best care possible no matter how low I was feeling. That is our obligation as pet owners. However she had become only that- an obligation. It makes me sad for her and sad for what happened to myself. I grieve for her and for the enthusiastic gecko keeper I used to be.

To other gecko owners: give your gecko a tight (imaginary) hug and a tasty worm for me.

#leopard gecko #reptiblr #animal death #pet death

[taysanimaladventures]

Triggering content

The hardest part about my experiences with animal keeping was not the labor. It's not the smells that make you gag, the heavy lifting, or enduring all kinds of weather.

The pain comes from picking up the bodies of animals that were otherwise perfectly healthy because someone neglected to do their job. It comes from watching coworkers succumb to heat stroke or exhaustion or chronic pain from being worked to the bone. It's knowing that you NEED to over work yourself to the bone otherwise an animal suffers. It's missing every Mother's and Father's Day and Christmas and Thanksgiving and all other precious, limited time with your family. It's breaking down every time you fill up your gas tank because it's almost a days worth of wages for you. It's looking at all the help wanted signs in fast food and retail with a starting wage that's higher than yours. It's moving from one job to the next with dwindling hope that the next job will do you and the animals better. It's hearing from former coworkers how 6 people have quit since you left and they are on their way out too because things have not improved. It's having panic attacks over believing that coworkers are doing the wrong thing because you have seen animals die after people did the wrong thing. It's having panic attacks over making simple mistakes because you have been screamed at so much.

It's knowing that you can't stay in this environment because of how often you are reminded of all the shit you've had to endure.

[taysanimaladventures]

You've probably noticed this blog has been inactive.

It's because I am leaving the animal care industry. I only decided on this 100% as of yesterday, with a lot of flip flopping for months. I have not been happy with the industry for a long time. There are many things to say about why but the short version: I possibly developed CPTSD from it and my priorities in life have changed. I hate that it came to this. I really wanted to stay and make it work but for my own sanity I need to leave.

I will keep the blog up because cute animals. And if anyone is in the animal care field and feeling similar feelings, you are welcome to talk/yell to me about it. And I can still answer general animal questions but reminder I am not a vet.

I still love animals and will probably get my fix by volunteering.

Thank you all for following my adventures.

#zookeeping #tay talks

[taysanimaladventures]

Update on Rosie:

She is doing so much better now! She is back to her normal "omg are you feeding me" self. She still has some fluid in her though. I'm talking to the vet to see what the next steps are. But the meloxicam and antibiotics she's on really helped. I'm so happy to have my Rosie back! 😊

How long do leopard geckos actually live? There are always a million different answers. I assumed 20s.

#reblog #pet loss #animal death #animal illness

[taysanimaladventures]

Thank you for your responses.

Sorry, the reason why I'm asking this is because of a dark reason.

-content warnings-

I just got back from the vet with Rosie. I got her when she was 4 or 5 back in 2015 which puts her at 12 assuming they gave me correct info.

She has fluid in her abdomen and she's lethargic. The vet said it could be cancer or infection or organ failure. The only thing that can be treated is infection so she is on medications for that now. There's basically a strong chance that she will pass away soon.

I guess I'm having a hard time accepting this because she is the youngest and what I assumed was the healthiest of my 3 reptiles. Snickers is 16 (again, assuming I got correct info from the person I adopted him from). He was at the vet last month because his eye has swelling which I was told was scar tissue. Other than being unable to see from that eye he seems to be doing fine. My corn snake Wendy, who I had since I was a kid and he was a baby, is 17/18. Behaviorally he seems fine but he's gotten noticably skinnier which the vet attributes to his age.

It's so difficult watching this all go down at the same time along with my grandparents. Ideally I should have my two boys (Wendy is a boy) for a while longer but I'm still witnessing them age and it's sad. I simply feel sad and confused at why Rose will probably be the one to go first. The vet and techs were also saying how I have the oldest geckos they've ever seen, but it doesn't make me feel much better.

How long do leopard geckos actually live? There are always a million different answers. I assumed 20s.

#tay talks #reblog #content warning #pet death #pet loss

[taysanimaladventures]

How long do leopard geckos actually live? There are always a million different answers. I assumed 20s.

#leopard gecko #reptiles #reptiblr #tay talks

[taysanimaladventures]

Every cat is still a cat.

#tay posts #mammals #vid #ocelot #big cats #NOT a pet

[taysanimaladventures]

My snake really likes peach yogurt

#giant anteater #mammals #vid #tay posts #saz

[taysanimaladventures]

Thaddeus finally got a new friend after his old partner passed and she.. uh.. does a great job helping him manscape.

#howler monkey #monkeys #primates #mammals #vid #tay posts #saz

[taysanimaladventures]

#blue death feigning beetles #inverts #bugs #bugblr #tay posts

[taysanimaladventures]

Gave a danger kitten some cinnamon

#ocelot #cats #big cats #mammals #tay posts #saz

[taysanimaladventures]

It's time for TURBO SIPS

#whistling duck #ducks #ducklings #birds #birdblr #vid #tay posts #saz

[taysanimaladventures]

I got viciously attacked at work

#whistling duck #ducks #ducklings #birds #birdblr #tay posts #vid #saz

[taysanimaladventures]

Sorry for the long pause. I was working a lot and then I got COVID! Please accept my apology and look at this molting millipede.

#african giant millipede #inverts #bugs #bugblr #tay posts #ito

[taysanimaladventures]

I need to give some context for my next post(s) because I had some changes recently. Kind of long and personal rant-ish I'll do a TL;DR at the bottom.

So I am never going to sugarcoat this: zookeeper pay is bad. I used to think "whatever I don't need a Mercedes or a large house" but it's closer to "struggling to pay for bills" bad, especially if you're part time. I only have a roof over my head because I'm married but that doesn't mean I'm set up. I still have struggled with personal bills like my car and insurance to the point of going to my dad for help (Side note: being a keeper requires so much privilege in that you need extra assistance since you are working so much for free/low pay. I know my privileged background helped me get here.) I also really want to help my husband and contribute to our expenses and eventually get to owning our own home (not even a house, just something small) some day.

However I was really struggling to figure something out because I wanted to keep a good work/life balance. Honestly I don't know if I will ever consider being a full time keeper again. I found that the amount of stress and work a full time keeper has is significantly more than what a part timer has. As a full timer I had crashed and burned and felt like I was a shell of a person coming home each day. It's been a few years and I'm still trying to break through this issue with depression/chronic fatigue. I'd really rather not go back to square one. Plus, my grandma is slowly deteriorating and I need time to visit with her as often as I can.

The other option is getting a second job. All other part timers at work have second jobs. They are vet techs, horseback riding instructors, retail workers etc. I wanted to go back to the reptile shop I worked at but they were wanting me to work more days than I preferred. I did dog walking for a bit but it was not consistent enough. The job search was a long process because I was extremely picky. I didn't want to be bored, would prefer to work with animals, did not want to work for small business/roadside zoos, didn't want to work too many hours/days lest I deep fry myself.

I finally found that job! It is animal care for a program that takes kids on field trips to local parks and nature centers. The program is with the local school district. I did a little bit of the education part back in May and only recently moved on to animal care. The collection is small and it's mostly herps and inverts. The last few weeks of doing this job I have been very happy with how it's fairly easy, very nice team, cute animals, and supplementing my zoo job without making me permanently exhausted (especially with the summer heat which tires me out faster than usual). If I need more hours I told them I was happy to help in education too.

So like yay I am content! I will be sharing my new animal friends soon.

TL;DR: Zoo job not making enough $$$, scrutinized over finding second job that won't burn me out, found that job and happy with how things are going right now.

#zookeeper problems #tay talks #rant #sry

[taysanimaladventures]

Quenching a thirst

#dromedary camel #mammals #vid #tay posts #saz