What being an Animal Care Intern is all about

Today's post comes from Jessi Rizza, one of our Animal Care Interns. She writes about our resident animals here at Fenner, and all that goes into caring for them and enriching their lives. 

I am currently a senior at Michigan State University as a zoology major. When I tell people I am a zoology major, their response most of the time is, “So you’re going to be picking up poop for a living?” While that is definitely a big part of the job, there is so much more!

Here at Fenner, I am in charge of taking care of the resident animals which includes feeding, watering, cleaning the enclosures, creating a specific habitat for each animal, and providing enrichment. A lot of research goes into the needs of each animal so that we can try to mimic their natural environment as accurately as possible. The more natural the provided environment is for the animal, the more comfortable, healthy, and happy it will be and the greater your viewing pleasure will be as a visitor!

Animal enrichment is basically providing treats, foraging opportunities, toys, or any item or activity that is out of the animals normal care plan that causes it to be more active or healthier. The natural enclosures are definitely a type of enrichment, but other important types provided are occasional treats such as mice for the tiger salamander or occasionally being taken out of the enclosure and cleaned/handled.

I take care of an eastern tiger salamander, eastern milk snake, praying mantis, American toad, 2 box turtles, brown snake, snapping turtle, and many hissing cockroaches here at Fenner. Check out a couple photos!

These are our 43-year-old female eastern box turtles, Ruby (top) and Tabitha (bottom). They like to eat crickets and worms as well as fresh fruit and veggies. Part of my job is to take them out periodically, clean their shells, and rub a little oil on their shells and legs to keep them from getting too dry. We call this enrichment the “weekly turtle spa.” The turtles of course don’t know this is good for them, but we do! 

This is our snapping turtle that gobbles up the fruit, veggies, worms, or pellets that we give him faster than any of the other animals!  If you visit the pond outside the back of the Visitor Center, you might be able to spot a snapping turtle that is about 5 times the size of this one.