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Banned
Kara messaged me about the ammount of PM's she is getting from users asking about her business and experiences. We thought it best to make a public thread out of it where users can ask her all sorts of questions and she could answer. So if you have any questions about her business, her experiences, or anything else, she'll be happy to answer. So lets kick it off, ask away.
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BPnet Veteran
lol, i bet i was the first to send the pm... i simply asked her to explain her occupation, and how she went about getting into it. i would love to find a job like that.
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LOL...actually Will, you weren't the first, but you were the most recent! Basically my "occupation" involved a little bit of everything we do here @ NERD - cleaning cages, taking care of snakes, dealing with customers, giving tour facilities, setting up & working our table @ herp shows, etc. etc. etc. Primarily my focus has been on the website re-design, as well as both print and online advertising, but the rest of everything takes up the majority of my time. Baby season keeps me extremely busy since I work mostly with hatchling and juvenile snakes, and that can mean upwards of 600 animals in my designated room at a time. I typically put in a 10-12 hour day, but during baby season & show season, those days can easily go to 14 or 16 hours.
I joined the NERD crew just over a year ago. Up till that point I was raising and breeding snakes in TX and was also holding a career in print media...my move to NH was the result of a long-distance relationship in which the long-distance part was getting very, very old. At that point I packed up all my animals & moved 1800 miles Northeast, so it was kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.
Will, what part of this industry are you considering for employment? Are you looking to start your own breeding programs or are you interested in doing things at a zoological institution? There are a lot of cool occupations that involve herpkeeping, but thery're also extremely competitive and more of a labor of love than a fat paycheck. If I can help steer you in any particular direction or lend any advice, just let me know!
K
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Banned
Basically Kara you live all of our dream jobs. Most people sit there wishing they could make a business out of herping, maybe small time breeding. I'll probly end up with breeding as a part time thing, but never take it quite to your level. So people marvel at the morphs they wish they could keep, and wish they could do it too. I love looking at NERD's pics, lucky you! You get to see them in real life and care for them. Hehe
Needless to say people are full of questions, lol, as you've figured out.
Speaking of adds, interested in a banner swap or something? I only have 2 adds up so far, so NERD would be up a lot on the site.
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HEy Kara..........when I get older I want to do soemthing with reptiles......I am no doubt breeding but not for the cash....for the joy of the hobby and to introduce more species to the general public. Such as Womas and Blackheadeds(thats my dream).
Well what is a good career to work with them?? LIke besides breeding?
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BPnet Veteran
I would most likely get into zoology. I'm in love with all animals, just have a very big soft spot for reptiles. I would love to care for reptiles at a zoo, it's most definitely my dream job. It just seems like it would be a waste of time trying any way I look at it. The demand for positions are incredibly low
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I think the most important thing is to determine how you value your herpkeeping experience. Is it a hobby that provides "downtime" from other aspects of your life - i.e. career, relationships, etc. If so, it may be a good idea to better investigate how to spend more time partaking in your hobby, or making it more enriching for you instead of trying to turn it into a career. I know it sounds like fun to think "wow, working with snakes all day must be GREAT!" But what do you do when your hobby becomes your entire life? What do you do for escape? Can you handle doing something 27/7 (cause this isn't a 9-5 occupation) without burnout? Will it still be as fun when you depend on your animals to make a living? Are you financially comfortable enough to not have to stake everything on a single project or animal?
Remember that there are a lot of ways to be an actively involved herper without making it your whole life...and I only say that to warn about burnout. Get involved with your local herp society...start spending time in the field herping for your native wildlife...volunteer at a zoo or wildlife museum just to get your foot in the door. If you know an already established herp breeder, discuss the possibility of doing an internship with them for more experience.
If you're determined to make herps your career, you must determine if you want to go the academic route (herpetology), the propagation route (herpetoculture), the medical route (veterinary practice), or follow some other aspect. A good place to start is having a college degree in biology, and following it up with additional coursework in zoology - this can open more doors for you along the way - i.e. pursuing a teaching degree or applying at an AZA-accredited facility.
If you're absolutely just nuts about your animals and want to continue to enjoy them without having a ton of pressure from other aspects in your life, keeping reptiles as a hobby & getting to a point where breeding them allows you to pay for your hobby is a feasible idea.
K
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Banned
I actually want to be a herpetologist. Keeping snakes is awsome, and breeding even better. But watching a 20 foot anaconda sleep in a tank is nothing like chasing them in a swamp. I love the natural aspect of it, I'd get too bored. I wish I could go herping in Africa some day...
Kara, do you ever go herping outside of NH? Or are you more in the herpetoculture aspect of it?
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Wild Balls
I absolutely go field herping every chance I get!!!!! I travel to another state (won't say where) to visit a Timber rattlesnake den at least twice a year - we saw over 50 Timbers in 2 trips this year (combined) and it was really fantastic! I used to live in TX, so field herping in West Texas was practically a weekend ritual when I could get away. I plan on returning quite a bit next spring & summer to do more field herping in my old stomping grounds. West Texas is easily one of my favorite places to go snake hunting. If all goes well, I hope to add an Arizona trip within the next year or so, and maybe down to the Carolinas in the spring for some Canebrake action! Field herping is a BLAST!!!!
K
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Banned
Perhaps Maine? We got a small reservation that the state won't disclose. I guess a small number live here.
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