I passed what we call "the water bowl test". In the herp house, we have two enormous eastern diamondback rattlesnakes. By enormous, I mean that the biggest is around 10lbs. That's a biiiig snake. We call her Big Girl and the other, slightly smaller one, Little Girl.

The water bowl test is where we take the long Pilstrom tongs we have, pick up a full water bowl with it, and walk it around the circumference of the building without bending our wrists or spilling the water overly much. It's hard!

If you pass it, you're considered to be physically strong enough to hook out the smaller of the two rattlesnakes. We are never allowed to work the biggest... only the staff works her.

I passed! I might get to hook a 8-ish pound rattlesnake in the next few days and I am STOKED.

I was one of three who passed. Three didn't.

ALSO, I got a really good report from one of my instructors today when he watched me hand-grab a Tokay gecko off the wall. It's tricky in and of itself because they are bitey little bastards and (according to staff) the bite is worse than a snake bite.

This one was complicated because there are two in the enclosure and they were clinging to the wall right next to each other. Because I'm short, I have to kind of climb half in the enclosure to reach them and so my face was well within biting range of the female while I was grabbing the male.

The instructor was really impressed that I did not get my face bitten off and my hands weren't shaking when I pulled the male out. The first time I grabbed one, I was shaking all over the place, so I was really proud of myself!

Tomorrow, the zoo manager promised I could help him work the Gila Monsters they keep in quarantine in the office. Technically, students aren't supposed to work them since they're not official collection animals yet and they're venomous without secondary containment, so it's pretty cool he's letting me help.

OH! And!

I got hissed at by our adult female alligator. We were trying to get into the back area of the alligator enclosure to clean it, but she was guarding the gate. The normal protocol is that one person (zoo manager) will guard with a long bamboo pole and keep the gators back while the other people (me) goes in to clean.

Rainbow was not having it. She lunged at the stick and hissed like crazy. We're trying again tomorrow.

All in all, a very good, very interesting day.

Sounds like you're having a great time! So happy things are going so well for you!

I am! I'm really enjoying the herps. I am bummed I have to switch areas starting next week. I'll be working the primates.

So happy for you and super proud of you!!

awesome!

Thanks, everybody! <3

I'm glad you're enjoying yourself!