Animal Care Specialist in a Sanctuary of Exotic Animals Much More Than Taking Care of Animals

What does the daily life of an Animal Care Specialist at the Éducazoo animal sanctuary look like? Do they spend their days handling animals? What tasks are involved in ensuring the well-being of more than 700 animals, each with their own unique needs? What training is required to become an Animal Care Specialist in an exotic animal sanctuary like Éducazoo?

In this blog article, our biologist and Scientific Director Roxanne Brunelle introduces you to the role of an Animal Care Specialist, an essential position in the operation of the Éducazoo sanctuary. From feeding and care to habitat maintenance and daily observation, you will discover that caring for animals requires much more than simply loving animals.

 

Becoming an Animal Care Specialist at Éducazoo: several weeks of training

Previous training in the field is not a requirement to become an Animal Care Specialist at the sanctuary. It is an asset, but much of the training provided in a course does not reflect the reality of a sanctuary like Éducazoo. This is why all training is provided by our biologist and Scientific Director directly at the sanctuary after hiring. The training takes place over several weeks and its duration is adapted, to a certain extent, to the abilities of the new Animal Care Specialist. The trainer ensures that the new Animal Care Specialist receives proper guidance and spends as much time as necessary helping them learn the sanctuary protocols, review all the specific health conditions that must be monitored, and, most importantly, understand the specific characteristics of the different species and individuals living at the sanctuary.

Why is such extensive training necessary to work with exotic animals? Because a snake, a parrot, a rabbit and a frog do not have the same needs or display the same signs when a problem may be present. Even within the same species, two individuals may have specific needs or show different signs of the same health concern. The Animal Care Specialist must therefore develop a strong sense of observation and learn what is normal for each of our residents. Animal Care Specialists are never expected to make health decisions for the animals on their own, but rather to gather all the information that may be useful so that the person responsible can put everything in place to ensure their well-being.  

 

A clean habitat in every corner

A large part of an Animal Care Specialist’s work involves maintaining the habitats. Partial cleanings are performed every day, in addition to complete cleanings according to an established schedule. Substrate, hides, water bowls, decorations, terrarium glass: everything must be inspected and cleaned as needed.

But cleaning alone is not enough to ensure the well-being of exotic animals. The Animal Care Specialist also checks the proper functioning of heating and lighting systems and replaces equipment when necessary. In reptiles, temperature directly influences metabolism, meaning all the processes that allow their bodies to function normally. They obtain the energy they need throughout the day from their heating system, unlike mammals, which obtain it through food.

Cleanliness also extends beyond the habitats themselves. Animal Care Specialists wash all textiles used for the animals and educational activities, in addition to maintaining sanctuary hygiene. A spotless habitat located in an unsanitary environment would not allow us to maintain the same sanitary standards: prevention therefore applies to the entire facility.

 

More than 40 bowls of fresh produce every day!

Feeding more than 700 residents requires quite an organization. Every day, more than 40 bowls of fresh produce are prepared to meet the dietary needs of the animals that eat them. This is in addition to insects, such as crickets and certain worms, as well as whole prey, including mice and rats for certain carnivorous or omnivorous animals.

Being an Animal Care Specialist also means understanding and respecting the diet of exotic animals, even when it is very different from our own. Certain species or individuals may need whole prey and, in some circumstances, may prefer live prey. Although, ethically speaking and for the health of the animals, feeding dead whole prey is preferable, some individuals may not accept it and may refuse a change in their diet. The role of the Animal Care Specialist is therefore not to adapt the animal to our human preferences, but to properly meet its needs while following established protocols.

There is one very simple element that comes up every day: water. Residents must have access to fresh water according to the specific needs of their species. With hundreds of animals, even a task that seems this basic requires rigour and organization. 

 

Observe before providing care

One of the most important responsibilities of an Animal Care Specialist in an animal sanctuary is probably the one the public notices the least: observation. Every animal must be evaluated daily. Is it as active as usual? Does it appear to have lost or gained weight? Has a mass appeared? Has its behaviour changed drastically?

In rodents and lagomorphs, such as rabbits, particular attention may be paid to their teeth, since their teeth grow continuously. Animal Care Specialists may also check the mucous membranes, meaning the moist tissues found around the face, when relevant. These observations make it possible to quickly identify a change that may require additional attention.

 

Medication, grooming and daily care

Depending on the needs of the residents, animal care may also include administering medication, vitamins, drops or creams. Certain injections may also be administered by people trained to perform them, under the supervision of the person responsible and according to established protocols. A weight check is also performed daily for new individuals or those requiring close monitoring for any reason. The others are weighed every 3 months or as needed if there is any concern.

Grooming is also part of the daily routine. Depending on the species and individual, animal care may include a bath, nail care, brushing the coat during shedding periods, or certain feather-related care. Once again, there is no single way to proceed: every animal has its own anatomy, behaviour and needs.

 

Being an Animal Care Specialist is not about « playing with animals »

When we imagine a job working with animals, it is easy to think about the enjoyable moments: petting a rabbit, interacting with a parrot or handling a reptile. Yet a large part of the job is spent with a scrub brush, a food bowl, a load of laundry or an observation notebook in hand.

Being an Animal Care Specialist in a sanctuary means providing animals with an appropriate, clean and safe environment. It means respecting their dietary restrictions, accepting the biological realities of each species, and noticing the small behavioural change that might go unnoticed by someone who knows the animal less well.

 

The work that happens before the Naturalists arrive

All of this work ultimately ensures that the residents are placed in the best possible conditions before the stimulation and educational activity portion of their day even begins with our Éducazoo Naturalists. Animal Care Specialists first ensure that the fundamental needs and overall condition of the animals are taken care of; the Naturalists can then continue this work by offering activities adapted to the individuals entrusted to them.

So, what does an Animal Care Specialist do in an animal sanctuary? They clean, feed, observe, provide care, check, wash and start all over again the next day. Behind every animal you meet during an Éducazoo activity are Animal Care Specialists who have worked behind the scenes to ensure that its needs are met. And when caring for more than 700 exotic animals, these small actions repeated every day make all the difference.