I personally am hell bent on training to become either a Zoologist, Marine Biologist, or Living Biologist… one of the things that seems to disturb a lot of the women I have met is my desire to be hands on… One of my friends out here jumped almost four feet back away from a toad as I was walking her to her car… when I examined what she claimed to be a toad I lifted it up to show it to her and it was a tiny turtle about the size of a silver dollar. She said me picking it up was extremely gross and she couldn’t imagine picking up such a disgusting creature… what she doesn’t know is that I have held and worked with creatures she wouldn’t imagine being near including highly poisonous snakes and toxic frogs. I have told her many times that she really needs to bare witness to the magnificent beauty of these creatures up close and first hand but I have yet to even convince her to fathom such an idea. Also one of the other things is I have two pet ferrets… both female but one is a dark chocolate and the other is a champagne color… they are my favorite creatures in existence as far as household pets because of how hysterical their antics are when they really get going and let loose. I named them well however because of their antics… the darker one is Trouble she is also my oldest (about a year and a half old)… and my younger one is Mischief (About to be a year old). The problem I am having is she refuses to touch them… now I personally have raised these little ferrets since they were just old enough to be adopted and I know for a fact they don’t have a mean hair on their body and they have the personality of a attention starved child… when someone new is in the house they want to be held, adored, and played with by them. The wonderful things about the ferrets is that they always act like everything is a new toy even if they played with it five minuets ago. The worst thing I could imagine my ferrets doing is stealing someone’s shoe and hiding it under something. I am wondering however if this is a shared trait with women about not liking their men to be hands on even with creatures they themselves fear? Or is it just squeamishness to be around something new or something they have little experience with? I personally am fascinated with wildlife in all forms but when I see a new creature I can’t help but want to really get up close and personal with it and study every aspect of the creature… though I have to admit one of my favorite creatures are oceanic due to how wide the variety of different structures and different species… the wondrous thing about them all is how each and every one of them have a roll to play on this planet like a massive “Super-Organism” (Super-Organism is like a hive of bees… though they are all different creatures… they all work together seemingly as if they were one and the same… just like the organisms throughout our body.)

Good luck with the techno-talk big boy.

I did research and paleontology paintings for the Museums of Natural History...Denver/Vancouver/ Mexico city....

Women don't care....only fellow dorks can relate.

Hey now I must say your wrong Krupa there are a lot of women that love all types of animals and even the turtles and frogs do not make them stand back and go ewwwwwwww. lol

You just have to find those that are amazed as well and interested in the same type of field as well or at least one that does not stand back and scream when they see a bug. lol

Sure you might not find but a few that can handle what you do but they are out there.

Sexy!

I was going to go into Zoology, but math kicks my ass. Grr. Then vet tech, but I'm tired of college by now. I take care of my own critters, give my own shots when needed, and with whatever is given by the vet for me to do, if needed. No biggie.

Rescue turtles off the road, still play with frogs and toads, got bit by a snake (grouchy water-snakes, but turned him loose down the road), and tell the black fuzzy spiders they'd better stay on the ceiling or else they get tossed outside. Had a talk with a snake Monday, while I was out fixing fence, and then tossed it gently across the creek so I could finish working. Gorgeous sleek black snake, about 2 ft long, with yellow dots across his body. Garter snake maybe? My ex was a chicken**** when it came to snakes, and I was highly amused when the neighbor gal came over so she could get him to catch the baby constrictor out of the tub, because it was still angry after being fed. I went over and gently picked it up, and put it back in the cage.

I wouldn't like a frog, and might be a tiny bit nervous by a scorpion, but would definately be willing to check 'm out.

I've got rats as pets, so I wouldn't have a snake as one. Ferrets are neat, but I've never not been chomped on by one.

And Krupa, paleontology is absolutely fascinating, yah just have to find the right gal!

sounds good

weman may not be imressed with the science but they'l' be impressed with the paycheck

however until then you're just another student

The paycheck doesn't get that big, even when your out, unless you happen to get like Jack Hanna, or some of the other guys. But that's TV rather then basic work.

Hmm... black with yellow spots sounds like a garden snake... especially at that size. As far as being nervous about scorpions... if it is almost as big as your hand you will be lucky to get anything more painful than a bee sting out of him stinging you. As far as for you Equu I would suggest studying that local snakes there are in your area and possibly talking to a doctor about getting shots of their venom every year to build an immunity to them so you wouldn't have to be bothered by them at all. I remember back when I was about 16 I was holding a couple of small golden brown snakes and figured they were just normal Arkansas grass snakes... got home with them and put them in one of my aquariums with a couple of crickets and grasshoppers to munch on and... found out I was carrying a couple of Copperheads. Luckily I was never bit by them but I was bit by a few snakes in California... one of them had the doctor baffled at the description... he had never heard of a three and a half foot long corn snake like the one that bit me. It was such a gorgeous snake though... black and white stripes across it... kinda reminded me of those snakes from Beatlejuice. Ever since I began catching snakes though I began to document the ones I found... where I found them... and were they in a group... and when I did the doctors I spoke with a lot used to call me from time to time asking which ones I had seen in order to build up their supply of anti-venom and anti-toxin medications. Never had a problem with being bit though until I was about 21 and I got bit by a Texas Diamondback... the best description I can give is it felt like someone was pouring acid into my leg... got bit while I was helping a family pack their things up to head home after the Katrina hurricane. I got to the hospital and all hell was breaking loose... but by the next day I was fine. Since then I have told people it is EXTREMELY wise to build an immunity to anything in your area that could harm you.

You also mentioned ferrets... I am happy to say I have a couple of very kind ferrets that do not have a mean hair on their body and are spoiled rotten by me. Both are females one if a peppery black and brown and her name is Trouble... my other one is a champagne blond named Mischief.

I agree though that the pay is actually not that impressive... However it does have it's own personal rewards to be able to work with some of the rarest and most beautiful animals/fish/birds in the world.

Yeh, generally I hit up my books or pop online and find out what I've got. Last year, I got bit by the yellow-bellied water-snake, thinking it was a bullsnake. Found out I wasn't right on that, but fortunately, not poisonous, though just as agressive.

This year, we're having issues with baby copperheads. Two people I know have been nailed by them, one in the face, and our local hospital didn't have the anti-venom in for the first person bit, but had it in with the second person. Was discussing the anti-vemon shots, both for myself and the dogs.

Copperheads cause nerve damage, and rattlesnakes cause muscle damage. I do tend to keep the house area clear of snakes, and will kill the copperheads, if they're loose on the grass. I won't risk the dogs and other critters up by the house getting nailed. Otherwise, I'll just take 'em and turn 'em loose on someone elses property down the road. :-) I don't usually get too bent out of shape with the chicken snakes that get in and eat the eggs, and enjoy petting them before turning them loose. Absolutely gorgeous, black bodies, with red scale outlines. They'll get about 5-6ft long. The bigger they are, the more mild-mannered.

Hey, that's not true at all! I know for a fact that women do care. My best friend is a pARKS AND WILDLIFE biologist and so his her husband. I've been handeling the creatures for most of my life and my grandaughters will pick up anything!( My grandsons are a lot more squmish.LOL)
I've worked in museums and love palrontology.

Sorry for the misspells, my hand is hurt and it's hard to type!!