Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm not sure if anyone will respond to this post, but I was just really curious to find out more about the people on this forum. It's kind of a tight-knit community for the most part, so i thought it might be cool to know some background (for instance, what everyone here does for a living).

Me, I am a full-time student. A double major in music performance and education. I'm also a professional drummer (From now until about february I'm doing 5-6 paying gigs per week...times are good!). I own my own teaching studio where I teach drums and percussion, which is a really fun way to make money on the side! On the weekends (and over summer and winter breaks) I work at a chain petshop. Before you ask, yes, it sucks. However I do a lot for the reptiles there. I make sure they see a vet when necessary. I monitor their environments closely. I'm worried about what will happen to them (the reptiles) when I eventually quit.

I am also working on my breeding colony of russian tortoises, but I never expect that to yield any profit. It would be nice to make enough money to pay for food for my reptile collection though.

So what does everyone else here do?

Chemist, SQLLIMS (Oracle) low-level database management and Quality Assurance Officer for a Gov'ment Lab. Funny, I only get paid for ONE job position!

Matt

Cool! SOunds like an interesting career. What made you pursue that career? (I ask because I'm in college and question my own motives every chance i get).

>>Cool! SOunds like an interesting career. What made you pursue that career? (I ask because I'm in college and question my own motives every chance i get).

Chemistry was the only subject that made any sense!?! Strange, I know... So, I went with what I understood the best. Not a dream job, but I'm happy where I'm at so far.

Matt

Now I know why you scare me so much. Could never quite put my finger on it before.

Hahahaha... NOW you know why I'm SO demented, Carl!

>>Now I know why you scare me so much. Could never quite put my finger on it before.

Full time student, hoping to major in Biology, minor in Photography. I work at Sports Chalet and do homework. Then, the Russian, corns, leos, and cresteds take up the rest of my time. My girlfriend likes to complain.

Estate gardener. I am the master gardener on a 50 million dollar Palm Beach estate. This is my seventeenth year.
The place is right on the ocean. Hard work, nice view.
The best part is the boss is gone 8 months out of the year.

Pediatrician. Had a redfoot growing up, died around the time my kids were born. Now kids are grown and my new kids are my torts (5).

Me? I'm an Aircraft Mechanic for Delta Airlines. I've got 20 years as a line mechanic and now, with the move to GA, I'm on an engine troubleshooting team.

The reptiles are a diversion from the BS of everyday life.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I figured there would be a lot of people here with really interesting jobs. Afterall, it takes a special kind of person to be so in love with tortoises and other reptiles.

I'm a graphic artist.

Mayday's job reminded me of a path not taken. About 20 years ago I was working for a plant care company & spent 4 day a week at The Embassy Suites hotel taking care of plants. One day a rich old man passed through town & admired the job I did on the hundreds of plants in the hotel & offered me a job at his estate on one of the islands off the coast of Georgia. I said no but sometimes wonder how different life would be today if I'd accepted his offer.

Engineer – Aviation field

I kept many local Georgia snakes as a kid. Got out of the hobby when it was time for college. I recently acquired a Sulcata hatchling that my daughter and I are raising. We really enjoy taking care of this little guy…

i'm an assistant librarian at a private college; i'm about to begin working toward my master's degree and full librarianship.

before this, i've worked in a wide variety of jobs... i've proofread financial documents, sold motorcycle parts, wrote insurance policies, been a credit analyst for a bank, ran movie theater projectors...

i had an iguana in high school who died of metabolic bone disease. i used plant bulbs and gave her vitamins and calcium... it wasn't good enough. this was 12 years ago when people didn't know as much about finer details of reptile care, but i still feel guilty. that's why i'm so very determined to do everything i can, as right as i can, for my redfoot.

Data analyst at a medical school.

I tell people my job title is "Data Monkey".

It pays the bills.

n/p

I'm a longshoreman. I load & unload the containerships that
come into the west coast. I work in endless canyons of steel.
My tortoises are my therapy.

and here all along I thought you were a Polynesian Hit-man! Hehehe...

>>I'm a longshoreman. I load & unload the containerships that
>>come into the west coast. I work in endless canyons of steel.
>>My tortoises are my therapy.

I am a researcher in the molecular cancer analysis lab at the University of Tennessee and I am working to finish my Ph.D in cancer biology and a minor in statistics.
Michael

I manage the fishroom of a locally owned petstore. That means I oversee the care and matience of all the fish and reptiles (basically I clean a lot!). I started working there when I was 14 or 15 (my first job) and enjoyed being around all those fish (aquariums are my other passion) so I stayed. I plan on going back to college in the fall to get a degree that would help me get a job as a habitat architect for zoos and public aquariums. I would love to run a public aquarium someday. I tried a job not working around fish and hated it, so decided I need a job involving animals. Having the job at the petstore means I can get ahold of almost anything reptile wise, however it would mostly all be wild caught. It is interesting to see what is on the wholesaler lists though.

Fish were the things that got me into reptiles when I was a kid. I had aquariums all over my bedroom and I was certain that I would one day become an Ichthyologist. But then I discovered hatchling mud and musk turtles and that was it.
Eventually, all my fish got replaced by turtles.

Fish were the things that got me into reptiles when I was a kid. I had aquariums all over my bedroom and I was certain that I would one day become an Ichthyologist. But then I discovered hatchling mud and musk turtles and that was it.
Eventually, all my fish got replaced by turtles.

When I was little we had a fish tank, that my dad took down. I personally had reptiles before fish. I think my passion is equal for both. I love setting up live planted aquariums. My aquariums usually don't have many fish in them, more live plants.

I'm a marketing representative for a major tobacco company. I bought my first leopard hatchling in 1995 and eventually ended up with seven, and back down to four. Several years later I had to sell them when major life changes happened.

Now that things are back on track and life is good, I recently bought a 15" male sulcata from Captive Bred Wildlife. It's great to enjoy tortoises again. There's just something about watching them wander the yard grazing, or the excitement in their eyes when they get a treat.

I love my big old dinosaur.

Why do you keep tortoises? They seem so boring!

No, they aren't boring. They are a different kind of entertaining. To me there is nothing (and I mean nothing) more relaxing than sitting down and watching my tortoises. Actually, that's the same with any of my reptiles. I like watching them the best when they are just relaxed and doing their own thing, be it digging, eating, basking, etc.

I really hope to someday get either a leopard or a sulcata. I love my russians to death, and I'm still building their breeding colony at the moment, but once I get everything set with that and all the tortoises are mature, I would love to raise a large tortoise.

Hello to all.
I have just retired from 22 and 1/2 years of navigating the U.S Navy's submarines.
My wife, The Boss, has led a life of leisure caring for her tortoises, lo these many years.
Now I am looking for a new career just to keep these monsters in food.
We keep:
1.2 Geochelone sulcata (African Spur-thighed Tortoise)(10 yrs)
0.0.3 Geochelone pardalis (Leopard Tortoise)(5 yrs)
0.0.3 Geochelone carbonaria (Redfoot Tortoise)(1yr)
0.1.2 Testudo horsfieldii (Russian Tortoise)(10 yrs)
1.1.3 Cuora flavomarginata (Chinese Box Turtle)(12 yrs)
Those who know us know that we also keep snakes and lizards and other more mainstream pets.
Karl H. Betz & The Boss

Hey Karl,

Enjoy the retirement... I wish I could do that.

>>Hello to all.
>>I have just retired from 22 and 1/2 years of navigating the U.S Navy's submarines.
>>My wife, The Boss, has led a life of leisure caring for her tortoises, lo these many years.
>>Now I am looking for a new career just to keep these monsters in food.
>>We keep:
>>1.2 Geochelone sulcata (African Spur-thighed Tortoise)(10 yrs)
>>0.0.3 Geochelone pardalis (Leopard Tortoise)(5 yrs)
>>0.0.3 Geochelone carbonaria (Redfoot Tortoise)(1yr)
>>0.1.2 Testudo horsfieldii (Russian Tortoise)(10 yrs)
>>1.1.3 Cuora flavomarginata (Chinese Box Turtle)(12 yrs)
>>Those who know us know that we also keep snakes and lizards and other more mainstream pets.
>>Karl H. Betz & The Boss
>>
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Hey EJ,
Navy retirement just means that it is time to go find another job.
I haven't ever had to do a resume before and haven't had to interview for a job in 23 years. Not exactly sure who is going to hire me now that the Navy is done with me.
At least the tortoises still like me
Karl

I have to look for a new job before I even start one. Some of my gigs only last a week, and after that it could be a couple of days before the next gig, or, in the case of this past year, it could take 6 months. That old saying 'don't quit your day job'. It's true. Luckily right now I'm in steady work until february.

Have fun looking for a new job. Worry less about money and more about being able to do something you like to do. I plan on pursuing several different careers in my life time, because there's something so exciting about starting something new.

You have some beautiful torts. Do you have any pictures of your others?

Oh gimme a break... there's gotta be plenty of openings for your job disscription.

>>Hey EJ,
>>Navy retirement just means that it is time to go find another job.
>>I haven't ever had to do a resume before and haven't had to interview for a job in 23 years. Not exactly sure who is going to hire me now that the Navy is done with me.
>>At least the tortoises still like me
>>Karl
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I am a full time pre-vet/animal science student at The Ohio State University. I am applied to vet school and hope to be starting fall 2007. Along with being a full time student I work full time in cancer research at the ohio state college of veterinary medicine. I work mainly with lung cancer and Human T-cell lymphoma. Its very interesting but not nearly as rewarding as working in veterinary practice (my job for the past 6 years). When I graduate this spring my work in research will be over. I plan on going into small animal surgery and specializing in reptile medicine.

Good luck with all your studying. We need more people like you out there.

I'm a special education science teacher. My students love the animals I bring in as part of class. They love doing labs, and I have regular ed kids asking how they can get into my class! By the way I can clear a hallway faster than the principal by taking out a corn snake. Half the kids are in awe and think it's cool. The other half are repulsed. Did I mention I work with teenagers? Life is good.

This sounds like fun... seriously.

>>I'm a special education science teacher. My students love the animals I bring in as part of class. They love doing labs, and I have regular ed kids asking how they can get into my class! By the way I can clear a hallway faster than the principal by taking out a corn snake. Half the kids are in awe and think it's cool. The other half are repulsed. Did I mention I work with teenagers? Life is good.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I have the best job! I love what I do and I get paid for it!
I love helping kids understand things and making it "real" for them!