Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all - recently I have been reading down about everyones jobs and all, and it got me thinking: I have been wanting to become a vet (herp, avian, and exotic) for quite some time. I am a 16 year old male, a junior in HS. Right now I breed bearded dragons, and maybe soon in the future boas, but I will have to put everything on hold for college. Right now I have a 27 on the ACT (:/) and hoping for better. I hope I can either go to University of Lousville (I live in KY, so if i get a 30 on my ACT, go to governors scholar program, which im working on getting into, I would get a full ride there plus 2500$). But my other choices would be better schools that I really want to get into, such as Purdue (great vet school, but in the middle of no where), Auburn (Awesome vet school) and University of Miami Florida (GREAT herpetology program). For my first four years, I was really leaning towards U. of Miami because of the great herpetology program, along with good pre-vet, and a great location and beautiful campus. I then, after I graduate, could apply to vet school at Purdue or Auburn. I would also love to get into psittine ornithology (parrot study) along with herpetology. I would love to be the vet to 1)help animals 2)get paid a decent amount and 3)could get to experience a variety of different animals on a hands on basis. If pay was not an issue, i would LOVE to be a psittine ornithologist and/or herpetologist, but with the amount of pets I have/want to keep when I get older, the constant traveling and such would limit it all. I would still get a major in it, of course. And if i had the money and time, I would LOVE to be an exotic bird/reptile breeder, I think it would be the alltime BLAST to be with the things I love 24/7 and devote ALL my time to them. I also really want to live in Florida ideally on a small farm, at least a few acres, not only for the warmer temps, but also because there is much larger population of people down there that I could serve (who have exotics). Are these vets even needed (around areas like florida?) Do my plans sound alright, or am I overshooting something? I know vet school is tough to get into, and thats what Im worried about.

Just tell me your opinions, I appreciate it!

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KDRKreatures.com
Exotic Reptile Breeders - Specializing in Bearded Dragons

Email

I wish I had done what you want to accomplish, never too late for me though but as you get older more responsibilities come your way.

If your devotion to herps and avians remains throughout your schooling then make that your emphasis. You will be that much happier with your life when you can make a living at something you absolutely love to do.

Not to sound like a cliche'....Follow your dreams and don't let anyone or anything get in your way!!!!

Brett Thacker

Thanks so much - It means a lot for peoples support, as my parents are not really backing my plans that much...

David
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KDRKreatures.com
Exotic Reptile Breeders - Specializing in Bearded Dragons

Email

No worries.....my parents supported me but allowed me to make my own decisions which didn't benefit me. I was a smart kid and had alot of interest and wanted to become a Herpetoligist but I partied my last year of High School. I continued my drug and alcohol abuse up until a few years ago. I am 29 years old now and I have regrets about not finishing college and "wasting" my life away. Don't let ANYONE(including your parents) or ANYTHING(DRUGS, etc.) get in your way of becoming and doing whatever you want. It is alot tougher when you are older to do go to school and do what you want. I am not saying that it's easy when you are younger or it can't be done when you are older. Sometimes "things" get in the way and it's a little easier when your younger (getting scholarships, etc.) Anyway, just do it!

Happy Holidays!

Brett

np
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KDRKreatures.com
Exotic Reptile Breeders - Specializing in Bearded Dragons

Email

There is definately a strong market in Florida right now for a herp vet. Most vets are concentrating on dog/cat as makes sence. As the population increases, I think with the tropical temps, you will se an explosion of herp pets that need care, and as of yet, you really have to search to find one. At least in Central Florida. I'm not saying there is none- I'm saying we need more. When I brought my dog in for a hematoma surgery, I asked my vet, "Do you treat snakes, because I have some Boas..." The look on her face said it all.

Reptiles are becoming increasingly popular and there is a demand for Vets specializing in reptiles.

Has anyone taken their sick reptile to the vet and it seems like you know more about the problem than your Vet?

David,
...Your 27 on the ACT means that you are a bright guy. Being bright is important but if you are not willing to work hard it does not mean much. The schools you mention all have lots of bright guys and gals who want to attend. At the U of Miami a 27 on the ACT is in the mid range of their incoming freshmen. If along with the 27 on the ACT you are in the top 10% of your HS class you can probably get into the schools you mention. If you are in the middle of your HS class you may have trouble getting into the schools you want. If you are not at the top of your HS class the good news is that you have the rest of your HS career to work hard and move up. You are smart enough to do anything you want in your life. The real question is whether you are willing to work hard enough to make it happen.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>Hey all - recently I have been reading down about everyones jobs and all, and it got me thinking: I have been wanting to become a vet (herp, avian, and exotic) for quite some time. I am a 16 year old male, a junior in HS. Right now I breed bearded dragons, and maybe soon in the future boas, but I will have to put everything on hold for college. Right now I have a 27 on the ACT (:/) and hoping for better. I hope I can either go to University of Lousville (I live in KY, so if i get a 30 on my ACT, go to governors scholar program, which im working on getting into, I would get a full ride there plus 2500$). But my other choices would be better schools that I really want to get into, such as Purdue (great vet school, but in the middle of no where), Auburn (Awesome vet school) and University of Miami Florida (GREAT herpetology program). For my first four years, I was really leaning towards U. of Miami because of the great herpetology program, along with good pre-vet, and a great location and beautiful campus. I then, after I graduate, could apply to vet school at Purdue or Auburn. I would also love to get into psittine ornithology (parrot study) along with herpetology. I would love to be the vet to 1)help animals 2)get paid a decent amount and 3)could get to experience a variety of different animals on a hands on basis. If pay was not an issue, i would LOVE to be a psittine ornithologist and/or herpetologist, but with the amount of pets I have/want to keep when I get older, the constant traveling and such would limit it all. I would still get a major in it, of course. And if i had the money and time, I would LOVE to be an exotic bird/reptile breeder, I think it would be the alltime BLAST to be with the things I love 24/7 and devote ALL my time to them. I also really want to live in Florida ideally on a small farm, at least a few acres, not only for the warmer temps, but also because there is much larger population of people down there that I could serve (who have exotics). Are these vets even needed (around areas like florida?) Do my plans sound alright, or am I overshooting something? I know vet school is tough to get into, and thats what Im worried about.
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>>Just tell me your opinions, I appreciate it!
>>
>>-----
>>KDRKreatures.com
>>Exotic Reptile Breeders - Specializing in Bearded Dragons
>>
>>Email

Hi There,

I'm currently a doctoral student at UM in the biology program. My concentration is in evolutionary functional morphology (there is no herp program per se) but my background is in herps (did undergrad work at Cornell...THE herp school).

Let me tell you that while Miami has a decent undergraduate biology curriculum, it is by no means the place to go for herpetology (though it may have been in the past). For starters, Jay Savage recently retired and is no longer active on campus. Second, Julian Lee (old school herper extraordinaire) is retiring to New Mexico after this next semester. This leaves Jim O'reilly, my advisor, to work on herps. While herps are our model organisms in our lab, our research interests lie more broadly in the evolution of morphological diversity in vertebrates. Besides, Miami is really expensive.

My suggestion...go to Louisville or UK (or if you're dead set on florida, UF Gainesville--a great great biology program) get good grades and go to UC Davis, UF Gainesville or Cornell for vet school (the former two have outstanding exotics programs).

If you want to get an idea of what work we do in our lab and links to other labs with similar interests in herps, check out our web page

www.bio.miami.edu/oreilly

hope that helps.

cheers,
Gabriel Gartner

David,
I am currently a double major of government and philosophy at the University of Texas in Austin. In highschool, I also had the desire to go to college and study biology to try and become a field biologist/herpetologist. However, after spending hours in chem labs, doing field work, and summer internships, I decided that making my hobby my life really ruined it for me. Hours and hours of field work, even with reptiles, just makes me want to go home and watch TV for a while. That's when I decided that I should study something I enjoy reading about and that holds my interest. Not that biology doesn't, but let me tell you, reading chem and bio texts is almost impossible. They are amazingly boring. Just something to think about,
Eliot Stone
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