Reptile & Amphibian Forums

lol. Hello everyone, graduation is creeping up on me really fast (Yes, I'm still in highschool) for those who didn't know. My point is that I havn't really been thinking of ways to find a good career involving reptiles as well as other animals. I know all I want to do is work with animals and don't really know where to begin. I'm thinking of a herp business but not sure how to begin or where to learn the whole business aspect of it. Any ideas or tips on how you yourself became successful would really be helpful or any good starting points as well. ALL advice is appreciated.

Thanks, Jon

Jon,
....GET AN EDUCATION. The good jobs working with animals require postgraduate degrees. Your next step on the path to becoming a veterinarian or herptologist is to get a batchelors degree in one of the hard sciences. From there if your grades are good enough you can go onto vet school or graduate school to get an advanced degree in zoology or a related field. There is a good chance that you will change your mind along the way but with a couple years of good academic college courses you will be well prepared to make changes in your major and career choice. Thinking about opening a petshop? Don't do it unless you have at least 100 grand to invest and a degree in business and know all about the animals you plan to sell. Most of the petshops in the US are run by people who actually know very little about running a business and oftentimes little more about the animals. They undercapitalize their businesses and make lousy money but have the market saturated so that getting a good shop going competing against them is often difficult. Their shops eventually fail and another fool comes along with too little money and knowledge and tries to make a go of it. If going to college is completely out of the question then you need to learn a trade. There are many jobs out there (auto mechanic, electronics technician, plumber, x-ray technician, lab tech., court reporter etc) which pay lots more than you can earn without an education. There are lots of trade schools where you can learn a good trade in a year or two. If you have a job that pays a good wage you can then invest in reptile breeding stock and equipment and build your breeding program up over time. If you try to go into business breeding reptiles without a good job to pay all the bills for at least a decade while you get things going you will starve. IMO breeding reptiles is a great money making hobby and a really lousy way to have to try to make a living. I think I have the ideal situation. I have my military retirement and also work parttime as a nurse. I can spend as much time as I want breeding reptiles as a hobby and I do not have to worry about the years when it does not make good money. Except for a couple dozen of the best breeders in the country most of the reptile breeders have other careers or spouses with careers who make the breeding business possible.
Jeff

>>lol. Hello everyone, graduation is creeping up on me really fast (Yes, I'm still in highschool) for those who didn't know. My point is that I havn't really been thinking of ways to find a good career involving reptiles as well as other animals. I know all I want to do is work with animals and don't really know where to begin. I'm thinking of a herp business but not sure how to begin or where to learn the whole business aspect of it. Any ideas or tips on how you yourself became successful would really be helpful or any good starting points as well. ALL advice is appreciated.
>>
>>
>> Thanks, Jon

I agree with what Jeff said, MORE SCHOOL Like Jeff I'm retired from the service, make some money from our horses and a few other things and spend way to much time with our animals lol.

I've talked to a few Vets over the years about how they feel about their jobs and their pets and most every one I've asked has said that they don't really have time for their own animals any more. It's the same for many people who get into the animal business for a living(I've had the same experience) It is fun at first and then it becomes a JOB. I'm not saying they don't love the animals anymore but when you do something for a living after a while you become to busy to really enjoy it for the reasons you started doing it for in the first place, gee hope that made sense. I've been there and done that and when I realised I didn't feel the same way towards the animals anymore I got out (I was trainer for a number of years)

I'm not trying to scare you off but really look at what you want to do, go to school and if you can, work for someone in the business during the summers and get a feel for what it is like and see if that's what you want to do with your life. No better way to learn than from someone who is successful in the business.

Or do like my wife did, she grew up In NYC and spent her summers on horse farms. She got her degree and then a good job and when she could she bought her own horse farm. Still had her job and the farm made almost enough to support it self. Sure she didn't get to play with horse all day but she still got to spend lots of time doing what she loves.

Having animals for your own enjoyment is one thing having to make a living off of them is something different. Randy
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I don't care if the glass is half full or half empty !
I just want the full glass I paid for !

This is exactly why I am the biggest proponant of Star getting her Masters at SCAD!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL.......I need a sugar mama!!!!!!!
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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com
Naked I see the camp of those who desire nothing

Chris,
...With a Masters from SCAD she should be a real sweet sugar mama. One of my ex coworkers was married to a SCAD student. When he graduated they went to LA where he got a great$$$ job.
Jeff

>>This is exactly why I am the biggest proponant of Star getting her Masters at SCAD!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL.......I need a sugar mama!!!!!!!
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>>www.chrisolsonreptiles.com
>>Naked I see the camp of those who desire nothing

I beleive I can only go to a tech or community school anyway because I didn't take a university path. Its funny you mentioned the military because I have seriously thought about it before because alot of my family has been in the military. I'll just go with the flow and see what happens. Thanks for the replies.

Jon

Jon,
...DON'T go with the flow. You will find yourself turning 30 years old and still trying to figure out how to make ends meet before you know it. Going with the flow and not taking a college prepartory path in school has almost closed some important doors in front of you. If you really want to get a good college education you could go to a community college and catch up on the classes you should have taken in HS. After that you could enroll in a college that has the programs to get you ready for a career working with animals. Don't make the mistake of setting your goals too low again. Figure out what you really want to do and get busy making it happen. Tech schools are a great way to learn a trade. In many fields they have employers lining up wanting to hire trained people. The military can train you in the same and even many better fields and feed you three squares and give you a place to flop along the way but it requires some serious committment.
Jeff

>>I beleive I can only go to a tech or community school anyway because I didn't take a university path. Its funny you mentioned the military because I have seriously thought about it before because alot of my family has been in the military. I'll just go with the flow and see what happens. Thanks for the replies.
>>
>> Jon

>>lol. Hello everyone, graduation is creeping up on me really fast (Yes, I'm still in highschool) for those who didn't know. My point is that I havn't really been thinking of ways to find a good career involving reptiles as well as other animals. I know all I want to do is work with animals and don't really know where to begin. I'm thinking of a herp business but not sure how to begin or where to learn the whole business aspect of it. Any ideas or tips on how you yourself became successful would really be helpful or any good starting points as well. ALL advice is appreciated.
>>
>>
>> Thanks, Jon

OK, not to be redundant, but I am going to concur with everyone else here. A good education is so very important. I put it off for a while and far too quickly ended up married with two kids and barely any time for school. It took me 5 years to get my associates degree. *ARGH* If I only knew then what I know now ...

You are young. Crack it out as fast as you can and then get on with life. You will be happy you did it in the long run.
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~ Noel ~
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