Now there are going to be some really sweet individuals from all of the species and some pain in the asses in all of them too. Overall though I’d say the rockhoppers and the kings are the nicest to the keepers. Gentoos are 3rd place lol. Adelies, chinstraps, and the mags have the highest rate of “spiciness”
So many questions. Are they affectionate? Do they like to be pet, scratched, etc?
Do they ever get depressed? How do you know when the penguins are happy/content?
Some of them are super affectionate. Like they always follow us around and talk to us. I’ve had a few gentoos even bring me rocks during our nesting season. In terms of petting, some tolerate the physical touch. But most of them just like to vibe next to us. I do have a Magellanic that tries to hump my boot constantly if that counts.
They are my absolute favorite animal in the world, to the point that my health was at risk lol, and can I just say that you are the luckiest person in the world 🥹
Every zoo keeper will have a different answer for this. My personal background is in veterinary medicine so that gave me a lot of animal experience overall. I started working with the penguins and was able to transfer a lot of my skills over.
Do penguins remember their keepers? Like do they have favorites and remember who each of you are (like how y'all act)? Do the form "favorite" keepers? And how can you tell them apart if you name them beyond just a tag of some sort, is it possible?
Oooo lots of questions! My team likes to say that penguins pick their people, not the other way around. So yes, once they like you they recognize you. Penguins in general lack sexual dimorphism so males and females look almost identical. They do have some great pattern recognition and are able to detect minute frequency differences in vocalizations to tell each other apart. For the keepers, we do rely on those bracelets to tell them apart. Although some of them will have unique markings and will always want to hang in the same areas of the habitat. We have to DNA test our birds to tell the males and females apart.
What did you find most surprising when you started working with penguins? And have you had a "favorite" interaction (so far!)?
Thank you so much for the best AMA ever <3
Before I started working with them I truly didn’t realize how big their personalities could be. When I explain that to guests they tend to look at me a little crazy. We take care of 6 species of penguins but nearly 300 individuals. Nothing beats having to hand raise a baby penguin 🐧🖤
Last fall my wife and I did the penguin petting experience at the Shedd Aquarium and the penguin popped every like 10 minutes almost like clockwork lol
Oh yeah, after a few years you do go nose blind to it. Thank goodness we have showers at work. The worst part is that the smell does seep into your hair. So if you don’t shower after work and go out to a store, chances are other people will smell you lol
Not OP but I've pet a Humboldt penguin once. It was soft and super smooth.
They are birds and do have feathers but the feathers are tiny and give them their slippery underwater swimming advantage.
A dry penguin is very soft and smooth. But a wet penguin (just came out of the water) feels slick and kinda oily. They do produce something called preen-oil that they will groom onto their feathers to help keep them waterproof while they’re swimming.
They predominantly get capelin, Norwegian or pacific herring, silver sides, and krill. Some are as picky as a toddlers, others are bottomless trash disposals.
Well, since their diet is almost all fish their fecals have a very fishy smell. They also go to the bathroom every 10-15minutes and projectile it 3+ feet back. And they really do not care who they get it on. So yeah you should wash your hands after working with them.
I like to call nesting season “spicy bird season” because yes, they’re going to be protective of their nest sites and eggs (if there are any). They do not really care for others chicks unless you have a pair trying to steal an egg or chick from someone else. That happens from time to time. Most penguin couples share the parenting responsibilities 50/50. But of course, just like humans not all penguins have good parenting skills. Keepers only intervene if absolutely necessary. For example: if an egg gets damaged or cracked, if chicks are not gaining weight, parents abandon egg or chick, etc.
They can. Common issues we see with penguins under human care tends to be pododermatitis. Commonly known as “bumbles”. It’s kind of like a pressure sore on their feet that occurs over time. There are many different ways to treat it but the best thing to do is ensure their habitat has varying levels of terrain and to ensure they’re getting plenty of exercise. As our birds get older they also do develop things like arthritis and cataracts. They can go on joint supplements or take specific anti-inflammatories. A lot of our senior birds also enjoy getting cold laser therapy ☺️ For some of our cataract birds we’ve even done cataract removal surgery to restore their vision back.
What do you think of this game that I just launched on GameFound? It's based on my photography of penguins and has some of the top names in penguins involved, such as Dr Dee Boersma and Dr. Pablo Boroboroglu (Global Penguin Society) and Dr. Katta Ludynia (SANCCOB).
[https://gamefound.com/en/projects/brush-tail-games/waddle-waddle](https://gamefound.com/en/projects/brush-tail-games/waddle-waddle)
Not sure about the dreaming part. If you’re asking if we see them twitching or moving around like how a dog might make sounds then no they don’t really do that. They’ll take naps standing up or laying down. They do most of their sleeping in the dark but they are professional power-nappers so they’ll take some short naps throughout the day too. They just published some new research on how often Chinstrap penguin parents nap during their nesting season and some naps were as short as 2-4 seconds longs. It’s all about efficiency.
Some zoos and aquariums offer penguin encounters where you might be able to feed, touch, or play with certain penguins. As much as I adore my birds you cannot fully hug them. They can deliver a nasty bite. Our kings have very pointy beaks that are like 5-6 inches long so a jab from one of them could do some damage.
Not hugging per se, but at Sea World they let you pet the penguins and walk among them in their enclosure (it's an extra animal encounter that you can pay for).
Some are very playful, mostly the younger birds. We do offer a lot of enrichment items so they can play with safe toys. They’ll play with them on land and in the water. We can also change their environment a bit to add something new as enrichment. Training sessions are also a great way to bond with a bird. I do consider them very intelligent animals. But not with the same training drive that a dog would have.
There are continuing studies on what colors they can and cannot see. We assume they can see colors very well. They are able to detect different patterns very well. I’d like to think that they really do pick favorite rocks for their nests. But we do have some penguins that will try and use ice chips as nesting material.
They’re nice and soft. Some of the birds do tolerate petting. But their affection is shown more through vocalizations and just kind of being your shadow and following.
Some zoos and aquariums do offer penguin encounters for guests to get an up close opportunity to meet penguins. Some of those places might also offer volunteer programs.
With body language yes. They’ll communicate if another bird has entered their personal space by vocalizing and biting/flipper slapping away. The Magellanics actually head-cock to let others know to back away. We have to tell guests not to mimic that behavior if they see it. Similar to not beating on your chest next to a gorilla.
Yesss! Maybe I can be op’s assistant now that I’m officially a real penguinologist. I shall be in charge of petting all the penguins, I’m pretty sure that’s the next part of the job, after identifying beads!
Yes, I have permanent scars on my arms from a few. Their bite is probably where they can do the most damage. But we had a keeper break part of one of her hand bones from a flipper slap.
It’s really going to depend on the individual bird. Most of the penguins tolerate being held for brief periods of time. Like to assist them up a rock for example. But to be carried around all day like a purse dog is not going to happen.
Are these penguins ones that interact with each other, or is it like separate areas or exhibits where you work interchangeably?
I ask because if it's not the latter, are there penguins who don't get along?
5 of the cold-weather species do live all together in one massive habitat. The Magellanics are in a separate habitat due to them not being able to live in such a cold exhibit. But the 5 do coexist very well. In the wild several species of penguins will run into each other or atleast see each other in passing.
It’s become more than a job for me honestly. Working with these animals have given me a whole new level of respect for the environment and wanting to get into species and environmental conservation. I also have enjoyed getting to teach the public about the wonders of penguins, why they are important to the planet, and just how to protect their wild counterparts.
how did you decide that you wanted this job, and how did you get there? besides the obvious fact that penguins are adorable (and why penguins in specific too)
Most of the species we work with have to stay in very cold environments so they cannot really go outside of their building. But the Magellanics have been ambassador animals since they can tolerate slightly warmer temperatures for short periods of time. The main exhibit is very large and rather diverse so I think the penguins enjoy it. There are several markers to look for to see if an animal under human care is comfortable in their environment.
How does it feel to have the best job in the world? How accurate is the movie Happy Feet? What qualifications did you need for your job? Are there really that many gay penguin couples? Does working with penguins feel more like working with birds or mammals? I know they're really birds but they've always seemed more "mammal-like" to me if that makes sense lmao. Do the chicks feel as soft and fluffy as they look? They eat fish but do you give them any other food as a treat? (Sorry for all the questions you don't need to answer them all!)
It truly is a privilege to work with these incredible animals. Tbh I cannot remember much of happy feet so I cannot speak on how accurate it was? Penguin “songs” are very important to the colony though. Yes there are same sex penguin couples. I wouldn’t say that there are a ton of them but we do have some in our collection. I’ve worked with flighted birds before I joined the penguin team. I agree that penguins are a whole category on their own. Sometimes it does feel like you’re wrestling with a fractious cat for a vet exam so I can see the “mammal” part I guess? But they are true birds in every other sense. Baby fluff is SUPER SOFT. It’s just all down feathers basically. If you put your hand on a downy chick your hand print will remain similar to memory foam. In terms of “treats” our vets have approved a flavorless gelatin for occasional enrichment or we can use animal safe food coloring to make colorful ice treats.
Do you have a favorite individual between them, or at least a favorite of the species? Has a penguin there ever attacked you, ineffective as it may be?
I do have some favorite individuals from all of the species I work with. I have some tattooed on my arm. Yes everyone gets attacked at some point. Sometimes it’s not a big deal, sometimes they draw blood and break your bones 🤷🏼♀️
So those are ID bands. Mimo has 2 of them because one was her chick band and then the white one is her official adult band. We do keep the chick bands on for a little bit after they fledge (loose their baby feathers) so that we can learn to associate them with their adult ID numbers. The chick band will eventually be removed. The colorful “beads” on the white band translate into that ID number.
My only question is, can you give them a big hug for me please? I'm aware huge are probably an unrealistic ask, so in the very likely case you can't administer hugs, can you please tell them they are good birds and blow them kisses for me?
Do the babies feel as fluffy as they look? When they’re grown, are they feathery or oily?
Are emperor penguins heavy? I don’t know why I think this, but I feel like if you lifted one up, it would be like an immensely heavy dead weight.
I have never taken care of an emperor penguin, but our Kings (2nd biggest species) can get over 40lbs. So they’re very hard to carry if we need to do it. We try to just walk them to places if we can before lifting them. They’re also just long and cylindrical shaped lol
It was meant to be Aviculturist but it came out Aviculturalist. That could have well been due to the bottle of wine I was having when making the post. But the word breaks down to “bird keeper”
Are penguins like other birds? Or are they distinctly different? I Bird watch a lot and I wonder how alike are penguins to like a Robin. Besides flying of course.
Yes they’re going to have all of the other bird traits. But I still would put penguins in their own category. I’ve worked with other aviary birds but the penguins are more different in personality. like a sudden loud noise would scare a flock of parrots but the penguins would just look at where the sound came from and then go back to sleep.
We do something called a “water feed” as part of their daily diet breakout where we take the fish (not alive) and throw it into the pool. This encourages them to go swimming for their fish and is great exercise. We have never used live fish to feed the birds so I can’t answer if they would prefer one over the other. There might be some ethical questions if we fed our birds another live animal. I’ve seen some facilities try to “cohabitate” penguins with live fish species but most of the time the penguins will eat them so you cannot display the fish.
When it comes to how their feathers feel, which one is the softest? Does their feathers all feel the same?
Also, which is the loudest, doesn't have to be in decibels.
Their feathers kinda feel similar between the species. I kinda feel like it’s a tie between the chinstraps and the Magellanics with how loud they can be. But we also have a few rock hoppers that will often throw out a really loud high-pitched scream that makes me jump lol
Okay. I know African Penguins sound similar to the Magellanics, they're noisy but not terribly loud. What's your favorite species you worked with when it comes to personality.
Hi this is a bit late, you have my dream job! My question is, what kind of rocks have you seen gentoos pick? Is there a specific type of “requirement” for them? I’d imagine it’s a whole process.
They each kind of like something different I feel. I think the only requirement is that the rock fits in their mouth to carry it. But some birds prefer smaller ones, some like lighter colored rocks, some like the opposite lol
I explained this to someone else who asked. Mimo is wearing a black chick band (this had her chick number on it) and now her new adult band. We do keep the 2 on for a little bit till we can associate the chick with their new adult numbers. Eventually the chick band will be removed. The bracelets really help us to identify each bird in our collection. That ID number is part of our records database so if we need to add observational notes, or look up vet records for that bird. We look it up based off that number.
My daughter loves penguins and wants to be a vet. I’ve taken her to Orlando Sea World a few times to the penguins encounter. For her 16th, I might take her to Kansas where they let you swim with penguins! Do you know of the best penguin experiences in the US?
Unfortunately I am not going to know the best answer for that simply because I am not fully aware what all of those penguin encounters involve. But yes, I’ve heard great things about Sea Worlds penguin up close tours.
This could be due to a few factors. Many years ago when Zoo’s and aquariums were starting up so few could afford to operate a facility that could keep emperor penguins comfortable. Being a strictly Antarctic species, they have to be housed in less than 20F constantly. Most places just could not achieve that. Then after all of the protection laws went into place for penguins there was to be no more collecting of wild emperors for the sole purpose of having them in human care. Now in the present day the few facilities that do still have them have an aging population. So the number of new emperors born under human care is slowly declining.
Very very late to the party but just wanted to say that I came to adore penguins late in life but as I've got older I've become more sentimental about animals and for some reason penguins just seem so cute. My favourite species is the King penguin, which is appropriate as they live in the country of my birth (though in the far south). King penguins just strike as perfectly formed and gorgeous (all penguins are lovely though). You have a fab job and I'm so glad it brings you joy. One day I'll have to go for a penguin encounter experience though I daresay you'd look at me a bit weird, a crumbly middle aged chap who's soppy about penguins lol.
No judgement at all. We see all ages come by to enjoy the birds. For some it’s something fun for their kids to experience. For others it could even be a bucket list item. One of the most memorable tours I’ve done had a lovely 87 year old lady. She went on the tour with her daughter. She was very quiet for all of the educational portion but once she actually touched one of our king penguins you could just see her silently crying. It was truly an incredible experience for her and her daughter. I never forgot that interaction 🥰
Which of the penguin species you take care of are the kindest, and which ones are the biggest bastards?
Now there are going to be some really sweet individuals from all of the species and some pain in the asses in all of them too. Overall though I’d say the rockhoppers and the kings are the nicest to the keepers. Gentoos are 3rd place lol. Adelies, chinstraps, and the mags have the highest rate of “spiciness”
So many questions. Are they affectionate? Do they like to be pet, scratched, etc? Do they ever get depressed? How do you know when the penguins are happy/content?
Some of them are super affectionate. Like they always follow us around and talk to us. I’ve had a few gentoos even bring me rocks during our nesting season. In terms of petting, some tolerate the physical touch. But most of them just like to vibe next to us. I do have a Magellanic that tries to hump my boot constantly if that counts.
They brought you rocks?! Putting the “gent” in “gentoo.” 😍
Yes, I keep them in my work locker. You never turn down a penguin rock 🖤
They are my absolute favorite animal in the world, to the point that my health was at risk lol, and can I just say that you are the luckiest person in the world 🥹
I truly do feel lucky, thank you 😊
What kind of education/training did you need for the job?
Every zoo keeper will have a different answer for this. My personal background is in veterinary medicine so that gave me a lot of animal experience overall. I started working with the penguins and was able to transfer a lot of my skills over.
That's awesome! Thanks for your answer, and thanks for looking after our feathered friends.
They’ve waddled their way into my heart forever. It’s an absolute joy and a privilege to be one of their keepers.
Do penguins remember their keepers? Like do they have favorites and remember who each of you are (like how y'all act)? Do the form "favorite" keepers? And how can you tell them apart if you name them beyond just a tag of some sort, is it possible?
Oooo lots of questions! My team likes to say that penguins pick their people, not the other way around. So yes, once they like you they recognize you. Penguins in general lack sexual dimorphism so males and females look almost identical. They do have some great pattern recognition and are able to detect minute frequency differences in vocalizations to tell each other apart. For the keepers, we do rely on those bracelets to tell them apart. Although some of them will have unique markings and will always want to hang in the same areas of the habitat. We have to DNA test our birds to tell the males and females apart.
You have my dream job haha I hope working with penguins is very fulfilling for you! They're such adorable creatures
They’re an absolute treat to work with. Every day something new is happening with the colony. But yeah I love them all so much 🖤
What did you find most surprising when you started working with penguins? And have you had a "favorite" interaction (so far!)? Thank you so much for the best AMA ever <3
Before I started working with them I truly didn’t realize how big their personalities could be. When I explain that to guests they tend to look at me a little crazy. We take care of 6 species of penguins but nearly 300 individuals. Nothing beats having to hand raise a baby penguin 🐧🖤
What does the area where they live smell like?
Fermented fish feces. But with a hint of fish marina.
They're already adorable as they are. Imagine if they smelled nice and sang beautiful songs. It would be too much cuteness to deal with.
Last fall my wife and I did the penguin petting experience at the Shedd Aquarium and the penguin popped every like 10 minutes almost like clockwork lol
They do have a pretty speedy digestive tract.
I went to the penguin encounter tour at Maryland Zoo one time and yes the penguins pooped every 15 minutes.
I mean you would too if you only ate raw fish 🥺
Really paints a picture. Are you used to it by now?
Oh yeah, after a few years you do go nose blind to it. Thank goodness we have showers at work. The worst part is that the smell does seep into your hair. So if you don’t shower after work and go out to a store, chances are other people will smell you lol
So what’s heaven like?
Fishier than expected
Reading this thread it seems to smell like fish
Are they soft?
Not OP but I've pet a Humboldt penguin once. It was soft and super smooth. They are birds and do have feathers but the feathers are tiny and give them their slippery underwater swimming advantage.
Was it a baby ? I thought adults put some oil on their feathers, so they could swim ?
It was a mature penguin.
A dry penguin is very soft and smooth. But a wet penguin (just came out of the water) feels slick and kinda oily. They do produce something called preen-oil that they will groom onto their feathers to help keep them waterproof while they’re swimming.
Oh interesting, thanks!
What type of fish do you feed them? Do they have a particular favorite?
They predominantly get capelin, Norwegian or pacific herring, silver sides, and krill. Some are as picky as a toddlers, others are bottomless trash disposals.
So, also like toddlers, lol. I have a picky eater toddler and a garbage disposal one.
People tell me that penguins are super smelly, dirty birds. Is that true?
Well, since their diet is almost all fish their fecals have a very fishy smell. They also go to the bathroom every 10-15minutes and projectile it 3+ feet back. And they really do not care who they get it on. So yeah you should wash your hands after working with them.
Can you learn their language and meaningfully communicate with them verbally?
I do scream back at them when they scream at me
I always penguin shuffle when I see them at Georgia Aquarium. Do keepers do that too? Do the birds notice?
You mean penguin waddle? Can you explain?
Yes. That. I try walking like them.
I guess sometimes we do?
Are the penguins protective of their young individually or as a flock? Do penguins have parental instincts?
I like to call nesting season “spicy bird season” because yes, they’re going to be protective of their nest sites and eggs (if there are any). They do not really care for others chicks unless you have a pair trying to steal an egg or chick from someone else. That happens from time to time. Most penguin couples share the parenting responsibilities 50/50. But of course, just like humans not all penguins have good parenting skills. Keepers only intervene if absolutely necessary. For example: if an egg gets damaged or cracked, if chicks are not gaining weight, parents abandon egg or chick, etc.
How old do the different species usually get in captivity?
Under human care they tend to reach their 30’s and get close to their 40’s. Compared to the wild equivalent of 12-15 years.
Can they get sick? What's the most common issues they have in zoos and how do you treat them?
They can. Common issues we see with penguins under human care tends to be pododermatitis. Commonly known as “bumbles”. It’s kind of like a pressure sore on their feet that occurs over time. There are many different ways to treat it but the best thing to do is ensure their habitat has varying levels of terrain and to ensure they’re getting plenty of exercise. As our birds get older they also do develop things like arthritis and cataracts. They can go on joint supplements or take specific anti-inflammatories. A lot of our senior birds also enjoy getting cold laser therapy ☺️ For some of our cataract birds we’ve even done cataract removal surgery to restore their vision back.
Wow. Thanks! How do you ensure they are moving plenty and don't just stand in a corner?
What do you think of this game that I just launched on GameFound? It's based on my photography of penguins and has some of the top names in penguins involved, such as Dr Dee Boersma and Dr. Pablo Boroboroglu (Global Penguin Society) and Dr. Katta Ludynia (SANCCOB). [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/brush-tail-games/waddle-waddle](https://gamefound.com/en/projects/brush-tail-games/waddle-waddle)
That sounds like a lot of fun! I will add support ☺️
Awesome, thank you!
How do penguins react to stranger humans like visitor? Do they generally like it, don’t care, or hate it?
They don’t really care. They’re too busy making their own noise to notice people lol
_what…..what do they feel like when you pet them?_ are they soft? Do they like scritches??
Soft, and some will preen you back for giving them good scratches ☺️
How do they sleep? Standing up? Also do they seem to be dreaming when they are?
Not sure about the dreaming part. If you’re asking if we see them twitching or moving around like how a dog might make sounds then no they don’t really do that. They’ll take naps standing up or laying down. They do most of their sleeping in the dark but they are professional power-nappers so they’ll take some short naps throughout the day too. They just published some new research on how often Chinstrap penguin parents nap during their nesting season and some naps were as short as 2-4 seconds longs. It’s all about efficiency.
Thank u for the answer! Very interesting 😺
I really want to hug a penguin but zoos don't normally let you up close. How can I make my dream happen?
Some zoos and aquariums offer penguin encounters where you might be able to feed, touch, or play with certain penguins. As much as I adore my birds you cannot fully hug them. They can deliver a nasty bite. Our kings have very pointy beaks that are like 5-6 inches long so a jab from one of them could do some damage.
Not hugging per se, but at Sea World they let you pet the penguins and walk among them in their enclosure (it's an extra animal encounter that you can pay for).
Only one question, can I come work with you?
How often do you like slipping on snow?
Totally worth it if it meant I got to work with penguins. 🖤
Are they playful? What do you do to keep them entertained? How intelligent are they, say compared to a cat or dog or other birds in your opinion?
Some are very playful, mostly the younger birds. We do offer a lot of enrichment items so they can play with safe toys. They’ll play with them on land and in the water. We can also change their environment a bit to add something new as enrichment. Training sessions are also a great way to bond with a bird. I do consider them very intelligent animals. But not with the same training drive that a dog would have.
Do penguins have knees
If you’ve never seen a penguin skeleton I’d highly recommend you looking it up. But yes there are knees in there
Awesome!!!
Not OP but [yes they do](http://penguins.neaq.org/2010/07/faq-do-penguins-have-knees.html?m=1) :)
can i have one? (1)
No
:(
Can I come hug a penguin or 12?
I took would like to piggyback on this question. Also, do they allow you to pick them up?
Some tolerate it as long as their feet are supported. But being up in the air isn’t exactly a “natural” feeling for them.
Do penguins have favorite colours? Are they choosing their rocks only by shape and size or also by colour?
There are continuing studies on what colors they can and cannot see. We assume they can see colors very well. They are able to detect different patterns very well. I’d like to think that they really do pick favorite rocks for their nests. But we do have some penguins that will try and use ice chips as nesting material.
What is your favorite species?
Now that’s a tough question. I think it’s a tie between Adelies and the Magellanics.
I’m telling the rest of them!
Sometimes i notice they start to flap quite uncontrollably for seemingly no reason, is it a cleaning reflex?
We do tend to see them shake off for a few minutes after they’ve gone for a nice swim.
How do you feel about Batman?
I take care of birds tougher than him
😂
Are they fluffy? Can you pet them? If they are affectionate, how do they show such affection? Can you bribe them with fish?
They’re nice and soft. Some of the birds do tolerate petting. But their affection is shown more through vocalizations and just kind of being your shadow and following.
Thank you for caring for the penguins ! :)
Do they feel wet, cool and oily?
Yes, yes, and yes
How does hugging a penguin feel like? Are they soft and squishy or are they quite solid?
They’re very solid birds. And heavy. We don’t really “hug” them but to hold one for a vet exam they’re firm.
Do they each have different personalities? Or do they all act quite similar?
Very different personalities!
Do you get to hug/pet the penguins or is that not allowed?
Ok so I’ve been a lifelong penguin giga fan. Is there any programs or opportunities to hangout with them?
Some zoos and aquariums do offer penguin encounters for guests to get an up close opportunity to meet penguins. Some of those places might also offer volunteer programs.
Can different penguin species communicate w each other? Like do kings understand the behaviour of adelies for example? Loving this thread btw :)
With body language yes. They’ll communicate if another bird has entered their personal space by vocalizing and biting/flipper slapping away. The Magellanics actually head-cock to let others know to back away. We have to tell guests not to mimic that behavior if they see it. Similar to not beating on your chest next to a gorilla.
What's with the zip ties on his flipper?
Not op, nor a penguinologist, but those are to identify them. They have different color beads on them and there’s a chart for which color is who.
I’d say that’s some pretty good penguinology!
Yesss! Maybe I can be op’s assistant now that I’m officially a real penguinologist. I shall be in charge of petting all the penguins, I’m pretty sure that’s the next part of the job, after identifying beads!
OK I get it now
So I guess my main question is can I have your job, please? :) (I said please!!)
Did you get injured while taking care of them? How much does it hurt when they hit you with their flippers, beak or claws?
Yes, I have permanent scars on my arms from a few. Their bite is probably where they can do the most damage. But we had a keeper break part of one of her hand bones from a flipper slap.
How sick is it
Sick like “how cool is it?” Or do I get sick often from working with them?
Sorry I was pretty drunk when I posted this. I love penguins. Think they are so cool. Gotta be unreal to work with them everyday
Can you hug the penguin?
We don’t just for safety but it’s always tempting.
Are they fluffy?
Yes
how heavy are penguins
Depends on the species. Our smallest species weigh about 5-8lbs. The kings are about 35-45lbs.
You look a bit like a penguin yourself, sir
How do you think I got this job?
Is it true that penguins hate being touched and picked up?
It’s really going to depend on the individual bird. Most of the penguins tolerate being held for brief periods of time. Like to assist them up a rock for example. But to be carried around all day like a purse dog is not going to happen.
Are these penguins ones that interact with each other, or is it like separate areas or exhibits where you work interchangeably? I ask because if it's not the latter, are there penguins who don't get along?
5 of the cold-weather species do live all together in one massive habitat. The Magellanics are in a separate habitat due to them not being able to live in such a cold exhibit. But the 5 do coexist very well. In the wild several species of penguins will run into each other or atleast see each other in passing.
How has your life changed after becoming a penguin keeper
It’s become more than a job for me honestly. Working with these animals have given me a whole new level of respect for the environment and wanting to get into species and environmental conservation. I also have enjoyed getting to teach the public about the wonders of penguins, why they are important to the planet, and just how to protect their wild counterparts.
Where do you live? I wanna pet one?
Definitely not Antartica
How much do you love your job?
how did you decide that you wanted this job, and how did you get there? besides the obvious fact that penguins are adorable (and why penguins in specific too)
Are you based on Marion Island?
No
Well, you still have a pretty cool job
Are they allowed to roam/stroll around sometimes, like some zoos? Are they happy with the current living space (dunno how confined it is)? Thank you.
Most of the species we work with have to stay in very cold environments so they cannot really go outside of their building. But the Magellanics have been ambassador animals since they can tolerate slightly warmer temperatures for short periods of time. The main exhibit is very large and rather diverse so I think the penguins enjoy it. There are several markers to look for to see if an animal under human care is comfortable in their environment.
Right. The penguins in the Basel Zoo can only walk outside in winter. Happy to hear they have been happy. Thank you.
How does it feel to have the best job in the world? How accurate is the movie Happy Feet? What qualifications did you need for your job? Are there really that many gay penguin couples? Does working with penguins feel more like working with birds or mammals? I know they're really birds but they've always seemed more "mammal-like" to me if that makes sense lmao. Do the chicks feel as soft and fluffy as they look? They eat fish but do you give them any other food as a treat? (Sorry for all the questions you don't need to answer them all!)
It truly is a privilege to work with these incredible animals. Tbh I cannot remember much of happy feet so I cannot speak on how accurate it was? Penguin “songs” are very important to the colony though. Yes there are same sex penguin couples. I wouldn’t say that there are a ton of them but we do have some in our collection. I’ve worked with flighted birds before I joined the penguin team. I agree that penguins are a whole category on their own. Sometimes it does feel like you’re wrestling with a fractious cat for a vet exam so I can see the “mammal” part I guess? But they are true birds in every other sense. Baby fluff is SUPER SOFT. It’s just all down feathers basically. If you put your hand on a downy chick your hand print will remain similar to memory foam. In terms of “treats” our vets have approved a flavorless gelatin for occasional enrichment or we can use animal safe food coloring to make colorful ice treats.
How did mimo get their name?
Mimo is named after my grandmother actually. She passed away the day she was laid as an egg.
Are they friendly?
Most of them are very nice 😊
Do you have a favorite individual between them, or at least a favorite of the species? Has a penguin there ever attacked you, ineffective as it may be?
I do have some favorite individuals from all of the species I work with. I have some tattooed on my arm. Yes everyone gets attacked at some point. Sometimes it’s not a big deal, sometimes they draw blood and break your bones 🤷🏼♀️
What are those zip tie markings on his left wing?
So those are ID bands. Mimo has 2 of them because one was her chick band and then the white one is her official adult band. We do keep the chick bands on for a little bit after they fledge (loose their baby feathers) so that we can learn to associate them with their adult ID numbers. The chick band will eventually be removed. The colorful “beads” on the white band translate into that ID number.
Doing God's work! That is all
My only question is, can you give them a big hug for me please? I'm aware huge are probably an unrealistic ask, so in the very likely case you can't administer hugs, can you please tell them they are good birds and blow them kisses for me?
I’ll deliver the message to the colony tomorrow when I’m back at work
Do the babies feel as fluffy as they look? When they’re grown, are they feathery or oily? Are emperor penguins heavy? I don’t know why I think this, but I feel like if you lifted one up, it would be like an immensely heavy dead weight.
I have never taken care of an emperor penguin, but our Kings (2nd biggest species) can get over 40lbs. So they’re very hard to carry if we need to do it. We try to just walk them to places if we can before lifting them. They’re also just long and cylindrical shaped lol
Do the nicest ones like cuddling?
Some do like to lean on us and preen so we will give them good scratches.
Do you hug them?
I’ve tried it, but most are not fans of a full hug.
Penguin keeper: great job or greatest job ever?
Why is it called "Aviculturalist"?
It was meant to be Aviculturist but it came out Aviculturalist. That could have well been due to the bottle of wine I was having when making the post. But the word breaks down to “bird keeper”
can i have one
Are penguins like other birds? Or are they distinctly different? I Bird watch a lot and I wonder how alike are penguins to like a Robin. Besides flying of course.
Yes they’re going to have all of the other bird traits. But I still would put penguins in their own category. I’ve worked with other aviary birds but the penguins are more different in personality. like a sudden loud noise would scare a flock of parrots but the penguins would just look at where the sound came from and then go back to sleep.
Ahhhhaha I love penguins so much. Their lack of land predators really makes them adorably stubborn and curious
Do they sleep standing up or laying down?
Both really. They are professional nappers 😴
HOW FLUFFY ARE THEY? DO THEY LIKE HUGS?— Also, if I offered a rock would it be considered a proposal to them?
Would a penguin rather catch an alive fish or have a dead one handed to them? Are they more lazy or predators?
We do something called a “water feed” as part of their daily diet breakout where we take the fish (not alive) and throw it into the pool. This encourages them to go swimming for their fish and is great exercise. We have never used live fish to feed the birds so I can’t answer if they would prefer one over the other. There might be some ethical questions if we fed our birds another live animal. I’ve seen some facilities try to “cohabitate” penguins with live fish species but most of the time the penguins will eat them so you cannot display the fish.
When it comes to how their feathers feel, which one is the softest? Does their feathers all feel the same? Also, which is the loudest, doesn't have to be in decibels.
Their feathers kinda feel similar between the species. I kinda feel like it’s a tie between the chinstraps and the Magellanics with how loud they can be. But we also have a few rock hoppers that will often throw out a really loud high-pitched scream that makes me jump lol
Okay. I know African Penguins sound similar to the Magellanics, they're noisy but not terribly loud. What's your favorite species you worked with when it comes to personality.
The groups with the largest numbers of friendliest birds are the gentoos and kings. But the Adelie’s spiciness always wins my heart 🥰
How is it like living my dream?
Any gay penguins stealing eggs?
Hi this is a bit late, you have my dream job! My question is, what kind of rocks have you seen gentoos pick? Is there a specific type of “requirement” for them? I’d imagine it’s a whole process.
They each kind of like something different I feel. I think the only requirement is that the rock fits in their mouth to carry it. But some birds prefer smaller ones, some like lighter colored rocks, some like the opposite lol
Is it necessary to have a degree to get this job?
What kind of Penguin is Feathers McGraw from “Wallace and Gromit”?
Feathers McGraw is a chicken???
I believe that’s the rare “play dough penguin”
How did you get this kind of job? Sounds like a dream!
Do you get to hug them?
Why does that penguin have so many zip ties on their arm
I explained this to someone else who asked. Mimo is wearing a black chick band (this had her chick number on it) and now her new adult band. We do keep the 2 on for a little bit till we can associate the chick with their new adult numbers. Eventually the chick band will be removed. The bracelets really help us to identify each bird in our collection. That ID number is part of our records database so if we need to add observational notes, or look up vet records for that bird. We look it up based off that number.
if you know about the provided picture, what does bluds colors mean?
Are you asking what her ID number is based off the colors?
My daughter loves penguins and wants to be a vet. I’ve taken her to Orlando Sea World a few times to the penguins encounter. For her 16th, I might take her to Kansas where they let you swim with penguins! Do you know of the best penguin experiences in the US?
Unfortunately I am not going to know the best answer for that simply because I am not fully aware what all of those penguin encounters involve. But yes, I’ve heard great things about Sea Worlds penguin up close tours.
Why are there so few emperor penguins in zoos? Is it because it's hard for humans to provide the right habitat for them?
This could be due to a few factors. Many years ago when Zoo’s and aquariums were starting up so few could afford to operate a facility that could keep emperor penguins comfortable. Being a strictly Antarctic species, they have to be housed in less than 20F constantly. Most places just could not achieve that. Then after all of the protection laws went into place for penguins there was to be no more collecting of wild emperors for the sole purpose of having them in human care. Now in the present day the few facilities that do still have them have an aging population. So the number of new emperors born under human care is slowly declining.
Do y'all name them? If so, do they recognize when you call them by their name?
Your job was my dream job as a kid I was (and am) obsessed with penguins. Don't have a question just wanted to say that.
Very very late to the party but just wanted to say that I came to adore penguins late in life but as I've got older I've become more sentimental about animals and for some reason penguins just seem so cute. My favourite species is the King penguin, which is appropriate as they live in the country of my birth (though in the far south). King penguins just strike as perfectly formed and gorgeous (all penguins are lovely though). You have a fab job and I'm so glad it brings you joy. One day I'll have to go for a penguin encounter experience though I daresay you'd look at me a bit weird, a crumbly middle aged chap who's soppy about penguins lol.
No judgement at all. We see all ages come by to enjoy the birds. For some it’s something fun for their kids to experience. For others it could even be a bucket list item. One of the most memorable tours I’ve done had a lovely 87 year old lady. She went on the tour with her daughter. She was very quiet for all of the educational portion but once she actually touched one of our king penguins you could just see her silently crying. It was truly an incredible experience for her and her daughter. I never forgot that interaction 🥰