Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on everyone’s least favorite byproduct of loving animals: their poop. Every animal lover (and most parents) know the weird joy the sight of poop can bring under certain circumstances. By learning to “read” an animal’s poop, animal care professionals can elevate their husbandry to the next level. And by learning to clean it more efficiently, they can give themselves more time in their day for the fun stuff.
In this class, students will discover the techniques for telling if an animal’s poop is healthy, or might be a sign of something concerning. They’ll also learn strategies for cleaning up the poop of common animals effectively, and lastly, what to do with it all at the end. Manure management can be tricky, but taking this class will teach you the tricks of the trade you’ll need to know. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. A guest lecturer may teach portions of the class. This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. An animal may participate for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Scoop on Poop credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $40 per participant for 2-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions.
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Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on the basics of medical care and wound management for animals.
In this class, students will discover the techniques they can use to manage wounds and injuries, and administer medications to the animals in their care. As zookeepers, we must always trust the experience and direction of the veterinarians we partner with, but the daily management of our animals’ health ultimately becomes ours. By leveraging the relationship we have with the animals in our care, we can solve medical problems more safely and with less stress, allowing them to heal more quickly. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. A guest lecturer may teach portions of the class. This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. An animal may participate for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Medical Basics: Wound Care and Medicine Administration credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $50 per participant for 2-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on reducing personal risks while working with animals. No animal is completely safe, and every day on the job opens zookeepers up to personal risks, from disease to injury. We’ve all heard of the keepers that have gotten injured or worse because they forgot to latch a gate, or lock a lock. Don’t let that keeper be you.
In this class, you will learn common pitfalls and personal techniques to keep yourself, your animals, and your coworkers safer. While there is never any guarantee of complete safety, small changes to personal habits can mean the difference between an average day at work and an awful one. By forming good habits now, you will prepare yourself for a career of safe choices. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. An animal may participate for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Safety and Risk Reduction credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $40 per participant for 1.5-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on keeping zoo animals safe from illness by practicing good biosecurity.
In this class, students will learn the importance of biosecurity, with examples from real-life situations, as well as the theory behind biosecurity, healthy habits for everyday living, and basic techniques for keeping their collection animals safe. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. All participants will qualify for the Biosecurity credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $40 per participant for 1.5-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on building safe, naturalistic, and enriching enclosures for animals.
In this class, students will learn how to take an animal’s natural history into account when considering enclosure design, using natural behaviors as inspiration for everything from resting areas to dish placement. Students will be randomly assigned a species to design an enclosure for, along with problems to solve along the way. By the end of this course, students will be prepared with the foundation to design and build enclosures for any species. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. This is a two-part, live demonstration and lecture class, with a take home assignment that students will present to the class in the second meeting. An animal may participate in the first meeting for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Enclosure Design credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $60 per participant for 2, 2-hour classes. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on the most important aspect of a zoo animal’s mental well-being: enrichment. Multiple studies have shown enrichment is a key factor in the overall health of zoo animals. By offering them the opportunity to engage their brains, enrichment can be fun not only for the charges in your care, but you, too.
In this class, students will learn the basics of animal enrichment and participate in creating enrichment for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch’s animal ambassadors. From training to food foraging toys to large cardboard prey to hunt, enrichment is anything that stimulates an animal’s mind. It can also be as simple as social interactions with other animals, both of the same and other species, or their keepers. By learning how to view enrichment from a naturalistic point of view, students will be prepared to create fun and enriching activities for every species in their care. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. This is a live demonstration and lecture class. An animal may participate for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Enrichment: Thinking Inside the Box credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $40 per participant for 2-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on animal nutrition and diet preparation. Whether you’re caring for exhibit animals or training them, diet prep will be one of the most consuming aspects of your job. Diet not only forms the foundation of an animal’s health, it also offers opportunities for enrichment, training, and can even impact hormones.
In this class, students will learn the basics of animal diet preparation, from core USDA regulations to good food safety practices, from animal health concerns to the dos and don’ts of various species and groups. Students will learn how to prepare diets efficiently, whether produce, meat, or fish, as well as common mistakes to avoid. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. All participants will qualify for the Nutrition and Diet Preparation Overview credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $40 per participant for 2-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on the basics of caring for reptiles. As diverse as birds, every species of reptile requires specialized knowledge for enclosure design, handling, diet, and even simple details, such as access to water.
In this class, students will learn to navigate the intricacies of reptile care. By learning the basics of enclosure requirements, safe temperature control, species-specific diets, handling, and husbandry, students will leave this course prepared with a foundation that will let them easily step into the care of reptiles. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. An animal may participate for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Basics of Animal Husbandry: Reptiles credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $40 per participant for 2-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on the basics of caring for horses. These large mammals are not easy, but learning to care for them effectively will prepare students for either a career in the equine industry, or a career working with large, wild herbivores, such as giraffes, rhinos, and elephants.
In this class, students will learn a brief overview of the natural history of horses, along with the basics of horse husbandry, including common illnesses and signs to watch for, enclosure safety concerns, and moving safely around horses. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. An animal may participate for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Basics of Animal Husbandry: Horses credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $40 per participant for 2-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. Presented by Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care Academy, this segment of our Animal Care series of clinics and classes will focus on the basics of caring for birds. Though birds come in all different shapes and sizes, and have species-specific needs, the commonalities they share will offer a baseline from which students can branch out and specialize.
In this class, students will learn a brief overview of the natural history of birds, the orders and families in the class, and the similarities they all share. They’ll learn the basics of bird husbandry, including common illnesses and signs to watch for, enclosure safety concerns, dealing with breeding behavior, and avian maintenance. This course is taught by ranch owner Lessa Ritzma, whose previous career credits include zookeeper, informal science educator, and exotic animal trainer performing in animal shows, along with over twenty years of horse experience. This is a hands-off, live demonstration and lecture class. An animal may participate for demonstration purposes. All participants will qualify for the Basics of Animal Husbandry: Birds credit for Iron Oak Canyon Ranch's Animal Care certificate. The Animal Care certificate core courses must be taken in order, with the exception of the Basics of Husbandry courses, which may be taken at any time. $40 per participant for 2-hour class. Limit 15 participants. Weather permitting. Message us to sign up or ask questions. |