Keeper Chat

Geoduck? More like geoyuck! (or geoyum ;) ) This abomination is the subject of many exasperated sighs, intermittent revulsion, and general body horror. Come learn about it, won't you?   We answer your questions like: Where the heck is this thing located so we can avoid it? Why on earth are people eating it and even more importantly why is it crunchy?? How is this a clam and how has the rest of Class Bivalvia not kicked it to the curb? What is broadcast spawning? And is this the by product of a geodude and golduck sin?    Mukbang if you dare.

Lil puffin boy! It is your time to shine. However, we are already onto your Illuminati ways. Did you know, there are three species of puffin?! All three are very cute, and possibly working to steal the declaration of independence.   Are puffins related to penguins? How do puffins feed their chicks? Where are puffin found? Does their body hold a lot of secrets? What do puffins have to do with monks? Can puffins use tools? Did you know there are puffins in Star Wars?

Time to get wild with the largest monkey in the world! This big beautiful primate is sporting the coolest makeup in town and is on that ultimate clown couture level. Beep beep!   Heads up, this intro is CHATTY. So don't be upset when we screech for the first 15 min :)   We answer questions like: What's the difference between mandrills and baboons? Was Rafiki a mandrill? What on EARTH is going on with their faces....and genitals? How can each of us mitigate deforestation and help the mandrill? and What did our favorite daddy, Charles Darwin, have to say about them?

If we don't pick your suggestion, try try again. It's 2021, it's worm time. Settle in and learn about a benthic worm that lives in some ocean somewhere.   How many eyes do bobbit worms have? How big can they get, and how do you even verify that anyway? How do they make love? Is it creepy? What came first, rainbow road, or bobbit worms? How does the bobbit worm eat? Will it eat off my leg? What does this animal have to do with an assault case of the 90s?

What better animal to discuss in the dead of winter, than the Snowy owl? This feathered friend thrives in the cold tundra and can teach us a few things about being *cool*   Throw on a parka and learn answers to questions such as: How does the snowy owl's visual acuity compare to humans? What is kleptoparasitism? How do they stay warm in such frigid temperatures? What are owl pellets and do they make nice presents? and When will Hedwig get the justice she deserves?

It's December, and we have BIG life changing news! Woohoo! But let's also talk icy cold animals, baby! This guy is very strange. Think Pennywise the clown meets a seal.   We learn a ton about the hooded seal including: Where are hooded seals found? What is the hood part of the seal? Is this a seal or a sea lion? Do they believe in God? What is going on with the lactation in this thing? How long can a hooded seal hold it's breath?

Whoa-oh here he comes, watch out boy he'll chew you up! Whoa-oh here he comes, he's a mouse-eater! This episode is all about the Kowari, a small Australia marsupial who will keep you guessing.   We answer questions like: Why do Australian marsupials constantly throw us for a loop? How are the shape of his teeth conducive to a carnivorous diet? Is it pronounced gif or jif??  How big is he in relation to a school bus? And is this unit of measurement even remotely helpful? 

Is he your Crawdaddy or your Crawpappy? Tune in to find out about this little decapod who can have a bunch of different jobs!   We talk about all the names for crawfish. Where are they found? Where do yabby come in? Does a crayfish need water to breath? Would a crawdad be able to tell you if your beer sucks? What kind of things do mudbugs taste good with?

Welcome to another Quick & Dirty, where we answer listened-submitted questions and use our combined brain cell to try our very best to provide a single ounce of wisdom! This week, we help a listener find ways to improve their resume during a global pandemic and answer some wild Would You Rathers. Everyone whip your resumes and get ready for some *~*professional*~* development. We answer: Do you guys have any advice for college students on how to continue to gain experience while COVID is going on and I can't volunteer or do any internships? Are there any courses, conferences, or certifications that would help give me an edge on a resume?

Hello! Happy Turkey Day week. Please fist all your turkeys responsibly. Join us as we learn about Daddy Darwin's mid-life crisis, the platypus. What is GOING on???   We learn about things like: Where are platypus found? Why are they so strange? What kind of mammal is a platypus? Do they have an acceptable number of teats? Does anyone even know what a mole feels like? Are platypus venomous? If I twerk will they be able to find me?

Ready to ignite your loins? This week is all about the Red fox, and...we weren't ready.   We answer your burning questions like: What is a supracaudal gland and why are animals always wiping it on stuff? Would a fox be a good roommate or would they just piss in the fridge? What is a copulatory tie? Why are foxes so prevalent throughout history? and Why are they so dang sexy??   Get ready for a sexual awakening, furrriends.

We discuss this large, kinda boring, antelope! Come hang out with us before we knew the results of the election and were still kinda losing our actual minds!   We talk bongo facts which includes: How many teats should a human have. Do bongo have white chocolate drizzle? Are bongo craving the mineral? What even is an antelope.

We all need more squishy cuteness in our lives, and who better to provide this than the dumbo octopus! With big ears, big eyes, and a squat bean bod, he is the ideal specimen.   We learn answers to questions like: How did the dumbo octopus get its name? Is a kidney stone actually just a tooth? Why doesn't the dumbo octopus have a ink sac? Why does grimpoteuthis slap so hard? And will Avril Lavigne ever be a guest on our show? (YES PLEASE)

Thanks Ethan and Max for this wonderful question. How do you cope with switching back and forth between internships and college? Sorry you assumed we can cope with anything, but thanks for writing in! If you have questions for your fav duo just shoot an email to keeperchat@gmail.com  

Spooky month continues with the man, the fish, the weapon. This week we learn all about the sawfish!    Learn answers to burning questions, such as: What the heck are ampullae of Lorenzini and what the double heck do they have to do with the sawfish? What's going on with that knife on his face? How does being a euryhaline species allow the sawfish to live all over the world? Which came first, the sawfish or the saw? And what would you do with a saw strapped to your face? We also include a Flora & Fauna certified handy safety how-to guide for putting things up your butt. Hold on to your dermal denticles and enjoy!

A bird with a beard! A bird who takes baths! A bird with cool stomach acid! Come learn about a neat species of vulture with us.   We chat about things like: Where does the bearded vulture live? Has it ever killed a man? Where does it get its name? What exactly does the bearded vulture eat and why is it a spooky Halloween boy? How much money do I need to make to qualify a purchase of my own crag? Are bearded vulture really red in color?

Welcome to another Quick & Dirty, where it's time for more advice from your friendly neighborhood idiots! This week we discuss self-confidence in the field and working with varied feedback, as well as the difference in perception of interns and seasonal keepers. We also gush over ambassador animal keepers, the most powerful, friendly, and charismatic keepers out there! And as always, we answer Would You Rathers from our listeners, but this time they are spoooooooky!! Ooooooooo   p.s. as always our cats are VOCAL and PRESENT. We are SORRY.   We answer: - How to deal with different feedback from different facilities and how to take more initiative, bolster your self-confidence, and demonstrate maturity in the field? - What are our thoughts on ambassador animal keepers and why do we think these keepers are often looked down upon?

Shark boy! Does he have stripes like a zebra? Yes and no, but mostly no. But also, yes. Join us and listen to the rants and raves of your fav duo. We have a weird surprise in store so please tune in to learn more. We chat about things like: Where are zebra sharks found? What do they look like, what do they eat, what do they want to be when they grow up? Do they have facial hair? Are they solitary or not? Do they go to that one shark rave every year? Are men obsolete?

Wrinkles? Yes. Naked? Yes. Kind of unnerving? Oh yes. This week we learn about the naked mole rat! An underground rodent that holds the secret to the fountain of youth, but is it worth it??   We answer questions like: What is eusociality and how does it function? Are they a mole and/or a rat? What American girl dolls would Flora and Fauna be? Just how much body horror is involved in this episode? WHY are naked mole rats resistant to poison and cancer damage?? And how well can you naked mole rap?

Seabiscuit! We chat about the equine of the sea. It isn't a sea or a horse, so what is it? Just take five seconds to look at a seahorse swim and tell me this is a real, normal, acceptable thing?!? They are cryptids. We answer things like: How fast can a seahorse swim? Do male seahorses *really* give birth? Are seahorses monogamous and what's up with their courtship? Can we relate this back to Danny Devito? What does the human brain have to do with all of this?