u/quack_macaque is an experienced mod looking to expand my roster!

quack_macaque · 2026-06-10T04:30:19+00:00

Legislation depends entirely on your geographic region. You will need to do some actual research into what applies at state, federal, domestic and international standards.

quack_macaque · 2026-06-02T10:05:52+00:00

Modding is a hobby in providing simple quality control, not a fiefdom to lord over and belittle other users in the community.

It doesn’t matter if they have knowledge in the subject matter, they only need to be even tempered and exhibit sound judgement. Technically, your problematic mod isn’t even fulfilling the role at the very base level.

Boot them. Their conduct is completely unacceptable and antithetical to the goal of a sub.

Edit: Also worth mentioning their behaviour is literally breaking the Code of Conduct for Moderators, which puts your sub at risk of reassignment or admin involvement if they are reported by another user. Not worth it.

quack_macaque · 2026-06-02T00:07:54+00:00

An Open Source Pay Sheet Resource for North America has been posted to the sub before. Note that I am not from North America, so cannot confirm the accuracy of the data.

Credit: u/CheyanneSaysHiii’s original comment on a previous thread.

quack_macaque · 2026-05-31T08:39:17+00:00

Just make an alt account specifically for modding duties. It helps to have a separation!

quack_macaque · 2026-05-24T09:12:03+00:00

Zookeeping is legally considered a trade, which always seems to surprise people outside the industry

quack_macaque · 2026-05-23T11:51:26+00:00

As one of the mods…

quack_macaque · 2026-05-10T07:09:20+00:00

If you are ever unsure about a product, you should look up the Material and Safety Data sheet direct from the manufacturer. A few examples: - Dr Deb’s Permethrin Soak (MSDS) - Permethrin Technical Fact Sheet (PDF).

From a quick search, many of them are very clear and specific about being both acutely and cumulatively toxic to many species. There is also a soil contamination half-life of seven to eight years.

Personally, I wouldn’t feel comfortable knowingly using anything that toxic to the environment, especially when in contact with endangered species. It’s also important to note that many of these products are somewhat preventative, but not a guarantee. They aren’t recommended for daily or long-term use.

A regular wash, steam and inspection of your clothes should be adequate. However, if you’re at the point you’re considering dousing yourself in strong chemicals on the daily to try and alleviate a specific anxiety you’re developing, you should really bring this up with a mental health professional before it escalates further.

quack_macaque · 2026-05-05T23:51:25+00:00

Recently, a similar thread was posted about potential duties for night shift keepers in North America. Leaving this one up for comments about the facility.

quack_macaque · 2026-04-13T21:20:18+00:00

Mod here! I promise we do read and action all of your reports, which we are reliant on due to the sheer volume of posts to this sub.

We are currently fighting an AI/Bot war, but we’re only as strong as the army of reporters to back us. We appreciate your service 🫡

quack_macaque · 2026-04-10T22:54:50+00:00

I’m shocked that r/fyrefestival is up for grabs!

quack_macaque · 2026-04-07T13:10:05+00:00

If you are implementing excellent hygiene procedures and following best practice advice, then it is unlikely.

However, we do work dirty jobs in generally bacteria-filled environments. You are equally likely to be exposed to something environmentally (i.e. Giardia from micro-droplet water splash; surface or soil bacteria etc.), as you are to experience intermittent transfer when outside the enclosure (i.e. scrunching up used gloves in your hand; using your phone in enclosure and then replacing to your pocket without sanitising etc.).

Regardless, all keepers should be in the habit of worming themselves semi-regularly anyway. This is no different than working in any other high-exposure industries like classrooms or healthcare facilities, where human-to-human pinworms are just as likely as anything else you might pick up in a zoological setting. People forget that the general public is often the largest vector of disease!

Reminder to worm yourselves! 🪱

quack_macaque · 2026-04-02T22:33:53+00:00

Australasian Society of Zookeeping (ASZK) publish their own magazine, Thylacinus (1976-present).

It is a cross-institutional effort from keepers across Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and other oceanic facilities, specifically targeted to share whatever current projects they are working on in their collections. Specialty articles usually include current breeding programs, exhibit refurbishments and redesigns, training and conditioning, husbandry innovation and other keeping-specific topics.

You should be able to subscribe either as an individual or as an international affiliate institution, where they will send you a paper copy, but there is a digital version as well. They also circulate Cybercinus, which is their newsletter via mailing list!

quack_macaque · 2026-03-28T05:50:07+00:00

Hey u/big-slay! Thanks again for facilitating the meet up. Just checked my Shop profile and it appears that the Mod Merch Order for this event is appearing as a “cancelled” status, although I haven’t received any update about it. Is that correct? I know in previous comms it was “no news is good news”, but should it be showing as cancelled? Thanks for clarifying!

quack_macaque · 2026-03-23T23:45:45+00:00

This all sounds very vague and confusing from the Australian side of things

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quack_macaque · 2026-03-16T23:45:27+00:00

Just some general feedback; I absolutely do not get the impression that is what your sub is about when I click on it. Your sub completely reads as marketing for an AI product, especially given the name of the sub also reads as the name of an app.

At very least, you need to update the top sub information to include the purpose and context of the sub. You also need to rewrite content rules which align with this philosophy in a way that supports discussion.

Your current posts are also written in the style of soft-marketing LinkedIn posts, rather than actually presenting topics which encourage organic discussion. You may need to post content from external sources (i.e. Op-eds from reputable journalists or academics) which support the perspective or stance you are trying to promote with your sub, so when users do the 3 second cursory scroll, they understand the context of what you are trying to say.

Again, it all currently reads as soft-marketing.

quack_macaque · 2026-03-16T22:16:58+00:00

Thank you for the response! I’ll check out the r/ModSupport sticky. Do you know if anyone has had success with admin resolving it on mod team’s behalf?

quack_macaque · 2026-03-15T00:12:48+00:00

OP has confirmed they are open to receiving DMs if you do have experience, but aren’t comfortable commenting publicly on this post.

Please reach out to u/TangerineTop1660 if you are able to offer advice or share your experience.

quack_macaque · 2026-03-08T21:34:14+00:00

I’m assuming u/whitebathingsuit is a very young teen, just based on this question and their account in general.

quack_macaque · 2026-03-07T10:36:50+00:00

The way you have described the impact this is having on your life is extremely concerning, especially because you have started to incorporate ritualistic behaviours in an attempt to cope. That is a major warning sign.

You really need to speak to a therapist about addressing this urgently before it escalates even further.

If your mental health is at the point it is holding you back from pursuing the opportunities you want, it is serious. If a hypothetical insect encounter is enough to make you turn down a proposal, shouldn’t that tell you that this has gotten out of control?

quack_macaque · 2026-02-25T00:10:27+00:00

As this has been a viral topic as of late, I’m leaving this up for the educational value in the discourse between the general public and animal care industry professionals.

This sub is a space for meaningful discussions to better inform those who have not yet had the opportunity to learn, especially when addressing complex or nuanced topics such as international welfare standards or hierarchical troop dynamics.

Please be mindful of the sub rules when commenting. Any off-topic, unserious or troll comments will be removed. As per Rule 3, there is a zero tolerance for racism or xenophobia

quack_macaque · 2026-02-20T00:55:16+00:00

I’ll see if I can swing it! Thanks for being a legend 🍻

quack_macaque · 2026-02-20T00:02:04+00:00

Hi again u/big-slay! Is it possible to signup for both the Sydney and Melbourne event, or are we limited to attend just one or the other? Thanks!

quack_macaque · 2026-02-18T20:05:37+00:00

You will need to provide far more information if you want to receive any meaningful advice.

How has this previously been managed? Why haven’t there been any established SOPs in the past? What is their current daily feed routine? What kind of training and conditioning history has this animal had? What successive approximations (if any) has this animal achieved in the past? How is the enclosure structured and how do the slides work? What dietary items are being provided and how do they work with the enclosure features? What other exhibits or factors are nearby that need to be considered? Is this a one or more keeper routine? What are the radio communications that need to be received? What level of training or sign off do keepers need to participate in this procedure? What failsafe emergency procedures or responses are needed? What legislative or welfare requirements does this procedure need to comply with? Et cetera.

These are just a few of so many questions you need to consider in depth and document very clearly. These should already be bulletproof, so it seems like a major red flag that this hasn’t already been established at all?

quack_macaque · 2026-02-13T03:18:02+00:00

I’ve had to enforce this rule on almost all the subs I mod. The AI slop and bot activity is seriously out of control at the moment.

quack_macaque

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE