Discover Amazonia is a temperature controlled tropical house hidden behind M and D’s theme park in Motherwell, Scotland. It’s not huge, but it’s nice and warm and out of the rain, which is a bonus for any experience days in Scotland.

It’s home to over 70 different species and runs 2 experience days – Keeper for a day (age 12+) and Junior keeper experience (age 8-11). The adult experience is pretty intense because it lasts from 10am til 5.30am, but it gives you a good insight into what it’s like being a zookeeper – they don’t spend all day cuddling the animals, as much as we wish they did.

Zookeeper experiences are always subject to change, but here’s a guide to the sort of thing you’ll be doing:

• Meet the keepers, receive your uniform and have your induction of Amazonia
• Start mucking out with zoo keeper duties including feeding the bats and monkeys
• Continue mucking out and preparing animal feeds
• Help out with an animal handling session
• Make an enrichment feeder for an animal of your choice
• Feed a combination of birds, snakes, tarantulas, frogs, fish etc.
• Feed the monkeys and give your enrichment feeder to your chosen animal
• Watering Amazonia’s gardens
• Clean and feed animals in the handling room and get a photo

As we said, it’s a long day compared to other zookeeper for a day experiences, so you certainly get your money’s worth!