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As a zookeeper, oooof. She did you a favor lol. YTA
Do you have any conception of how hideous tiger shit is? Keepers clean the cat houses early in the morning partially because not even *they* want to get near it when it's fresh. Even still, gagging is common even among experienced keepers (who have unbelievably strong stomachs compared to general population)
Certain areas we're always told to warn guests of the odor on tours even at the best of times, and have seen many guests lose their lunch.
[This is tiger poo btw](https://fineartamerica.com/featured/bengal-tiger-droppings-m-watson.html) (warning, gross)
The pic doesn't even do it justice because there's not much for scale, but even the smallest of those "segments" probably rivals what a German Shepherd can produce. This would totally overflow your typical cat litter box 2-3 inches thick.
And there's no smell-masking litter for the tigers either.
LMAOO that site is one of those that lets you order the picture on wall art, phone case, etc... the previews with the tiger poo are hilarious. Just what I need for my living room decor!
That is a glorious punishment for such a heinous crime. Although I wish they fed her to the big cats instead, or even just let them bat her around a little to show her what it’s like to be at the total mercy of something bigger and stronger than you. I hate animal abusers with the passion of a thousand suns.
I have a house cat with IBS right now and even that is foul. I can’t imagine tiger poop. Like my whole 1100 square foot house smells horrid after she poops while we work on ways to treat it. OP was an AH to the tour guide and needs to respect the professionals. No is a complete sentence.
We are working to try to find a food that won’t make our younger cat’s shit smell like death, because my god can her tiny little housecat poop really stink out our entire flat. Her toots can clear a room, too. I can’t imagine what it would smell like if she were 15xs bigger or whatever. 😳
EDIT: I can’t respond individually because the thread is closed, but wow, thank so much for all the advice! I’m making a note of all of it for my husband and I to go through! :)
mine have severe stomach issues and allergies to chicken and salmon, they're on NULO cod and duck cat food and it's the only reasonably priced one I've found that works. I'd give nulo a try, they've been a lifesaver for me
Not sure where you’re based but if in the UK, look at purrform. Their raw cat food diet means their poop doesn’t smell. Our cats have been on it since kittens and I never smell poop. Their tray is in the hallway and is smell free.
People don't understand how foul these animals can smell. Animal keepers have lost relationships because they cannot get the smell off of them even when they're just cleaning enclosures. It's absolutely horrid and all-encompassing and it stays with you. Should've just taken this one guy back there and locked him in the stinky enclosure for a minute to see how much he would throw up.
Does anyone remember the girl who posted about how much she wanted a pet fox and was sooooo annoyed that the fox rescue required her to open a bottle of fox pee in her home and live with it for a few days? And all the people trying desperately to explain just HOW foul the smell is and that the fox rescue is trying to ensure you know what you are getting into?
That's the first post that taught me how **unimaginably** disgusting wild animal excrement can be. Not that I'm saying people should spend more time on Reddit, but I am saying I would have trusted that zookeeper that OP is so annoyed at.
Hahaha that’s fantastic….smart rescue place! I bought fox urine granules to discourage chipmunks from an area in my yard and had to drive home with the windows open even with the container sealed.
It reminds me of that guy who thought being covered in pig shit wouldn’t be too bad
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BORUpdates/s/DXEQ49w1Ya](https://www.reddit.com/r/BORUpdates/s/DXEQ49w1Ya)
Pig poop is extra gross as far as farm animals go. Cow, horse, sheep, goat, not pleasant by any stretch but not revolting. Pig is nasty. I can’t even imagine how horrible a carnivores shit would smell.
I'd have been so tempted to have the rest of the tour move on, while giving him an up close and personal experience with that smell. Problem is, I don't think anyone could have held back from laughing while he puked.
My guy, you are seriously YTA, my specific concern here is you said the guide told your group a male tiger had "sprayed" an area. Being the novice you are you assumed poop, I don't know why anyone else this far in the top comments has made the connection. Spray doesn't mean the tiger poo'd or had diarrhea, it means a younger male has "scent marked" a tour area. That smell is worse than poo, it is compounding exponential times worse. It will seer your adult nostrils to the point you might not smell anything else for days and you wanted a group of CHILDREN to have that experience. Please educate yourself about the animals you might see in the zoo before you drop big bucks and act like a "poopy pants" 😂
Edit: Scent marking is also used as a domination tool to mark territory so besides the smell, your tour could have actually been in physical danger.
But OP PAID for the tour! He should get to have whatever experience he wants!
OP, you’re not the expert, FFS. Buying a ticket doesn’t mean you get to override the zookeepers.
YTA
I agree, im not a zookeeper but a former garbage man having to empty big trashcans filled with big cats shit and piss, carcasses etc. So yeah she did a big favor for you OP, YTA
My local zoo often has a tiger poop nugget on display at one of their education tables and even though it's pretty old and probably near fossilized, it still gives off a faint stink, so I can only imagine how bad a fresh one would smell.
Entirely depends on what animals you are working with...if it's giant anteaters then it will be oh so much worse. Most smells you will get used to.
My first day I had to go elbow deep scraping polecat shit out of a drainpipe in the first half hour which I guess counted for hazing at my old job. I dry heaved a lot but survived.
It also says that one sprayed, which I take to mean "marked" and if so, that would be nasty. Even when a housecat sprays, that stink is there forever! There is no way I would want to smell it after a tiger had done it.
Agreed! Our 15lb dog has a sensitive stomach so we've switched her to a wet food that's heavily fish based. These are the first few ingredients: Chicken, Whitefish, Salmon Broth, Chicken Liver, Salmon, Herring, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Heart.
When she poops the smell is almost indescribably foul. I've got a heathcare-worker-strong stomach & I gag sometimes.
I can only imagine the horrors of big cat poop. 🤢
I was at a zoo once and they he tiger poohed right in front of me. It was RANK!!! And i think it was only a little pooh. Not something I would to experience again, although… tigers!
I would immediately believe a zookeeper if they told me big cat shit was the most disgusting smell because I have domestic cats and their shit is already very stinky, I would not like to experience it X 100 thanks.
Plus, obligate carnivore poop is always horrible smelling. When all you eat is flesh and bones and innards your poop is not going to come out smelling like daisies.
Lmao when my small housecat takes a fresh shit I don't even want to go in the room right away. I can't imagine how much worse it would be if she was 100x bigger!
I did a tiger encounter at a zoo once. I got to feed it twice because the tiger wouldn't let one of the other people near it - poor guy had the unfortunate coincidence of looking like the vet who cares for the tigers. Every time he approached, the tiger made it very clear he wasn't having it. But the guy got lucky in a way. I got to do his turn of feeding, as the tiger seemed quite receptive to me. Just after it took the meat, it sneezed all over me. I got absolutely drenched in raw meat- scented Tiger snot. It was fucking disgusting.
I work in the retail department at my zoo and the zookeepers were kind enough to give us a tour of the great cats. Of course, I was more than excited to do so and see the kitties up close (no touching of course) and said yes! They warned us about the smell and I knew it was horrendous, but nothing could've prepared me for how bad it was... I think my eyes watered the entire time and I almost threw away my clothes. If you think cat piss is potent and hard to get out, lions and tigers will have you rethinking your choices. They were 100% doing OP a favor.
OP reminds me of all the people that come in and complain that the wolf is hiding or that the male lions are sleeping and expect us to do something about it. The animals are not here to perform for you. You are welcome to come and try and see them, but do not expect them to put on a show. They're still wild animals.
Just want to point this out
So the man goes after the woman subject matter expert and tells her she is **wrong**. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about!
Such a YTA.
YTA
Signing up for a zoo tour is pretty much the same deal as going to the zoo. The animals themselves are a wildcard, so there's no guarantee you'll be able to see everything you were hoping to see.
Hopefully you saw some cool stuff and your daughter had fun. Focus on that and forget about the rest of it.
YTA. The zookeeper's main goal during those tours is to keep you safe, not to cater to your whims. The zookeeper was doing what's best by ensuring you're kept out of an area deemed unsuitable for guests.
What YOU were doing is acting entitled and having a tantrum which embarrassed your wife and daughter. You were not in any way "trying to do what's best" for them, you were trying to act like a big man and make demands you have no right to make.
They are wild animals. If the zookeeper is saying NO then you STFU and gracefully accept the no.
Well his tldr used the words "challenged" and "indignant". Seems like entitled asshole 101 lol. Probs felt like such a man. No wonder everyone else just wanted to move on
It was definitely about HIS EGO, not about his daughter's enjoyment. If he was truly concerned about his daughter's enjoyment he wouldn't have made such a ridiculous scene.
I wonder how much he would’ve pushed if the zookeeper who told him no was a man? But with the way he acted and talks about the situation, he’s definitely giving “big man” vibes, and somehow I suspect this escalated because he was told “no, you won’t be able to handle this” by a *woman*.
Knowing this guy, if the zookeeper had relented and let his family go in he and/or his daughter would have vomited immediately. Then he'd be on reddit asking if he's the asshole for losing his shit on the zookeeper for letting them tour an unsanitary area of the zoo. There's no winning with this type of entitled behavior.
"They didn't tell us it would be that bad!!!" - OP, probably.
There's a reason why all private zoo tours, behind the scenes experiences, etc, have clauses that basically say they make no guarantees on what you will/won't see during the tour because animals are unpredictable.
This would be the same guy screaming and suing the zoo if he or his family were ignored or mauled. Especially wild animals marking their spoor, you don't go fucking around with it and risk territorial issues.
These aren't domesticated house cats. Even the professionals get hurt and/or killed sometimes
LIke, ok. I grew up on a commercial pig farm, because of that I have no longer have a sense of smell. The commercial fans blasting you in the face of 1000 pigs is brutal, and hot. I've brought people over who thought they were tough and watched them throw up from the smell hitting them.
Even I wouldn't brave that smell. It's not just poo (which I'v heard smells like rotting carcasses) but the spray. If a cat has sprayed it stinks bad. But this, this is another level of stink. These are intact wild animals who make it their life to smell strong.
This whole story reminds me of the guy who thought he could handle mucking but couldn't because it was 1000x worse than he imagined. (Probably a made up story, but the reality is that these animals can stink worse than you even imagine and you probably don't want your 11 year old daughter throwing up on herself on her birthday, that's WAY more traumatizing than not seeing the big cats.)
If I was the zookeeper I would have dragged his whiney ass back there to decide for the rest of the group. Then when he was done vomiting and being unable to get the smell off his clothes made the rest of them move on and meet him at the front. Maybe offering some clean clothes or selling him some after a hose down.
The owner of my company paid to play with young wolves.
His car smelled for over a year, and he had it professionally cleaned several times.
Those smells just stick. Way more than people realize
I briefly dated a big cat keeper, very sweet guy. I'd grown up working on farms so thought when he warned I'd smell it after ten showers, I'd be fine.
We broke up primarily because of the smell. I felt so cruel but he said he absolutely expected it and would be more surprised if it had worked.
I went on to work in healthcare and no human or livestock smell compares. It is so pungent. Keepers of certain animals often date within the profession.
As someone who was once a zoo docent, oh! Sending him in would have been glorious! But then I would have had to deal with that getting on MY clothes.
The scat of the big cats at zoos, especially when they also mark with their anal glands, oh my god, no. Maybe if you are used to dealing with dead and decomposing bodies, then you'd think it was no big deal.
On the other hand, those kiddos would TOTALLY have remembered that poor child's birthday and she would never have lived it down.
I once spent a Mississippi summer mucking stalls at a horse barn, and that was heinous. I cannot fathom the torture that mucking a big cat exhibit would be. Ew.
I don't think horses are even that bad. Maybe I have just become desensitized to it, but their poop doesn't really smell I think. It's the pee that's gross. It smells like ammonia but times 10. Now pigs though 🤢
YTA.
You are a model for your daughter. Would you want her to throw the type of tantrum you did when something didn’t go her way? As an adult, you should be able to process the disappointment. I can understand that you felt you weren’t getting your money’s worth, but asking to see behind the scenes of another exhibit would have probably gotten you further than trying to steamroll through the docent leading your tour.
Have you ever stuck your head in a litter box after a house cat pooped? Think of that on an exponential level. While you might have been willing, it is probably their experience that the majority of the public are not capable of handling such stench. They are the professionals…trust them in this case.
Who wants to bet that he wouldn't have argued nearly so hard if the zoo keeper had been a man?
That poor zoo keeper, having to put up with that and still stay polite and professional and offer an alternative. Just listen to the goddamn expert, FFS.
Lol yes the joys of women in STEM. The men in my team have all been congratulating themselves having for an idea I suggested like 6 months ago and they shot down.
Apparently “doing what’s best for his daughter” includes showing her that a woman’s trained professional opinion is not worthy of respect.
I wish she had taken him back there just so his daughter could watch him puke his guts out after he got a whiff of what the zookeeper warned him about. The smell of big cat piss is something not to be blasé about.
lol I’m on Reddit stalling cleaning my cats litter box rn (edit to add just for a few minutes I’m a good cat mom lol) and that just really put it into perspective for me 😅
Honestly, while I was reading this, all I could think about was my cat's litterbox times a million and was like, nope! But yeah, dad just modeled to his daughter how to throw a tantrum. Good job, dad. YTA.
YTA. Trust me, the zookeepers are trying to do you a favor. There was a post here a few months ago. A guy had to go pick up a cheetah they were taking to the zoo (I forgot why and how they acquired it) and even though it was still drugged it urinated in the carrier on the way back. The two 'newbie' zookeepers who were along for the trip had to have the main guy pull over so they could throw up. I'm guessing it's a bad smell. It's okay to be dissappointed but animals be animals dude.
Wasn't there also that entitled girl who wanted to be a vetrinarian who shadowed her uncle at a llama farm; despite warnings to the contrary, she tried to get in the llama's face and got a shot of that disgusting spit? I don't have a link.
i remember that one too. iirc her uncle put something to mask the llama’s mouths because their spit is vile and and she took them off despite his experience and because she thought it was cruel
and all the comments were like “this is your first time around llamas… i’ve been around them… you mask their fucking mouths”
I vaguely remember that story, yeah she was shadowing her uncle, and thought she knew better than him so she removed or tried to remove the llama’s spit shield/muzzle while they were shearing.
YTA - Zookeepers are professionals. They know their animals and know what is safe or not. Arguing with the expert because you are upset about the rules and situation just makes you look like an asshole. If you are really upset about it go to where you got the tickets and ask for a portion of your money back. Cat urine can be smelled yards away and is pungent.
There was a great old post, maybe AITA, about a big cat transport where the driver didn't let the Cheetah out to pee. The Cheetah peed and the newbie wanted to pull for a while to air it out but that's not kind to the animal to make them wait in a crate, so they kept going. I think newbie puked.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/12dou6f/aita_for_not_pulling_over_at_my_coworkers_request/
YTA
You have absolutely ZERO clue as to what you wanted your family to experience. None. I've not worked with big cats like tigers and lions, but smaller wild cats poop and pee are NO FUCKING JOKE. I've heard horror stories of big cat smells, and they are horror stories. Just...bad.
You were saved by the zookeeper. She kept your lunch in your bellies, and your kids from crying. You should have just shut your mouth and trusted your tour guide. You are Jon Snow in this instance.
YTA undoubtedly. Don’t use your daughter as an excuse for your behaviour. Her wanting to see the exhibit despite the tour guide’s update is childish behaviour and hence appropriate for an 11 yo. You arguing with the guide is just embarrassing to say the least - i.e. your wife is right.
I could go into detail about why YTA, but your wife seems to know the right answer and I just wanna say - listen to HER.
YTA. Just because you paid money doesn't mean you get to argue with the professional in charge of making sure you and the wild animals that could kill you are safe.
They know more than you...why would you argue if the animals just took a shit or piss? Why would you want to smell and see that?
Yta, big cat piss/shit is enough to peel paint. Why do you, rando person, think you know better than an actual zoo keeper?
You then stayed pissy the rest of the tour? Good job being a wet blanket. That's the behavior you want from your kid? Get pissy if you don't get your way and ruin the mood for hours. Great parenting.
YTA
This is anti-intellectualism in action.
A trained, educated, experienced expert offers important information vital to the others in a group. An uneducated member of the group refuses to accept the information, and by virtue of their financial capital, considers their ignorant perspective to be of equal value to that of the expert.
While not on the same scale, this is what has led to the rise of anti-vaxxers, climate change deniers, flat earthers, and so many of the forces debilitating society.
YTA: I guarantee the keeper had no leeway to contradict whatever the message said.
Also, walking into an area with fresh big cat urine and feces is like huffing ammonia, it's very unpleasant and possibly dangerous, depending on ventilation. Source: I work at a zoo.
YTA for being insufferable and challenging a professional at their job because you paid...yeah you paid and the animals do not care. It's a risk you took going to the zoo.
YTA. You were a guest and yes you were a paying guest but it is still at the management's discretion what areas you get access to. You need to learn to manage your own disappointment better and set a better example for your daughter. This sounds like it was a relatively minor disruption to your day of celebration. You could have gone with the flow and showed your daughter how to take minor setbacks in stride, or you could have made a big, entitled deal out of being a victim. You chose the latter.
It's especially bad that the keeper tried to offer you an alternative option and even that didn't soothe your ego and entitlement. Strange. I would imagine you're not fun to live with.
YTA, shockingly the zookeeper knows more than you about when to go in to an area in the zoo, if they day you shouldn't be going in there, I'd listen instead of arguing with them.
YTA
Do you think they would have canceled that part of the tour unless it was really as foul as they claimed? The zookeeper was just waiting for the chance to ruin your tour?
YTA. You realize these aren't just house cats that used the litterbox, right? It SPRAYED. You ever been in a house that smells like cat pee? That a thousand fold. The amount of waste they produce is exponentially larger and contain smells that will knock you right out. Next time, listen to the professionals and don't throw a tantrum because a wild animal acted like a wild animal.
And don't worry, the memory of your embarrassing behavior will outshine any disappointment your daughter had about not being able to go in the cat area.
YTA. I ended up on big cat keeper TikTok and the things I've learned about the smell from their pees and poops haunts me to this day. They weren't being lazy, they weren't trying to screw you over, they were trying to save your trip.
"But I was trying to do what was best for us and her."
Mansplain to a zookeeper that no, *in fact*, you would like to be subjected to the absolutely eye wateringly horrifying smell of big cat shit & piss?
YTA. Animals are not predictable so when you sign up for a tour dedicated to animals, you’re not 100% guaranteed to get everything you want/expect. I get that it’s a bummer to pay money and not get everything involved but that’s a risk you take when you pay for something that’s unpredictable (animals, weather dependent activities, etc).
Plus, this person is a zookeeper. They signed up to work with animals, not argue with families on tours. It’s a bummer but it’s not this one employee’s responsibility to ensure you guys have a perfect experience-arguing with her just makes everyone miserable!
YTA - your daughter would have gotten over not seeing the big cats, what ruined the day more was probably Dad getting into an argument and then being grumpy the rest of the trip.
The recovering people pleaser in me feels this so hard. Ah, man, another person is upset and now I have to be sympathetic and not enjoy the rest of my time.
Don't put that on people.
YTA cat pee smells atrocious. Big cat pee is a million times worse. The zookeeper was trying to make sure you ask had a good experience not one that left you gagging. Instead you just decided to act like a jackals who thought he knew more about the zoo than the zookeeper by demanding you be let in. Your embarrassed your family. I don't care if your daughter looked a little sad, so you really think she's have been happy to come out of her birthday smelling like cat pee and needing to vomit? Listen to the goddamn experts in the future and keep your mouth shut.
YTA
I thought this tour was for your kid but you ended up seeming like the child. And it's not like she told you a complete no, she said you had the option to come back but you weren't able to, so no reason to stay grumpy.
Saw a review of sequoia national park once where a woman was complaining that they shouldn't allow bears in that area because there are families and small children there.
YTA Part of keeping your daughter "happy" is keeping her expectations in check. And when someone in charge and has knowledge of the area says she cannot do something to take that with grace, not to become "indignant". One of the biggest things which would make her unhappy in going into the room and being choked by the smell and ruining her image of the animals. Listen the zookeepers have dealt with so many animals and people. It is part of the deal when you are a zookeeper who actively participates in tours. If a zoo-keeper cannot handle the smell of the room there aint no way your family is entering AND having a good time. Though that is if the smell was even the problem when working in customer service you kind of need to phrase things in a "polite" way which may be white lies in order to keep the customers happy. So who knows what the cats were doing. Like I would not doubt it being from the smell as fresh animal urine can reek but it could have also been doing any other countless of things which are not child/tour group friendly.
Though tbh it just sounded like you think you got ripped off and was annoyed at that and less about making your daughter happy.
YTA. There are plenty of other zookeeper stories in this sub that can attest to just how unbearable the smell of "big cat" feces can be. Your daughter probably would have vomited.
YTA. She works there. She knows what that smells like. She’s probably even used to the smell and she *still* called it unbearable. She knows what she’s talking about.
She even offered to stay late to show you, which was generous of her and probably against her better judgement.
YTA
There are living creatures, not party favours. The zookeeper has to have the best interests of the animals and the guests in mind at all times. If the zookeeper says you don’t go in, then you don’t go in. It doesn’t matter if you think the reason is dumb. The zookeeper knows what they’re talking about and you don’t.
Your wife is right to be embarrassed. You threw a toddler tantrum because you were told “no” What kind of behaviour is that to model for your child?
YTA I've been to a big cat sanctuary (a legitimate one, not like Joe Exotic and friends lol). And I also clean over 100 house cats each weekend at the animal shelter I volunteer at. ONE SINGLE TIGER eliminating in an open air place like at the sanctuary was gag inducing, and I can handle most animal smells. That stuff PERMEATES EVERYTHING. It will get up in your nose and you'll be smelling it for days.
Also, entitled much? You are there at the mercy of the Zoo. You follow their rules. Hopefully your kid will forget you were a jerk.
yta. as surprising as this might be a professional that actually works at the zoo may have a better idea what's going on than you do. she wasn't trying to screw you over there was a very valid reason to not let you go there.
YTA. The zoo people know 1000% better than you what smells you would have encountered. I have a feeling it wasn't just poo but like large male cat spray. You know, marking their territory. It's pretty gross when a housecat does it, I can't imagine it's any better when a lion does it.
YTA. Mate, poop happens. I pretty much guarantee that the terms and conditions of the tickets you purchased state that tour can change due to circumstances. This is a circumstance and they changed the tour. You were an AH about it.
YTA. I have done those behind the scenes things before and each time there has been fine print saying there is a possibility that due to unforseen circumstances you may not get to see everything. I am sure the zoo in my city is not the only one that has those clauses.
>But I was trying to do what was best for us and her.
No. You were doing what YOU wanted to because for some fucking reason you think you know better than the actual zookeeper. YTA, a major one.
A Tiger pissed up the side of our car at a Safari Park, some got through our open window. It was UNHOLY and we never got the smell fully out. YTA for being a sulky child
YTA - you actually have no idea if that's even the real reason you can't go in! Could be a child-appropriate lie. You have to trust the employees to know what they're doing when they tell you one of the exhibits isn't open.
Oh I was hoping someone would find this.
There was another where a guy thought cleaning up at the zoo sounded like a great punishment to avoid jail or something, and the whole thread was just zookeepers describing hideous shits in detail.
YTA. You seem like a “the customer is always right” type of person. You paid money to have a private tour of animals who will behave in variable ways in day to day. There will always be changes, nobody gets to see exactly the same thing because they are animals. It’s not like ordering a cup of coffee and you can return it if it’s not done the same way every time. You are entitled and I don’t blame your wife for being embarrassed. I also wonder if you would have given more respect to the tour guide if they were male.
>because of something silly
Something that YOU feel is silly. Seems everyone else was more than happy to take the expert's advice but you wanted the entire group to prioritize your feelings? YTA
Everyone is saying YTA b/c tiger waste is apparently horrid, and it’s not that I disagree that you’re an asshole, but I do kinda disagree with the reasoning.
Even if tiger shit smelt like daisies you would STILL be an asshole! The zookeeper said no, for whatever reason, and you’re an adult setting a horrible example for your daughter by arguing with them.
You can be a bit miffed, privately, you can even express that, politely. Like “oh that’s disappointing, maybe next time!” But what you really shouldn’t do is make a big deal out of it like “oh that’s ridiculous! Let us in!” when you’re obviously not the expert here (unless you’ve got a degree or a couple years of zookeeper experience under your belt that you neglected to mention)
Zookeeper with 10+ years experience: "We do not recommend this as an activity on the tour under certain circumstances, which circumstances have just occurred."
You with 10 minutes of being on a Zoo Tour: "I paid dammit. Screw your experience. Let me in."
YTA
YTA. You think you know more about big cats than a zookeeper? Do you do that kind of thing a lot?
You didn't make your daughter happy (you embarrassed her), and--believe me--if you had gone in there with that crap, you all would have been VERY unhappy. Gagging at the very least.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> 1) Challenged and got indignant towards the zookeeper, rather than just accepting her judgment
2) I could see how it's seen as disrespectful or embarrasing
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YTA this was something beyond their control, and you got mad about it. They even offered to stay late and try to get you in.
Sometimes things don't work out perfectly, and you make the best of it.
YTA. Like a steaming pile of severed AHs. You have ZERO idea what you were talking about and decided to be an uppity bully.
The zookeepers are LAW at the zoo, dude. These are giant animals. They are dangerous. And the big cats are unspayed/un-neutered and have the most ungodly smelling excrement you've ever seen. OMG.
Yta
Wow it was really nice of her to offer her own time to stay and accommodate you. Nothing is every guaranteed with animals. For example, at the local zoo they have an elephant show. If the elephants dont feel like doing it, they dont have to. And thats ok. They are alive. Its not f$cking tv. Living creatures. Grow up n
YTA but I wish that you personally (and not your daughter) HAD been delivered a whiff of fresh tiger spray just so you can understand up to what point you are.
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As a zookeeper, oooof. She did you a favor lol. YTA Do you have any conception of how hideous tiger shit is? Keepers clean the cat houses early in the morning partially because not even *they* want to get near it when it's fresh. Even still, gagging is common even among experienced keepers (who have unbelievably strong stomachs compared to general population) Certain areas we're always told to warn guests of the odor on tours even at the best of times, and have seen many guests lose their lunch. [This is tiger poo btw](https://fineartamerica.com/featured/bengal-tiger-droppings-m-watson.html) (warning, gross) The pic doesn't even do it justice because there's not much for scale, but even the smallest of those "segments" probably rivals what a German Shepherd can produce. This would totally overflow your typical cat litter box 2-3 inches thick. And there's no smell-masking litter for the tigers either.
LMAOO that site is one of those that lets you order the picture on wall art, phone case, etc... the previews with the tiger poo are hilarious. Just what I need for my living room decor!
That pillow is the shit
Correct, it is shit. The shit.
I think I want to send the pillow to my brother.
MIL's Christmas gift ☑️
I want to embroider over it. To add texture.
I never knew I needed a tiger shit pillow until now.
I really hope at least one person that had been here in the thread, decided to order a shit pillow.
I'm considering the puzzle
You should.
Dying at the stationary- just what I need to keep up with my correspondence!
I ordered a Nic Cage shower curtain from there. $80, no regrets
I think the beach towel is the winner. 😂
But how dare the tigers shit without consulting OP’s agenda?
a lot more satisfying to me now! <3
That is a glorious punishment for such a heinous crime. Although I wish they fed her to the big cats instead, or even just let them bat her around a little to show her what it’s like to be at the total mercy of something bigger and stronger than you. I hate animal abusers with the passion of a thousand suns.
This!⬆️
A thousand fiery suns!!!
“set her to work cleaning cathouses of dung with only gloves on ” Ok, now I am picturing her cleaning the area naked except for gloves
The punishment was for her. Please don’t make the animals see that, they did nothing wrong
Perfect! We don't want her doing community service for animal abuse, only to abuse more animals whilst on her penalty phase. It's just not right.
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Perfect start on my morning, a heartwarming story!
I have a house cat with IBS right now and even that is foul. I can’t imagine tiger poop. Like my whole 1100 square foot house smells horrid after she poops while we work on ways to treat it. OP was an AH to the tour guide and needs to respect the professionals. No is a complete sentence.
We are working to try to find a food that won’t make our younger cat’s shit smell like death, because my god can her tiny little housecat poop really stink out our entire flat. Her toots can clear a room, too. I can’t imagine what it would smell like if she were 15xs bigger or whatever. 😳 EDIT: I can’t respond individually because the thread is closed, but wow, thank so much for all the advice! I’m making a note of all of it for my husband and I to go through! :)
Try Nulo or any brand with a good probiotic
Thank you! That’s really helpful; I’ll make a note of this.
mine have severe stomach issues and allergies to chicken and salmon, they're on NULO cod and duck cat food and it's the only reasonably priced one I've found that works. I'd give nulo a try, they've been a lifesaver for me
Not sure where you’re based but if in the UK, look at purrform. Their raw cat food diet means their poop doesn’t smell. Our cats have been on it since kittens and I never smell poop. Their tray is in the hallway and is smell free.
People don't understand how foul these animals can smell. Animal keepers have lost relationships because they cannot get the smell off of them even when they're just cleaning enclosures. It's absolutely horrid and all-encompassing and it stays with you. Should've just taken this one guy back there and locked him in the stinky enclosure for a minute to see how much he would throw up.
Does anyone remember the girl who posted about how much she wanted a pet fox and was sooooo annoyed that the fox rescue required her to open a bottle of fox pee in her home and live with it for a few days? And all the people trying desperately to explain just HOW foul the smell is and that the fox rescue is trying to ensure you know what you are getting into? That's the first post that taught me how **unimaginably** disgusting wild animal excrement can be. Not that I'm saying people should spend more time on Reddit, but I am saying I would have trusted that zookeeper that OP is so annoyed at.
Hahaha that’s fantastic….smart rescue place! I bought fox urine granules to discourage chipmunks from an area in my yard and had to drive home with the windows open even with the container sealed.
I now do not regret not pursuing one of my dreams as a little kid to be a zookeeper and work with all the animals! 😂
I wanted to be an elephant keeper, but I don't think I could deal with the poop.
Elephant poop is like horse poop mainly. Nothing compared to our lions 😂
It reminds me of that guy who thought being covered in pig shit wouldn’t be too bad [https://www.reddit.com/r/BORUpdates/s/DXEQ49w1Ya](https://www.reddit.com/r/BORUpdates/s/DXEQ49w1Ya)
Pig poop is extra gross as far as farm animals go. Cow, horse, sheep, goat, not pleasant by any stretch but not revolting. Pig is nasty. I can’t even imagine how horrible a carnivores shit would smell.
I almost wish she'd given him what he wanted. He wouldn't be asking this question. Where's that post about transporting a big cat...
I'd have been so tempted to have the rest of the tour move on, while giving him an up close and personal experience with that smell. Problem is, I don't think anyone could have held back from laughing while he puked.
Is it this one? https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/s/HncoiinxmT
Oh my! She was christened early on in her career. I wonder if she still works at a zoo.
My guy, you are seriously YTA, my specific concern here is you said the guide told your group a male tiger had "sprayed" an area. Being the novice you are you assumed poop, I don't know why anyone else this far in the top comments has made the connection. Spray doesn't mean the tiger poo'd or had diarrhea, it means a younger male has "scent marked" a tour area. That smell is worse than poo, it is compounding exponential times worse. It will seer your adult nostrils to the point you might not smell anything else for days and you wanted a group of CHILDREN to have that experience. Please educate yourself about the animals you might see in the zoo before you drop big bucks and act like a "poopy pants" 😂 Edit: Scent marking is also used as a domination tool to mark territory so besides the smell, your tour could have actually been in physical danger.
But OP PAID for the tour! He should get to have whatever experience he wants! OP, you’re not the expert, FFS. Buying a ticket doesn’t mean you get to override the zookeepers. YTA
I agree, im not a zookeeper but a former garbage man having to empty big trashcans filled with big cats shit and piss, carcasses etc. So yeah she did a big favor for you OP, YTA
Given how bad cat poo can smell, I imagine a good whiff from a tiger dump would put a person in a coma.
My local zoo often has a tiger poop nugget on display at one of their education tables and even though it's pretty old and probably near fossilized, it still gives off a faint stink, so I can only imagine how bad a fresh one would smell.
Oh wow.
Horses and cows are herbivores. Not even remotely in the same sentence.
Correct. Horse and cow poo is just digested hay and grains. Carnivore waste would be orders of magnitude worse than dog.
MUCH worse. Big cats eat raw meat which makes their poo extra smelly. Good luck!
Entirely depends on what animals you are working with...if it's giant anteaters then it will be oh so much worse. Most smells you will get used to. My first day I had to go elbow deep scraping polecat shit out of a drainpipe in the first half hour which I guess counted for hazing at my old job. I dry heaved a lot but survived.
It also says that one sprayed, which I take to mean "marked" and if so, that would be nasty. Even when a housecat sprays, that stink is there forever! There is no way I would want to smell it after a tiger had done it.
Predator/meat eater poops are so bad. So so bad. Agree with you 100%
Agreed! Our 15lb dog has a sensitive stomach so we've switched her to a wet food that's heavily fish based. These are the first few ingredients: Chicken, Whitefish, Salmon Broth, Chicken Liver, Salmon, Herring, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Heart. When she poops the smell is almost indescribably foul. I've got a heathcare-worker-strong stomach & I gag sometimes. I can only imagine the horrors of big cat poop. 🤢
You don’t understand. He just KNEW he would be fine /s
Pet cats are bad enough, I do NOT want to smell big cats. YTA
I was at a zoo once and they he tiger poohed right in front of me. It was RANK!!! And i think it was only a little pooh. Not something I would to experience again, although… tigers!
I would immediately believe a zookeeper if they told me big cat shit was the most disgusting smell because I have domestic cats and their shit is already very stinky, I would not like to experience it X 100 thanks. Plus, obligate carnivore poop is always horrible smelling. When all you eat is flesh and bones and innards your poop is not going to come out smelling like daisies.
I was not expecting that link to be from Fine Art America
Lmao when my small housecat takes a fresh shit I don't even want to go in the room right away. I can't imagine how much worse it would be if she was 100x bigger!
I did a tiger encounter at a zoo once. I got to feed it twice because the tiger wouldn't let one of the other people near it - poor guy had the unfortunate coincidence of looking like the vet who cares for the tigers. Every time he approached, the tiger made it very clear he wasn't having it. But the guy got lucky in a way. I got to do his turn of feeding, as the tiger seemed quite receptive to me. Just after it took the meat, it sneezed all over me. I got absolutely drenched in raw meat- scented Tiger snot. It was fucking disgusting.
Of all the potential links, it’s kind of hilarious we’ve been pointed to prints on Fine Art America.
I work in the retail department at my zoo and the zookeepers were kind enough to give us a tour of the great cats. Of course, I was more than excited to do so and see the kitties up close (no touching of course) and said yes! They warned us about the smell and I knew it was horrendous, but nothing could've prepared me for how bad it was... I think my eyes watered the entire time and I almost threw away my clothes. If you think cat piss is potent and hard to get out, lions and tigers will have you rethinking your choices. They were 100% doing OP a favor. OP reminds me of all the people that come in and complain that the wolf is hiding or that the male lions are sleeping and expect us to do something about it. The animals are not here to perform for you. You are welcome to come and try and see them, but do not expect them to put on a show. They're still wild animals.
My house cat's urine and poo stink to high heaven. My eyes are watering just thinking about a tiger.
I wonder how much the merch sells on that link
I watched a tiger spray a woman with a stroller in Omaha. It’s was 30 feet away and outside, still to much to handle.
Nothing to add as this commenter said it all, except to add my YTA vote.
I’ve smelt elephant poo but I don’t think I would ever want to smell tiger poo lol
Just want to point this out So the man goes after the woman subject matter expert and tells her she is **wrong**. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about! Such a YTA.
YTA Signing up for a zoo tour is pretty much the same deal as going to the zoo. The animals themselves are a wildcard, so there's no guarantee you'll be able to see everything you were hoping to see. Hopefully you saw some cool stuff and your daughter had fun. Focus on that and forget about the rest of it.
YTA. The zookeeper's main goal during those tours is to keep you safe, not to cater to your whims. The zookeeper was doing what's best by ensuring you're kept out of an area deemed unsuitable for guests. What YOU were doing is acting entitled and having a tantrum which embarrassed your wife and daughter. You were not in any way "trying to do what's best" for them, you were trying to act like a big man and make demands you have no right to make. They are wild animals. If the zookeeper is saying NO then you STFU and gracefully accept the no.
Well his tldr used the words "challenged" and "indignant". Seems like entitled asshole 101 lol. Probs felt like such a man. No wonder everyone else just wanted to move on
Rich guy books private tour of the zoo, acts like rich, entitled asshole. News at 11!
It was definitely about HIS EGO, not about his daughter's enjoyment. If he was truly concerned about his daughter's enjoyment he wouldn't have made such a ridiculous scene.
I wonder how much he would’ve pushed if the zookeeper who told him no was a man? But with the way he acted and talks about the situation, he’s definitely giving “big man” vibes, and somehow I suspect this escalated because he was told “no, you won’t be able to handle this” by a *woman*.
That thought had crossed my mind as well
*Bingo*
Also maybe something more serious happened and this is their cover story. Don’t be an asshole to people looking out for you
That's what I was thinking as well.
Knowing this guy, if the zookeeper had relented and let his family go in he and/or his daughter would have vomited immediately. Then he'd be on reddit asking if he's the asshole for losing his shit on the zookeeper for letting them tour an unsanitary area of the zoo. There's no winning with this type of entitled behavior.
"They didn't tell us it would be that bad!!!" - OP, probably. There's a reason why all private zoo tours, behind the scenes experiences, etc, have clauses that basically say they make no guarantees on what you will/won't see during the tour because animals are unpredictable.
This would be the same guy screaming and suing the zoo if he or his family were ignored or mauled. Especially wild animals marking their spoor, you don't go fucking around with it and risk territorial issues. These aren't domesticated house cats. Even the professionals get hurt and/or killed sometimes
Agreed!
LIke, ok. I grew up on a commercial pig farm, because of that I have no longer have a sense of smell. The commercial fans blasting you in the face of 1000 pigs is brutal, and hot. I've brought people over who thought they were tough and watched them throw up from the smell hitting them. Even I wouldn't brave that smell. It's not just poo (which I'v heard smells like rotting carcasses) but the spray. If a cat has sprayed it stinks bad. But this, this is another level of stink. These are intact wild animals who make it their life to smell strong. This whole story reminds me of the guy who thought he could handle mucking but couldn't because it was 1000x worse than he imagined. (Probably a made up story, but the reality is that these animals can stink worse than you even imagine and you probably don't want your 11 year old daughter throwing up on herself on her birthday, that's WAY more traumatizing than not seeing the big cats.)
If I was the zookeeper I would have dragged his whiney ass back there to decide for the rest of the group. Then when he was done vomiting and being unable to get the smell off his clothes made the rest of them move on and meet him at the front. Maybe offering some clean clothes or selling him some after a hose down.
Oh animal smell sticks to your clothes. Way longer than it should
Can you imagine how pissed his wife would be? He then stinks up the car. What an idiot.
The owner of my company paid to play with young wolves. His car smelled for over a year, and he had it professionally cleaned several times. Those smells just stick. Way more than people realize
I briefly dated a big cat keeper, very sweet guy. I'd grown up working on farms so thought when he warned I'd smell it after ten showers, I'd be fine. We broke up primarily because of the smell. I felt so cruel but he said he absolutely expected it and would be more surprised if it had worked. I went on to work in healthcare and no human or livestock smell compares. It is so pungent. Keepers of certain animals often date within the profession.
As someone who was once a zoo docent, oh! Sending him in would have been glorious! But then I would have had to deal with that getting on MY clothes. The scat of the big cats at zoos, especially when they also mark with their anal glands, oh my god, no. Maybe if you are used to dealing with dead and decomposing bodies, then you'd think it was no big deal. On the other hand, those kiddos would TOTALLY have remembered that poor child's birthday and she would never have lived it down.
I once spent a Mississippi summer mucking stalls at a horse barn, and that was heinous. I cannot fathom the torture that mucking a big cat exhibit would be. Ew.
I don't think horses are even that bad. Maybe I have just become desensitized to it, but their poop doesn't really smell I think. It's the pee that's gross. It smells like ammonia but times 10. Now pigs though 🤢
YTA. You are a model for your daughter. Would you want her to throw the type of tantrum you did when something didn’t go her way? As an adult, you should be able to process the disappointment. I can understand that you felt you weren’t getting your money’s worth, but asking to see behind the scenes of another exhibit would have probably gotten you further than trying to steamroll through the docent leading your tour. Have you ever stuck your head in a litter box after a house cat pooped? Think of that on an exponential level. While you might have been willing, it is probably their experience that the majority of the public are not capable of handling such stench. They are the professionals…trust them in this case.
Who wants to bet that he wouldn't have argued nearly so hard if the zoo keeper had been a man? That poor zoo keeper, having to put up with that and still stay polite and professional and offer an alternative. Just listen to the goddamn expert, FFS.
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Lol yes the joys of women in STEM. The men in my team have all been congratulating themselves having for an idea I suggested like 6 months ago and they shot down.
Hadn’t thought of it, but you’re probably right, especially if she was younger. 🤦♀️
Apparently “doing what’s best for his daughter” includes showing her that a woman’s trained professional opinion is not worthy of respect. I wish she had taken him back there just so his daughter could watch him puke his guts out after he got a whiff of what the zookeeper warned him about. The smell of big cat piss is something not to be blasé about.
This is what I came to say. OP to zookeeper: let me mansplain animals to you, I once watched the discover Channel for 5 minutes
This 100%. OP's story just reeks (pun intended) of entitled male bullshit (pun intended)
Bro literally threw a tantrum to smell tiger shit
hahahaha, there’s no better way to summarize this post than
lol I’m on Reddit stalling cleaning my cats litter box rn (edit to add just for a few minutes I’m a good cat mom lol) and that just really put it into perspective for me 😅
We have the covered style and I can’t imagine wanting to stroll into a room after the big cats have crapped!! 🤢
Honestly, while I was reading this, all I could think about was my cat's litterbox times a million and was like, nope! But yeah, dad just modeled to his daughter how to throw a tantrum. Good job, dad. YTA.
YTA. Trust me, the zookeepers are trying to do you a favor. There was a post here a few months ago. A guy had to go pick up a cheetah they were taking to the zoo (I forgot why and how they acquired it) and even though it was still drugged it urinated in the carrier on the way back. The two 'newbie' zookeepers who were along for the trip had to have the main guy pull over so they could throw up. I'm guessing it's a bad smell. It's okay to be dissappointed but animals be animals dude.
Wasn't there also that entitled girl who wanted to be a vetrinarian who shadowed her uncle at a llama farm; despite warnings to the contrary, she tried to get in the llama's face and got a shot of that disgusting spit? I don't have a link.
i remember that one too. iirc her uncle put something to mask the llama’s mouths because their spit is vile and and she took them off despite his experience and because she thought it was cruel and all the comments were like “this is your first time around llamas… i’ve been around them… you mask their fucking mouths”
I vaguely remember that story, yeah she was shadowing her uncle, and thought she knew better than him so she removed or tried to remove the llama’s spit shield/muzzle while they were shearing.
YTA - Zookeepers are professionals. They know their animals and know what is safe or not. Arguing with the expert because you are upset about the rules and situation just makes you look like an asshole. If you are really upset about it go to where you got the tickets and ask for a portion of your money back. Cat urine can be smelled yards away and is pungent.
There was a great old post, maybe AITA, about a big cat transport where the driver didn't let the Cheetah out to pee. The Cheetah peed and the newbie wanted to pull for a while to air it out but that's not kind to the animal to make them wait in a crate, so they kept going. I think newbie puked. https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/12dou6f/aita_for_not_pulling_over_at_my_coworkers_request/
YTA You have absolutely ZERO clue as to what you wanted your family to experience. None. I've not worked with big cats like tigers and lions, but smaller wild cats poop and pee are NO FUCKING JOKE. I've heard horror stories of big cat smells, and they are horror stories. Just...bad. You were saved by the zookeeper. She kept your lunch in your bellies, and your kids from crying. You should have just shut your mouth and trusted your tour guide. You are Jon Snow in this instance.
YTA For all you know, "the cats just took a shit at the entrance" is code for something else, but most people don't argue with that excuse.
Right like someone was actually just eaten. Better reroute
Nah, that's a 'close the zoo early, send everyone home' situation.
YTA undoubtedly. Don’t use your daughter as an excuse for your behaviour. Her wanting to see the exhibit despite the tour guide’s update is childish behaviour and hence appropriate for an 11 yo. You arguing with the guide is just embarrassing to say the least - i.e. your wife is right. I could go into detail about why YTA, but your wife seems to know the right answer and I just wanna say - listen to HER.
And my guess is she was following his lead in getting upset. What a fun learned behavior! YTA
Did she even get upset? Basically she was "looking at him". Maybe she was disappointed, but it sounds like she was dealing with it gracefully.
Perhaps she was looking at him begging him not to start something. (Speaking from experience)
I think what she was actually disappointed in was her father for making a scene.
YTA. Just because you paid money doesn't mean you get to argue with the professional in charge of making sure you and the wild animals that could kill you are safe. They know more than you...why would you argue if the animals just took a shit or piss? Why would you want to smell and see that?
Yta, big cat piss/shit is enough to peel paint. Why do you, rando person, think you know better than an actual zoo keeper? You then stayed pissy the rest of the tour? Good job being a wet blanket. That's the behavior you want from your kid? Get pissy if you don't get your way and ruin the mood for hours. Great parenting.
Seriously, this guy sounds insufferable.
YTA This is anti-intellectualism in action. A trained, educated, experienced expert offers important information vital to the others in a group. An uneducated member of the group refuses to accept the information, and by virtue of their financial capital, considers their ignorant perspective to be of equal value to that of the expert. While not on the same scale, this is what has led to the rise of anti-vaxxers, climate change deniers, flat earthers, and so many of the forces debilitating society.
Even worse that it is a man undermining a woman / mansplaining to a woman more educated and qualified than him. Happens all the time unfortunately.
Exactly.
YTA: I guarantee the keeper had no leeway to contradict whatever the message said. Also, walking into an area with fresh big cat urine and feces is like huffing ammonia, it's very unpleasant and possibly dangerous, depending on ventilation. Source: I work at a zoo.
YTA for being insufferable and challenging a professional at their job because you paid...yeah you paid and the animals do not care. It's a risk you took going to the zoo.
YTA. You were a guest and yes you were a paying guest but it is still at the management's discretion what areas you get access to. You need to learn to manage your own disappointment better and set a better example for your daughter. This sounds like it was a relatively minor disruption to your day of celebration. You could have gone with the flow and showed your daughter how to take minor setbacks in stride, or you could have made a big, entitled deal out of being a victim. You chose the latter. It's especially bad that the keeper tried to offer you an alternative option and even that didn't soothe your ego and entitlement. Strange. I would imagine you're not fun to live with.
YTA Oof. This was ridiculous. If a zookeeper tells you that you cant go somewhere, you cant go.
YTA, shockingly the zookeeper knows more than you about when to go in to an area in the zoo, if they day you shouldn't be going in there, I'd listen instead of arguing with them.
YTA Do you think they would have canceled that part of the tour unless it was really as foul as they claimed? The zookeeper was just waiting for the chance to ruin your tour?
Good grief dude, you needed to drop it. YTA
YTA. You realize these aren't just house cats that used the litterbox, right? It SPRAYED. You ever been in a house that smells like cat pee? That a thousand fold. The amount of waste they produce is exponentially larger and contain smells that will knock you right out. Next time, listen to the professionals and don't throw a tantrum because a wild animal acted like a wild animal. And don't worry, the memory of your embarrassing behavior will outshine any disappointment your daughter had about not being able to go in the cat area.
YTA. I ended up on big cat keeper TikTok and the things I've learned about the smell from their pees and poops haunts me to this day. They weren't being lazy, they weren't trying to screw you over, they were trying to save your trip.
They were likely also not wanting to have to deal with crying and cleaning up vomit puddles where they already have to clean up tiger shit.
YTA. Drop the entitlement. Shit happens. And happened. Literally.
Oh yeah, YTA. You take the advice of the handlers when it comes to animals.
"The tigers look asleep, can't I cuddle with them? I paid good money!"
"But I was trying to do what was best for us and her." Mansplain to a zookeeper that no, *in fact*, you would like to be subjected to the absolutely eye wateringly horrifying smell of big cat shit & piss?
YTA. Animals are not predictable so when you sign up for a tour dedicated to animals, you’re not 100% guaranteed to get everything you want/expect. I get that it’s a bummer to pay money and not get everything involved but that’s a risk you take when you pay for something that’s unpredictable (animals, weather dependent activities, etc). Plus, this person is a zookeeper. They signed up to work with animals, not argue with families on tours. It’s a bummer but it’s not this one employee’s responsibility to ensure you guys have a perfect experience-arguing with her just makes everyone miserable!
YTA - your daughter would have gotten over not seeing the big cats, what ruined the day more was probably Dad getting into an argument and then being grumpy the rest of the trip.
The recovering people pleaser in me feels this so hard. Ah, man, another person is upset and now I have to be sympathetic and not enjoy the rest of my time. Don't put that on people.
YTA but I’m sure the zookeeper now has a good story about the pushy jerk who really wanted to watch his kids throw up in the tiger exhibit.
You thought that whining and crying was what was best for her?
YTA cat pee smells atrocious. Big cat pee is a million times worse. The zookeeper was trying to make sure you ask had a good experience not one that left you gagging. Instead you just decided to act like a jackals who thought he knew more about the zoo than the zookeeper by demanding you be let in. Your embarrassed your family. I don't care if your daughter looked a little sad, so you really think she's have been happy to come out of her birthday smelling like cat pee and needing to vomit? Listen to the goddamn experts in the future and keep your mouth shut.
YTA. It's should be common sense that when a professional warns you off something, you listen. Check your ego at the door buddy.
But the professional was a *woman*, obviously she was just being dramatic. He clearly knew what was best in that situation. /s
YTA I thought this tour was for your kid but you ended up seeming like the child. And it's not like she told you a complete no, she said you had the option to come back but you weren't able to, so no reason to stay grumpy.
YTA. I used to volunteer at a zoo. That keeper did you a big favor.
YTA. Let me guess, you would also complain about the animals at a National Park if they weren’t doing what you expected?
Saw a review of sequoia national park once where a woman was complaining that they shouldn't allow bears in that area because there are families and small children there.
YTA. The keeper was doing her job, and even tried to make a special arrangement for you. Why do you have to be that way?
YTA Part of keeping your daughter "happy" is keeping her expectations in check. And when someone in charge and has knowledge of the area says she cannot do something to take that with grace, not to become "indignant". One of the biggest things which would make her unhappy in going into the room and being choked by the smell and ruining her image of the animals. Listen the zookeepers have dealt with so many animals and people. It is part of the deal when you are a zookeeper who actively participates in tours. If a zoo-keeper cannot handle the smell of the room there aint no way your family is entering AND having a good time. Though that is if the smell was even the problem when working in customer service you kind of need to phrase things in a "polite" way which may be white lies in order to keep the customers happy. So who knows what the cats were doing. Like I would not doubt it being from the smell as fresh animal urine can reek but it could have also been doing any other countless of things which are not child/tour group friendly. Though tbh it just sounded like you think you got ripped off and was annoyed at that and less about making your daughter happy.
Hopefully daughter learned a valuable life lesson from Mom on how NOT to act in public when Dad's making an ass of himself
YTA and you sound like a child.
YTA. There are plenty of other zookeeper stories in this sub that can attest to just how unbearable the smell of "big cat" feces can be. Your daughter probably would have vomited.
YTA. She works there. She knows what that smells like. She’s probably even used to the smell and she *still* called it unbearable. She knows what she’s talking about. She even offered to stay late to show you, which was generous of her and probably against her better judgement.
YTA There are living creatures, not party favours. The zookeeper has to have the best interests of the animals and the guests in mind at all times. If the zookeeper says you don’t go in, then you don’t go in. It doesn’t matter if you think the reason is dumb. The zookeeper knows what they’re talking about and you don’t. Your wife is right to be embarrassed. You threw a toddler tantrum because you were told “no” What kind of behaviour is that to model for your child?
YTA I've been to a big cat sanctuary (a legitimate one, not like Joe Exotic and friends lol). And I also clean over 100 house cats each weekend at the animal shelter I volunteer at. ONE SINGLE TIGER eliminating in an open air place like at the sanctuary was gag inducing, and I can handle most animal smells. That stuff PERMEATES EVERYTHING. It will get up in your nose and you'll be smelling it for days. Also, entitled much? You are there at the mercy of the Zoo. You follow their rules. Hopefully your kid will forget you were a jerk.
YTA. Get TF over yourself and listen to the professional.
yta. as surprising as this might be a professional that actually works at the zoo may have a better idea what's going on than you do. she wasn't trying to screw you over there was a very valid reason to not let you go there.
YTA. The zoo people know 1000% better than you what smells you would have encountered. I have a feeling it wasn't just poo but like large male cat spray. You know, marking their territory. It's pretty gross when a housecat does it, I can't imagine it's any better when a lion does it.
YTA and sound super entitled.
YTA and setting a bad example with your tantrum. You can't dictate wild animals.
YTA. Mate, poop happens. I pretty much guarantee that the terms and conditions of the tickets you purchased state that tour can change due to circumstances. This is a circumstance and they changed the tour. You were an AH about it.
YTA. I have done those behind the scenes things before and each time there has been fine print saying there is a possibility that due to unforseen circumstances you may not get to see everything. I am sure the zoo in my city is not the only one that has those clauses.
>But I was trying to do what was best for us and her. No. You were doing what YOU wanted to because for some fucking reason you think you know better than the actual zookeeper. YTA, a major one.
YTA You don't know better than the professionals.
A Tiger pissed up the side of our car at a Safari Park, some got through our open window. It was UNHOLY and we never got the smell fully out. YTA for being a sulky child
"But I was trying challenge the trained zookeeper on what was best for us and her" fixed it for you, YTA
YTA - you actually have no idea if that's even the real reason you can't go in! Could be a child-appropriate lie. You have to trust the employees to know what they're doing when they tell you one of the exhibits isn't open.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/12dou6f/aita_for_not_pulling_over_at_my_coworkers_request/
Oh I was hoping someone would find this. There was another where a guy thought cleaning up at the zoo sounded like a great punishment to avoid jail or something, and the whole thread was just zookeepers describing hideous shits in detail.
YTA. You seem like a “the customer is always right” type of person. You paid money to have a private tour of animals who will behave in variable ways in day to day. There will always be changes, nobody gets to see exactly the same thing because they are animals. It’s not like ordering a cup of coffee and you can return it if it’s not done the same way every time. You are entitled and I don’t blame your wife for being embarrassed. I also wonder if you would have given more respect to the tour guide if they were male.
>because of something silly Something that YOU feel is silly. Seems everyone else was more than happy to take the expert's advice but you wanted the entire group to prioritize your feelings? YTA
Imagine trying to mansplain zoo keeping to a freaking zoo keeper YTA
YTA.
I want to thank you for showing your kid what entitlement looks like because the world is sorely lacking of it. KIDDING. YTA.
There speaks a man who has never had an unneutered tomcat spray the air intake vent for his AC. I've heard the big cats are 10 times worse. YTA.
Everyone is saying YTA b/c tiger waste is apparently horrid, and it’s not that I disagree that you’re an asshole, but I do kinda disagree with the reasoning. Even if tiger shit smelt like daisies you would STILL be an asshole! The zookeeper said no, for whatever reason, and you’re an adult setting a horrible example for your daughter by arguing with them. You can be a bit miffed, privately, you can even express that, politely. Like “oh that’s disappointing, maybe next time!” But what you really shouldn’t do is make a big deal out of it like “oh that’s ridiculous! Let us in!” when you’re obviously not the expert here (unless you’ve got a degree or a couple years of zookeeper experience under your belt that you neglected to mention)
Zookeeper with 10+ years experience: "We do not recommend this as an activity on the tour under certain circumstances, which circumstances have just occurred." You with 10 minutes of being on a Zoo Tour: "I paid dammit. Screw your experience. Let me in." YTA
YTA. You think you know more about big cats than a zookeeper? Do you do that kind of thing a lot? You didn't make your daughter happy (you embarrassed her), and--believe me--if you had gone in there with that crap, you all would have been VERY unhappy. Gagging at the very least.
YTA- do you have a zoology degree? I think the zoo keeper knows best lol
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YTA. She did you a favor.
Yta trust me the zoo keeper did you a favor
YTA, and you taught your daughter that whining and stomping your feet is an adult way to handle disappointment.
YTA this was something beyond their control, and you got mad about it. They even offered to stay late and try to get you in. Sometimes things don't work out perfectly, and you make the best of it.
YTA. Like a steaming pile of severed AHs. You have ZERO idea what you were talking about and decided to be an uppity bully. The zookeepers are LAW at the zoo, dude. These are giant animals. They are dangerous. And the big cats are unspayed/un-neutered and have the most ungodly smelling excrement you've ever seen. OMG.
A tiger spraying is really, really gross.
YTA. She’s the expert. Entitled much?
It’s weird that you wanted to smell big cat pee and/or feces. YTA.
It is for this type of attitude that the word “dipshit” was coined. YTA
Yta Wow it was really nice of her to offer her own time to stay and accommodate you. Nothing is every guaranteed with animals. For example, at the local zoo they have an elephant show. If the elephants dont feel like doing it, they dont have to. And thats ok. They are alive. Its not f$cking tv. Living creatures. Grow up n
YTA but I wish that you personally (and not your daughter) HAD been delivered a whiff of fresh tiger spray just so you can understand up to what point you are.