Brackenhurst Animal Sciences

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Brackenhurst Animal Sciences

This is the Official Nottingham Trent University, School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
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This is the official Nottingham Trent University, School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences - Brackenhurst Animal Unit page. Please like us to be notified about Course information, Animal Unit announcements, University Open Days as well as animal industry news

08/05/2024

Thank you to whoever left this gorgeous crochet smiley face outside the Animal unit 😄 acts of Knitting and Crochet kindness 🧶🪡

01/02/2024

VolPros for next week (student sign up available via the app or in person)

Monday: rabbits & Guinea Pigs

Wednesday:Cats & ferrets

Thursday: enrichment and foraging

Friday: Dogs

11/01/2024

VolPros for next week are up 🐩 🐐 🐴 🐰

Monday: Animal husbandry

Wednesday: Dog walking and kennel maintenance

Thursday: Donkeys

Friday: Goats

05/01/2024

Welcome to term 2 from Magic! 🐈‍⬛

VolPros available next week through in person sign up and SPOND APP

Wednesday: Goats
Thursday: Cats & Ferrets

18/10/2023

VolPro sessions are available for week commencing 23/10/2023! 🐹🐶🐸🐱

Monday 23rd October (14:30-15:30) - Evening husbandry across all species

Tuesday 24th October (11:00-12:30) - Morning husbandry across all species

Wednesday 25th October (13:30-15:00) - Rabbits and Guinea Pigs husbandry and enrichment

Thursday 26th October (11:00-12:30) - Morning husbandry across all species

Friday 27th October (11:00-12:00) - Cattery management and enrichment

Friday 27th October (13:30-15:00) - Exotics husbandry and snake feeding

12/10/2023

Here are your VolPro sessions for next week 🐶🐰🐱

Monday 16th October (11:00-12:30) - Animal husbandry (Rodents, Goats, Cats & Ferrets)

Wednesday 18th October (13:30-14:30) - Animal grooming/bathing

Friday 20th October (13:30-15:00) - Goat accommodation maintenance and enrichment

04/10/2023

Weekly VolPro update! We are running the following sessions week commencing 09/10/2023 (spaces allocated on both SPOND and sign up sheets in the Animal Unit).

Monday 9th October (11:00-12:30) - Rodent enrichment and enclosure maintenance 🐀

Tuesday 10th October (13:30-15:00) - Goat accommodation maintenance, grooming and clicker training

Wednesday 11th October (11:30-13:00) - Dog walk 🐶

Wednesday 11th October (14:00-15:00) - Cattery clean and enrichment provision 🐈

Thursday 12th October (11:00-12:30) - Exotics husbandry, bathing with possibility of snake feeding 🐍

Friday 13th October (11:30-13:00) - Rabbit and Guinea Pig husbandry and grooming 🐰

28/09/2023

2023-2024 VolPro is live!

The Animal Unit Volunteer Programme (VolPro) is a hands-on extra-curricular activity run by the Unit Technicians throughout the working week. Activities can include husbandry and enclosure design/maintenance, grooming, enrichment activities, health checking, training and more. This volunteering opportunity is open to all current NTU Further and Higher Education students across any campus. Sign up sheets can be found in the Animal Unit Corridor, or alternatively you can find online spaces on the SPOND app. Spaces are limited and highly sought after, and are on a first come first serve basis, so be quick!

Next weeks sessions are as follows:

Monday 2nd October (11:00-12:30) - Exotics husbandry and tortoise bathing 🐢

Wednesday 4th October (11:00-12:30): Dog walk 🦮

Thursday 5th October (15:00-16:00): Evening animal husbandry (exotics, goats, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds) 🐇

Friday 6th October (11:00-12:30) - Ferret and aviary enclosure cleaning, ferret enrichment 🦜

We look forward to seeing you, both new starters and returners!

19/05/2023

As we draw near to the end of the academic year, VolPro will also be coming to a close until October 2023.

For our last week, we are running the following sessions:

Wednesday 24th May 11:00-12:30 - Dog walk 🐕

Thursday 25th May 13:30-15:00 - Animal grooming and enrichment 🐈

Friday 26th May 11:00-12:30 - Exotics enclosure cleans and handling/health checking 🐢

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers that have contributed to the care and upkeep of the animals during VolPro, with some individuals racking up over 50 hours of experience! We are grateful for your incredible input and hope this has been a rewarding experience for you!

We hope to see you again on the VolPro in the future!

11/05/2023

Next week will be the penultimate week of VolPro for this academic year!

The sessions are as follows:

Wednesday 17th May 11:00-12:30 - Exotics (full enclosure cleans and health checking)

Thursday 18th May 15:00-16:00 - Evening Husbandry

Friday 19th May 11:00-12:30 - Ferrets (Enclosure clean and enrichment)

05/05/2023

VolPro update!

Thursday 11th 15:30-16:30 - Evening husbandry 🐍 🐱🐀🐶

Friday 12th 11:00-12:30 - Rabbits and Guinea Pigs 🐰

Friday 12th 14:30-16:00 - Goats 🐐

27/04/2023

VolPro update! Next weeks sessions are as follows:

Wednesday 3rd May 11:00-12:30 - Rodents (Health checks and enrichment) 🐁

Thursday 4th May 13:30-15:00 - Dog walk 🐕

Friday 5th May 11:00-12:30 - Exotics (Snake feeding, bathing and health checks) 🐍

25/04/2023

Another huge loss for the Animal Unit. The hard decision was made to put Sid the goat to sleep due to multiple health issues that were starting to affect his quality of life. This was not an easy decision to make, and has been hard hitting for all the techs and likely to many of you as well.

Rip old boy.

20/04/2023

Piri enjoying the glorious sunshine☀️

Volpro sessions for next week:

Wednesday 26th April 11:00-12:30 - Ferrets

Thursday 27th April 14:30-15:30 - Evening Husbandry

Friday 28th April 11:00-12:30 - Goats

17/04/2023

🐶🐱 Volpro is continuing from this week!🐱🐶

Sessions are as follows:

Wednesday 19th 11:00-12:30 - Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

Wednesday 19th 13:30-15:00 - Aquatics (Water chemistry and maintenance) and Invertebrates

Thursday 20th 15:00-16:00 - Evening animal husbandry

Friday 21st 15:00-16:00 - Evening animal husbandry

New arrivals, a trio of Colorado River Toads 🐸

23/03/2023

New unit acquisition, an Ornate Wood Turtle (Freya)! She will be in isolation for several weeks before moving into the Exotics room.

Volpro sheets are also up in the Animal Unit for next weeks sessions:

Wednesday 29th March 14:30-15:30 - Exotics husbandry and bathing

Thursday 30th March 11:30-13:00 - Kennel maintenance and short walk

Friday 31st March 13:30-15:00 - Goat enclosure clean and grooming

15/03/2023

Weekly update of Volpro sessions running for week commencing 20/03/2023!

Tuesday 21st 11:30-13:00 - Rodents

Wednesday 22nd 11:00-12:30 - Animal Grooming and Bathing

Thursday 23rd 13:30-15:00 - Animal Enrichment

Friday 24th 11:00-12:15 - Dog Walk

14/03/2023

Equine Technician Adam will be running fortnightly VolPro sessions. These will involve general husbandry tasks as well as enclosure enrichment and handling.
The sessions will run through an App called SPOND. If you are interested, please download the free App SPOND and request to join NTU Donkey Group by using the code MNFMY.

You will be invited to join the sessions which
you can accept or decline.

The sessions are open to all current students!

14/03/2023

Tiana our little old lady was put to sleep yesterday under veterinary advice, she was 13!

She will be missed 😢

10/03/2023

Whilst some of us may be enjoying the snowy weather, our goats are clearly not keen!

Volpro sheets are up for next week:

Tuesday 14th 11:00-12:30 - Goats

Wednesday 15th 13:30-15:00 - Rabbits and G. Pigs

Thursday 16th 11:00-12:30 - Rodents

Friday 17th 11:00-12:30 - Dog Walk

Friday 17th 15:30-16:30 - Evening Husbandry

02/03/2023

Volpro sheets are up in the Animal Unit Corridor!

Monday 6th March 11:00-12:30 - Animal Husbandry

Wednesday 8th March 11:00-12:30 - Rodents

Wednesday 8th March 14:30-15:30 - Dog Walk

Thursday 9th March 13:30-15:00 - Goats

Friday 10th March 11:00-12:30 - Exotics

Meet Dumpling, our new Winter White Dwarf Hamster 🐹

23/02/2023

Volpro sheets for next weeks sessions are up in the Animal Unit corridor 🐭🐹🐰

Monday 27th Feb (11:00-12:30) - Morning Animal Husbandry

Tuesday 28th Feb (11:00-12:30) - Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

Wednesday 1st March (14:00-15:30) - Goats

Thursday 2nd March (15:00-16:00) - Evening Animal Husbandry

Friday 3rd March (11:00-12:30) - Dog Walk and Cat Grooming/Enrichment

18/02/2023

The Gargoyle Gecko hatchlings are now big enough to be released into their vivarium 🦎

17/02/2023

A very sad week on the Animal Unit….
Franklin the most loved and gentle ferret was put to sleep after he was no longer responding to treatment 😢

16/02/2023

VolPro sheets for week commencing 20/02/2023 are up in the Animal Unit! Sessions for next week are as follows:

Tuesday 21st Feb (11:00-12:30) - goat husbandry and grooming

Thursday 23rd Feb (11:00-12:30) - Exotic bathing and enclosure maintenance

Friday 24th Feb (11:00-12:30) - Kennel maintenance

09/02/2023

Weekly VolPro update!

Sessions for next week are:

Monday 13th Feb (11:00-12:30) - Rabbits and Guinea pigs 🐰

Wednesday 15th Feb (14:30-15:30) - Evening husbandry 🐐

Thursday 16th Feb (13:30-14:30) - Dog walk 🦮

Friday 17th Feb (09:00-10:30) - Morning animal husbandry 🐈‍⬛

02/02/2023

🐭🐹🐶 Next weeks VolPro sessions are up! 🐱🐰🐸

Wednesday 8th February 11:00-12:30 - goats

Thursday 9th February 15:00-16:00 - Evening husbandry across all species

Friday 10th February 14:00-15:00 - Evening husbandry across all species

19/01/2023

Weekly VolPro update!

Monday 23rd Jan (11:00-12:30) - Morning husbandry

Wednesday 25th Jan (11:00-12:30) - Dog walk

Friday 27th Jan (11:00-12:30) - Donkeys

We hope to see you there!

Address

Nottingham
NG250QF

Telephone

+441158488044

Website

http://www.ntu.ac.uk/

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Videos

Equine Technician Adam will be running fortnightly VolPro sessions. These will involve general husbandry tasks as well as enclosure enrichment and handling. The sessions will run through an App called SPOND. If you are interested, please download the free App SPOND and request to join NTU Donkey Group by using the code MNFMY. You will be invited to join the sessions which you can accept or decline. The sessions are open to all current students!

The Goats enjoying some fuss this morning 😍 VolPros for next week (hopefully a welcome relief from revision)! Wednesday 15.00- Rodent enrichment and enclosure cleaning 🐹 Friday 11.00 -Reptiles/Invertebrates bathing, snake feeding and vivarium maintenance 🐍

Maggie our Blue Tongue Skink, living up to her name 😋 VolPro for next week.. Tuesday: Donkeys! Wednesday: Evening feeding and husbandry for Exotics, Goats, Cats, Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents Thursday: Goats, full enclosure cleaning, weighing and grooming Friday: Rodent/Rabbit enclosure cleaning, grooming, and enrichment

Wispa our 10 year old Rabbit taking her daily medication for arthritis 🐰 Volpro for next week.. Monday: morning feeding and husbandry for cata, ferrets, goats, rabbits and Guinea Pigs Tuesday: evening feeding and husbandry for reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, goats, cats and rodents Friday: Rabbit and guinea pig husbandry, grooming and enrichment

Happy Friday for the Guinea Pigs! 🥕 There are spaces for next weeks VolPros… Monday- Animal husbandry + feed preparation for 🕷 🐍 🐐 🐹 🐈‍⬛ Wednesday -Feeding/husbandry for 🐭 🐇 🐐 🐈 🦎 🐸 🦔 Friday: Goats and exotics!

Harry and Neville this morning ♥️ VolPro for next week… Monday: Husbandry and feeding for Ferrets, Rabbits/G.Pigs, and Exotics Wednesday: Husbandry for Exotics, Rabbit, Ferrets, Goats and Rodents Fridays: Goats Enclosure cleaning, weighing and grooming

Next weeks VolPros 🐹 🐕 🐐 🐈‍⬛ 🐢 🐭 Monday: Goats- weighing and enclosure maintenance Wednesday: Afternoon animal feeding/husbandry Thursday: Rodent enrichment Friday: Dog walking and grooming

Multi-skilled animal staff #panpipes #confusedlab

Cheese the Fat Sand Rat

Frilled Dragon

Out for a walk

Bird bath!

Shortcuts

Our Story

‘Inspiring and educating future animal care professionals through a safe and supportive teaching platform’

The Animal Unit provides resources and technical services to facilitate the learning experience for our students.

The technical team comprises of five animal unit technicians, all of which are graduates or have professional animal qualifications. The technicians are active in teaching sessions, providing expert tuition in animal handling, animal training, environmental enrichment and much more.

We constantly strive to ensure the Animal Unit is fully stocked with a diverse range of animals, this provides the opportunity for students to gain experience of becoming proficient and confident with a huge range of species which is vital to gaining legitimate employability skill sets.

The unit has undergone major improvements over the last three years, now boasting a full air-conditioning system allowing individual rooms to be set to the species optimum temperature and provide essential air flow. The reptile/exotic rooms and the rodent rooms have bespoke industry standard enclosures. All animal enclosures are designed to exceed RSPCA floorspace recommendations.

The unit houses rodents, rabbits, aviary and poultry birds, ferrets, goats, a cattery, a kennel block, an exotics room and access to equine species.

The animal unit is a communal facility, students are welcome to visit the unit outside of planned lesson times, this results in students getting to know the animals and unit staff on a more personal level.

The animal unit technicians encourage volunteering on the unit either on a day by day basis or through the official work experience system. The unit staff truly believe in Alois Podhajski’s statement

‘Theory without practice is of little value, whereas practice is the proof of theory’

The animal unit provides daily sessions for students to volunteer on the unit, working alongside technicians. The sessions allow students to experience the role of the technician, partaking in tasks such as enclosure/habitat maintenance, medicating animals, training and environmental enrichment and more.

The ‘Volunteer Programme’ is also recognised as official work experience and can be recorded as such on the students CV.

The programme is fully inclusive, all students, whether studying animal sciences or not, are welcome, in fact we have students attending from disciplines such as horticulture, geography and even physics. Its a great way to support learnt knowledge, meet other students and enjoy interacting with the animals in an informal setting

The technical staff are integral to the learners that use the unit, having skill sets that are invaluable to the teaching experience. Technicians are available for one to one support, whether this is to support project work, or to help students who feel they need extra handling sessions for example. Many students have anxieties about certain species, this is normally the exotic animals, however we have a 100% success rate of encouraging and helping students to the point where they will handle all of the animals presented to them.

The animal unit creates a community feel for learners, we provide a social space in the form of a converted listed farmhouse, giving an area for quiet study, socialising and relaxing in between taught sessions.