

Meghan performing in the ”Upclose Encounters Show”
MEGHAN PEDGETT
Joined the E-Team: May 21st, 2007
Age: 20
College Major: Biology
To begin, Meghan where are you from?
I think I’m one of the few that can actually call myself a Florida “Cracker”. I was born and raised not to far from Gatorland, in Kissimmee. I’ve been here my entire life and I am very happy here.
What made you choose Gatorland as a place to work?
I knew that I wanted to work with animals and I really wanted something close by. I used to drive by Gatorland all the time and remembered going there with my family as a child, so one day I just decided to drop in and fill out an application. It’s great looking back at pictures of me going there as a kid and pictures of me working there now as a kid at heart
So you stated working at Gatorland as one of the Zoo Services Staff. What made you want to join the E-Team?
I wanted to try something different. I wanted to get into the shows and try working with some bigger animals. Zoo Services was great, but I just wanted more of a challenge.
You’re the only female on the E-Team. How is it working with a bunch of wacky guys?
It’s like having a bunch of big brothers. They’re messy and they rarely clean up after themselves, but I know I can count on them if I need them. They’re usually pretty good about letting me pull my own weight and hardly ever keep me from doing something just because I’m a girl.
When did you discover you wanted to work with animals?
I have always wanted to work with animals since I was little and I aspired to be a veterinarian, but I decided I couldn’t handle putting animals down or dealing with blood, so I decided to try something else with animals. The training, feeding, and entertaining aspects of my job are just what I’ve been looking for.
What are some of your favorite animals and why?
I tend to have a fascination for the odd-looking or dangerous animals. Some of my favorites are giraffes, the gentle giants; the blue ringed octopus, small and docile yet deadly; and gharials simply because their snouts make me giggle.
Now you work primarily with reptiles. What makes that interesting, fun, satisfying or exciting?
You never know what to expect. Every time we go in with the crocodiles to clean their enclosures or to feed them by hand you wonder what is going to happen. You never know what a snake might do while it’s wrapped around you; that makes it exciting and challenging.
Gatorland prides itself on animal encounters with our guest. Tell us a little about your experiences with the guest and their reactions to the animals.
Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a guest overcome their fear of an animal. Helping them hold a snake or an arachnid and watching them realize that it really isn’t so bad is a great feeling.
You perform in the “Jumparoo Show” and the “Upclose Encounters Show.” What are some of your favorite moments on stage?
I once had a lady squeeze the life out of my hand, while she was holding a tarantula. She refused to let go of my hand until the tarantula was well away from her. We’ve also had grown men run away screaming when we brought out our big python. It’s the moments like that, that really make the show.
You are beginning to train as a back-up for the Wrestling Show. What is a back-up and what kind of training do you have to do? Are you excited?
Basically, I am being trained for what to do if someone gets bit. I’ve got to be able to pull a gator up out of the water over a wall, pull them around on the sand, be able to open their mouth, and use bite ropes on the gator’s mouth. Am I excited? Absolutely; I’m using muscles I never knew I had
We always want to know about our entertainers personal animals. What kind of pets do you have at home?
Between 2 houses I have a dog, 3 cats, 2 bearded dragons, a parakeet, a beta fish, 3 turtles, and 2 corn snakes… for now!
Tell us about something we wouldn’t know about you. Are there any hidden talents, dreams or goals?
If there are any hidden talents, I haven’t found them yet. As far as dreams go, I’ve always wanted to travel the world studying and taking pictures of all kinds of animals. For now I enjoy going to the different zoos in the area to take pictures. I love reading and researching about new animals and hope to be able to work with many more of them.