Artistic License – Animal Care: At the task involving giving porcupines their food, Adelaide wants to give them salad, but Carl says that they should be given smoothies. She rightly calls him out on this. It then devolves into an Argument of Contradictions.
When the kids come to rescue Lois the tortoise after she lands in Glen the alligator’s enclosure, Carl and Adelaide initially try carrying her out of there, but she is rightfully too heavy for them to do so—according to a fact that CJ read, tortoises like Lois can easily weigh up to 200-pounds.
However, the kids end up being able to launch her out of the enclosure using a makeshift seesaw catapult with nothing more than their own combined body weight against Lois's bulk.
Conveniently Timed Distraction: Every time Mrs. Chang assigns Adelaide, Carl, and CJ a task, she has to manage some of the other animals in the zoo for a while, leaving her unaware of the group's infighting and Lois the tortoise getting out of her enclosure.
Daydream Surprise: The beginning of the episode shows Adelaide at the zoo driving the tram and checking on the animals' well-beings, and then giving them all bananas. Then one of the "animals" starts saying her name, at which point it is revealed to actually be Sid, who is interrupting Adelaide's fantasy.
Genial Giraffe: Gregor the giraffe gets a porcupine quill in his neck, and after CJ takes it out, he, Gregor, returns the favor by helping him, Carl, and Adelaide find Lois the tortoise.
Gross-Up Close-Up: Glen the alligator is shown to have very dirty teeth and so needs a toothbrush.
I Meant to Do That: After finally becoming junior zookeepers at the end of the episode, the children are asked to change the panda's diaper. This causes Carl to say that he wants out now, so he once again tries to swing away on a vine, only to fail. He then says this trope by name.
I've Heard of That — What Is It?: When they're almost done with the training, Mrs. Chang says that the last badge is for habitat maintenance. Carl excitedly says that he's great at that, then asks what it is in a confused tone.
Karmic Jackpot: Despite wanting it to themselves for the whole episode, Adelaide and Carl let CJ name the new baby panda, especially since neither of them would've been able to become Junior Zookeepers without his help.
Never My Fault: When noticing a quill in Gregor's neck, Adelaide tells Carl that it's his fault for that, even though she is just as much to blame for their fighting causing those porcupines to attack. Carl even points this out to her.
Running Gag: Carl trying to swing on a vine, only for it to break.
Stock Animal Diet: The episode opens with Adelaide daydreaming about feeding the monkeys some bananas.
Team Spirit: Unlike Adelaide and Carl, CJ doesn't see the exam as a contest and just wants them all to work together and succeed, and even adapts around their fighting to do so (for example, using skewers to catch food the others are throwing at each other to make kebabs for the porcupines they're supposed to be feeding). After Lois the tortoise escapes due to Adelaide and Carl's bickering, the pair are finally willing to listen to him and cooperate.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Despite the Junior Zookeeper test being a cooperative team exam, Adelaide and Carl, both wanting to outshine the other in order to be selected as the one to name the new baby panda, end up arguing and fighting with each other for almost the whole episode.
Toilet Humor: The episode ends as the baby panda soils his diaper, resulting in Mrs. Chang giving CJ, Carl, and Adelaide an assignment to change the diaper.
Tropes for "Maxed Out":
Chekhov's Gag: Hector and Vito’s special handshake from the start of the episode ends up saving them when the window washing lift they are on free-falls down the skyscraper after accidentally triggering the release lever.
Foreshadowing: At the beginning of the episode, Bobby says that he needs some time off from his job to study for his math test. In the end, it is revealed that Bobby had aced his math test, except for where he's supposed to put the decimal points. Bobby's trouble with decimal points was the reason why Vito was charged $10,000 instead of $100.00.
Oh, Crap!: Bobby, when he realized his mistake for Vito’s debts.
Replacement Goldfish: As Hector starts to miss Vito after banning him from the store, he tries to cope by doing their favorite rituals with others who happen to pass by. Ronnie Anne and Carl at first, and then Bruno later on.
Say My Name: Hector cries out Vito's name after the latter keeps screwing up at every job Hector gives him.
