Reptilia Whitby — Attraction in Whitby

We absolutely loved Reptilia Whitby! We went as a family of three with our one-year-old son. There was no wait and it was fairly quiet since it was during a weekday. The staff was super friendly and we were greeted very warmly. We heard mixed feelings about the zoo from a friend, but my expectations were exceeded! There was a large variety of amazing reptiles, from snakes, crocodiles, lizards, turtles, alligators, to iguanas and more! They were in all different shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. The alligators impressed us the most - they were huge! We also got lucky to witness an iguana named Oscar get fed. The staff member who fed him was super knowledgeable and helpful with all our questions. It’s also a very clean and well-cared for facility.

The other thing we appreciated is that the zoo is super kid-friendly. It includes a playground, mazes, and a theatre. And these are all free - unlike Toronto where you pay $5 just to put your kid on a two-minute ride. The entry fee is also reasonable and about half the price of what you would expect in the city. We visited Dinos Alive, paid triple the price, spent half the time there, and enjoyed it a lot less than Reptilia.

The gift shop is also really cool with a lot of unique toys for kids.

We will definitely return when our...

Diverse collection of mostly surrendered and rescued animals, including geckos, snakes (even pythons), frogs, toads, tortoises, turtles, and monitors. Gift shop located on the right as you walk in - little pricey but good selection of terrariums and paludariums. Enthusiastic service staff that are ready to help and answer questions. Plenty of parking but still advisable to arrive early (store opens at 10). Informative signs beside each exhibit showing the species name, diet, habitat etc. Typically creatures are nestled behind logs/rocks or close to the light/heat source (being cold-blooded reptiles). Public washrooms are available on site and they are well maintained and actually feature a fountain style sink. Feeding shows almost every two hours - there's a sign right when you walk in and it's hard to miss the shows since volunteers will redirect you and all the exhibits are fairly close together so you can see where there's a crowd gathered. Theatre shows also happen frequently - almost every hour - and do not cost additional charges. These talks last about 30 minutes and feature three animals which a Reptilia staff member will bring around for spectators to stroke gently (optional). The whole visit takes about 2 hours but once paid, the ticket covers...

As a reptile lover, visiting this establishment was a very upsetting experience. The enclosures were small enough to spur stress behaviours such as pacing and injury in several of the animals and were kept at a temperature not suitable for some of the species on display. I was distressed to find that all of the foliage and decorative pieces in the enclosures were fake, almost exclusively plastic and hardly a healthy environment for the animals. On top of this, there were a few creatures on display (such as the Gila Monster and the Fer-de-Lance) that probably shouldn't have been there in the first place as they're highly venomous and don't belong anywhere near our Canadian climates. It leads me to question how they're being cared for, and how they were acquired in the first place. Given that the area designated to the animals was so small (especially in comparison to the spaces for the playground and gift shop) I find it hard to believe the animals' best interest is in mind, and the place overall seems more about the entertainment value for the human visitors with little concern for the animals at all. Unfortunately I won't be going back, and I hope the best for all the critters...