Animal Adventures: Get up close and personal with exotic, creepy crawlies!

It’s not every day that a boa constrictor wraps around my dining room chair, its glittering rainbow body slithering along as if it had every reason to be there. But on a recent Saturday afternoon, we welcomed nine such exotic creatures plus seven kids and their parents to marvel with us at a presentation by Daniel Peters of Animal Adventures. And it did not disappoint!

In a world of over-the-top birthday parties and maxed out schedules, it’s refreshing when a kid’s activity gets back to basics. Aussie Dan’s incredibly calm presence set a peaceful tone, and it was clear his intuition with animals is an innate gift. As a young boy in Mullumbimby, Australia, he loved to catch the infamous (and, ahem, poisonous) cane toad, much to his mother’s chagrin.

But at our house, Mr. Peters had a keen sense of our kids’ ability to handle each animal, and so that’s what we spent the better part of two hours doing. We listened to some facts, we oohed and ahhed, and we touched creatures I never thought I’d see up close, let alone hold!

One by one, we held friendly North American corn snakes named Gravy and Popcorn (who was bright yellow, obviously), Bumpy, the squishy-looking leopard gecko from the deserts of Asia, and Donald, a neon green iguana with a long tail, hailing from Central America. We asked gobs of questions, which Mr. Peters answered with aplomb, took turns petting the animals, observed their patterns, and wondered if we might recognise them out in the wild.

Luckily for us, Daniel also knew which animals needed a less “hands-on” approach, so we enjoyed a few more critters from a safer distance, meaning they stayed squarely in their clear portable travel boxes. (By the way, I was surprised when Aussie Dan arrived at my door with nothing more than a backpack and a rolling suitcase. Snakes don’t mind a short trip in a drawstring bag, I learned, and the rest of the animals were stacked tidily in plastic bins inside the suitcase. Amazing!)

But about those wily guests. Did you know that Chilean rose-haired tarantulas can actually shoot their blinding little hairs at predators, porcupine-style? We did not, until we were advised to lean back from the top of the viewing box. I am happy to tell you that this particular tarantula was perfectly polite and we all still have our vision.

Three creatures no less fascinating but far less friendly (and firmly in the “no touch” category) included Barney of Madagascar, the cockroach who hissed, Spike the Malaysian forest scorpion, and Skull the infamous poisonous centipede. In fact, friends who have lived in Hong Kong for years said they’ve seen the likes of Skull on hikes more than once in the country parks – and run quickly the other direction.

I had no idea what to expect from an afternoon with wild animals in my very own home, but after our animal adventure concluded, the whole group agreed we would happily do it again. Daniel’s laid-back but confident style made it possible for kids of all ages to enjoy nature right at home, although Animal Adventures makes presentations at international schools, birthday parties and kindergartens as well. Bonus: Daniel’s wife Carly is his business partner and speaks fluent Cantonese, which is a lovely option for a bilingual crowd.

All told we felt safe, we learned a lot, and we gave our kids a chance to enjoy wildlife in a setting that worked for each of their developmental needs and comfort levels. I never thought I’d say this, but I hope that snake comes back soon! 

To contact Animal Adventures, email [email protected], or call 5660 0569. Prices are competitive, but vary based on the location and number of guests.