The Reptile Room is located at 14390 Manchester Rd. The business soft-opened on August 16, becoming available to the public. It doubles as a store and an educational petting zoo. For ages 13 and above, the fee is $15. Customers can see and interact with turtles, snakes, bugs and more. It is the first reptile zoo to open in St. Louis.
The experience begins at the entrance, which leads directly to the pet and supply store. The store offers a range of supplies, enclosures, plants, and even tarantulas for sale. After paying the fee, visitors can explore the zoo at their own pace. Customers can ask employees to retrieve certain animals so they can get a closer look—and possibly even handle the creatures themselves.
When I visited the Reptile Room on Sept. 13, I bought my pass at the front and entered the zoo. Quickly, I was greeted by the sight of the store’s Sulcata tortoise, Franklin. He roams the store and can be fed the food employees provide. He can also be pet, but only on the shell as there is a chance he can mistake your fingers for food.
Other than Franklin, there are many different exhibits in the main room. Some of the exhibits include a tegu, a legless lizard, and a vampire crab. While there are multiple snakes on display, the only one that can be held is the Brazilian rainbow boa.
When I held the rainbow boa, he was very strong but also very beautiful, as he had an iridescent shimmer to him. I personally found holding him to be an enjoyable experience. And contrary to popular belief, snakes are not slimy.
The second area of the zoo is the tarantula corner, which showcases a variety of tarantula species. It also holds scorpions, beetles, and a pseudoscorpion—which can be handled, but may try to escape. During my visit, I met social media influencer and arachnid enthusiast, Tarantula Kat, who occasionally works at the Reptile Room as a staff member. She assisted me in holding the pseudoscorpion, a blue death feigning beetle, who played dead in my hand, and a giant African millipede who seemed to enjoy crawling up my arm.
The final area, which is currently still under construction, is the cave. Currently, it holds turtles, lizards and even two alligators–one of which I was able to hold. Visitors aren’t able to hold the alligator by themselves at risk of being bitten, so you’re allowed to hold half of him while an employee holds him closer to his head. I was also able to hold the store’s bearded dragon in this area, who was quite feisty. Right next to the cave is the exit.
Mo Dalal, one of the store’s co-owners, wanted to create a space for people to learn to love the more ‘unusual’ animals. “We needed a space for people to interact with and get to love animals, and I think the best way to do that is to have kids get their hands on [them],” Dalal said. “When you get familiar with something, it reduces your fear, [and] that’s one step closer to loving animals. When you love animals, you can love people more, too.”
Overall, I would recommend the Reptile Room, not just to those who are interested in reptiles, but also to those who are neutral or dislike them. The interactive yet educational experience it provides with these unique animals, which have had a bad rap in the past, really puts this place apart from the typical zoo or pet store. It’s a wonderful reminder to people that these animals deserve love, too.
It officially opens in November, but until then, it is open on weekends. On Fridays, the store’s hours are from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The store’s hours on Saturdays and Sundays are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Store updates can be found on their Instagram and Facebook.
