Reviews of Hands On Exotics (Zoo)

Ashley Crump-Bachrynowski

Fantastic experience for a children’s birthday party! The animals were all so sweet (especially the birds!), our handler was excellent and adults and kids all had a blast. I would completely recommend this organization - everyone was blown away by the experience and really enjoyed getting to know the animals, learn about them and touch them. Thank you for such a memorable experience!

Natalie D'Urbano

Seth at Hands on Exotics is a delight to work with. We hire him and his animals regularly for commercial, editorial, and entertainment photo and video shoots. Working with animals on set is always exciting, yet can be unpredictable and challenging, but Seth’s patience, respect, and connection with the animals has always delivered. His animals are well trained, gentle, and friendly creatures. It’s evident in Seth’s approach to working with animals that he truly loves and esteems them. Animal education is a big part of his modus operandi which I have always appreciated. Seth’s energy and positivity on set makes him one of the most captivating beings in the room… perhaps second only to the animals! I highly recommend Hands on Exotics, not only for shoots, but for birthdays or events as well. Natalie D'Urbano Producer - Matt Barnes Photography & Westside Studio

Sonia Rembiesa

Hands on Exotics is an amazing organization as is! We hired Hands on Exotics for an adult party and it was so amazing! Everyone was absolutely thrilled. The handler, Alyssa, was also amazing. She was very knowledgeable and patient with both us and the animals. I highly recommend Hand on Exotics for any party or event and I would 100% book again!

Rachel N

Best shelter in the world! The owner Seth is super helpful and addresses all concerns. Their rescue animals are cared for very well and their facility is great. The work they do in the community is phenomenal and I'm more than happy to support their shelter!

Sue Maynard

I've been volunteering here for almost 3 years now and I love how dedicated the staff are to giving the animals in their care the happiest, healthiest and most enriching lives they can manage!

Mario Flores

great owners and passion! truly care for all the animals and make sure to educate everyone as much as they can about the animals !! facility always is keep clean and nice

Lyndsay Schell

We had the best time when hands on exotics came to our apartment for a family day get together. She brought an amazing assortment of animals and we got to touch all of them, even handle most of them. We learned so much about different animals. The chicken did poop all around the apartment, but that didn't bother us. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

Natasha Thompson

Hands on Exotics did my 8yrs old daughter’s virtual party and they were amazing!!!???? We originally planned to do it live but we went into lockdown a week before. So at the last minute, Seth, the owner, helped me plan it virtually and the kids loved it (..we had about 30 kids online????). One great thing about doing a virtual party is that it allowed us to invite friends and family from out of town, which was really nice!! The presentation was engaging and educational (even my husband, a teacher, was impressed). The kids had sooooo many questions for Arianna, the host, and she was patient and handled everything perfectly!! In our online Zoom invite, we also requested that in lieu of gifts, that guests make an online donation to the shelter..and a few donations already came in!! All in all, it was a great experience that we would consider again, hopefully next time...LIVE!!

Gaetano Isidori

Best experience I ever had! I've been to hundreds of events and nothing could match the fun / professionalism / uniqueness of having these guys come out to our private party. Thank you sooooo much!!

Glenn Correa

Rachel was amazing! My family had a great time with Rachel and the animals. She was a complete professional and made even the weariest of guests comfortable with all the animals! Thanks you for the experience and for helping make my son’s birthday one to remember.

Don S

Hands on Exotics was the entertainment for my 7 year olds birthday party. All the kids loved it. Our animal handler Rachel was great with the kids. She gave everyone a chance to interact with the furry creatures. Would definitely recommend them for a kids party.

Marwan Essa

The Kids Enjoyed it so much .. I did too .. Awsome

Michelle Bird

They did a wonderful show for my daughter's birthday. Very professional and engaging staff.

Chey Chey

A lady that’d works with Hands On Exotics named Miranda is such an amazing person, by far the best i’ve encountered. She was very polite and caring towards myself and the animals. She has taught me and many others many things regarding care for animals and complete new knowledge we didn’t have before. Very great experience , highly recommend both her and Hands on! :)

Gabbi Greco

They visited us this afternoon and it was such a great experience! Just a small family gathering. They were so informative, patient and kind. The animals seem very well taken care of. They show a lot of compassion for their animals and their guests! Highly recommend.

Angela IanniMurphy

We booked Hands on Exotics for my son's birthday party. All the kids loved it! The team was amazing! They were so informative and patient with the kids. They took the time to answer any questions the kids had, and they allowed the kids to interact with the animals! I would definitely do this again! Thank you to the Hands on Exotics team!

Tiffiny Laidlaw-Heo

We just had an incredible experience for my daughters 9th birthday party. The trainer was knowledgeable and so patient answering all the questions the kids ha . The animals were lovely and unique! It was so much fun and everyone had a great time!! Thank you for the great experience!!

Patty Kostoulias

Rude and snarky employee. Passive aggressive when asking questions. Worst customer experience to the point where I didn't want to hire them.

nikita vineham

We had originally booked petparty and they called and canceled 30 minutes before, we were freaking out and searching for someone else to come when I found hands on exotics. They were able to come within 1.5h and put on an amazing show with great animals. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for saving our little guys birthday party!

Zari

unethical

Eini Cheng

The entire experience from our last minute booking to the presentation was phenomenal. Seth (the handler) had us all laughing. He was very patient and thoughtful with the kids and extremely engaging. Another reason we chose this company was because they are heavily involved with wildlife and conservation initiatives. We would love to invite them again to our next gathering, so that we can meet some more of the other animals in their care. Give them a try, you will be so happy you did!

Michele Marie

10/10 recommend them! All of their animals are amazing and so well taken care of. We had Rachel for an adult party as our handler and everyone had the best time. I really recommend them! Thank you soooo much :)

Johna Lederer

Absolutely amazing!! Best interactive animal company! We have had them come twice throughout the years. Both times were brilliant! My kids love them, always learning a ton about different animals and love to pet and hold the stunning and unique creatures! Thank you so much! My son said his 12th bday was the best ever!!

Chris Tucker

I cannot say enough great things about the experience we recently had with Hands on Exotics for my daughters 5th birthday. The staff was great, the variety of animals was more than we expected and everyone (kids and adults) were thoroughly entertained. I would strongly recommend booking their services to anyone looking to do something different and special for their child's birthday party. A big thank you to the staff and we will definitely be booking again in the future.

Tip Toez

Our company's experience with Hands on Exotics was phenomenal. Our agents ophidian expertise was incredible. They are highly knowledgable and passionate about reptiles. We appreciate the patience and erudite discussion. The pleasure of working with this company was beyond comparison.

Elle CM

A huge thank you for the amazing birthday! The handlers were great, extremely professional and the animals were a huge hit! We will be booking with you again in the near future and recommending you to family and friends! Definitely a 5 star! Also, a big big thank you to Seth who was extremely patient and accommodating. You worked your magic and got us the perfect time slot????

mimixlou

We were all so pleased with my younger son's birthday party, I HAD to leave a review. The handler was Kesia (I hope I spelt it right, the party was on September 8th 2019 in East York) and she was amazing! She arrived 15 minutes prior to set up and did not miss a beat. We chose the "furry friends" package for our 3 year old's birthday and boy was it a hit! The kids AND the parents had a blast! Kesia was informative and kept the little ones entertained. I highly recommend! Thank you for making Elias' birthday so memorable :)

STACEY BRUM

Seth provided a great and informative show for my 3 year old sons birthday party. I definitely recommend and use this company again

Cheryl Pankhurst

This was a Christmas gift for my 80+ year old parents who need nothing ! Amazing experience ! The handlers were so accommodating and informative. Highly recommend for anyone

Nicole Classon

According to my son “ best birthday ever” Seth and his animals were absolutely amazing. He was so knowledgeable about each animal and the animals were all very kid friendly. I absolutely recommend this interactive show to anyone, even if you don’t like animals you will after this. To tortoises eating Cheerios, horned bills sunbathing, a parrot saying Go leafs Go to a chinchilla on my sons head. This is a show like no other. Seth and his staff are very friendly and great with the kids. To sum it up by one of the kids at our party it was the “awesomest”

Crystal Manikam

Booked for my son's 3rd birthday. They were absolutely amazing! Extremely friendly staff, great with kids. Most importantly their animals are so friendly and well socialized. Very interactive with the guests, well taken care of and are in great condition.

Cheryl Ellison

Seth and his team put on an incredible virtual animal and dinosaur show for my son’s 8th birthday. Seth is so knowledgeable and he was very engaging with the kids. We highly recommend Hands on Exotics for birthday parties, or any event. The kids and adults all had a great time!

C C

No monkeys? How lame is that?

Casey Cherry

We had the best birthday party thanks to you guys! Would highly recommend.

Brittany

Amazing customer service. Very understanding to rebook to your needs. Always answers any questions. Extremely credible company ! Highly recommend

Emma Currie

Hands on exotics was the entertainment at my daughters 5th birthday party. The young girl who did the show was knowledgeable and absolutely wonderful with explaining all animals and reptiles while offering a hands on experience everyone was so happy about.. will do it again!!

Gin Marsala

Had my daughters 8th birthday party September 12, 2020. Miranda was very knowledgeable and excellent with the kids. She went out of her way to make the experience enjoyable for all the kids and adults. Very entertaining! All the kids were engaged. Both children and adults thoroughly enjoyed themselves!! Thanks very much!!

Sarah

Hands on exotics came to my house to host my 6 year old sons birthday party. The service was amazing. The handler was professional and patient with the six, 5 and 6 year old boys who were all excited and eager to see and handle the animals. The price was reasonable compared with other birthday party venues and the experience was very interactive and will not soon be forgotten. I highly recommend this company. Great work!

Kathleen Moore

Thank you SO MUCH for a fantastic event on Saturday for my son's 5th Birthday. The handler, Jessica was fantastic. She kept the kids engaged, informed and everyone loved her (including the adults). The booking and info process leading up to the event was also extremely organized and all was very responsive. Thank you again!

Colton Johnstone

Some seriously cool critters

Ben L

Wonderful staff, happy and healthy animals and an incredible range of options. I love booking these guys for my events.

Diana Sisto Alviani

I booked this company for my sons 6th Birthday party this weekend and it was a total hit. although the weather was horrible, the staff member was very gracious and accommodating, she was totally comfortable doing the show under a canopy in our yard despite the rain. the handler was polite and super knowledgable, she was very engaging and managed to keep the attention of the children for over an hour. the sugar glider and the savannah cat were the standouts. Very covid-safe, easy outdoor birthday party entertainment!

Aziza Yuldasheva

Wonderful experience. The Handler Girl was able to keep attention of 12 kids age 6-11 for entire hour. Presentation was clean, well organized, prompt. Was fast and easy to book, make payments and communicate online.Thank you Seth, all requests (and phobias) were taken in consideration, kids were extremely pleased. Well done team!!!Thank you. Definitely will refer back to them for future bookings.

Elliot Fraser

We had Hands On Exotics at our wedding as some pre dinner entertainment, and they did not disappoint! Both handlers did a great job of providing information on all the animals, and made sure all animal interactions were safe and pleasant for everyone. They were also really professional on the business end, with no problems about booking or anything else.