I hired Animal Quest for my 2 year old's birthday party and it was great! They were very communicative and booking was pretty easy. They arrived on time, set up in my backyard, and helped teach the kids about the animals and how to pet them. Becky and Christian were super nice and patient even though the kid group was on the younger side and all high energy toddlers. Everyone loved it! Thanks for a great time! read more

Animal Quest - kids petting rabbit - Pet Training Near Me

We have used Animal Quest for two birthdays and they have done an amazing job each time. The team is great with the kids, keep things interesting and paced well, while being informative along the way. Highly recommended for kids birthdays of all ages. ​​​​ read more

Animal Quest - Pet Training Near Me

I was super impressed with how knowledgeable the handlers were. I hadn't expected learning so much! It was great. read more

Animal Quest - Pet Training Near Me

We absolutely loved having Stella the Sloth and Jessica attend our 4 year olds birthday party. Stella was amazing to meet and Jessica was so knowledgeable, kind and helpful. The company was easy to work with as well. Absolutely recommend. read more

Animal Quest came to my sons 4 year old birthday and it was incredible. They were super responsive throughout the process getting set up with the event and accommodating. Our animal hosts kept the attention of 25 toddlers for 44 minutes and were so fun and knowledgeable. Highly recommend for any event where you want fun animals. The best! read more

Animal Quest - Pet Training Near Me

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We had Animal Quest in for our son's 5th birthday. He got his dream of being up close and personal with a tarantula and a massive boa constrictor! The two presenters were phenomenal and were so good with both the kids and the parents. The presentation was interesting and informative and everyone enjoyed it. Highly recommend for a kids party! read more

Animal Quest was incredible for my son's 6th birthday party! Their animal experts were extremely professional, friendly, engaging, passionate, and knowledgeable! It was an unforgettable experience! Thank you, Animal Quest! read more

I hired them for my 34th (lol) birthday over zoom. It was super fun for adults - and all my friends loved it. Was a lovely pandemic birthday alternative. read more

Animal Quest did an incredible job. The kids had a blast and were kept engaged. Jessica was easy to communicate with and helped with all of the details. Steve and Collin put on a great show! The animals were age appropriate for our audience and we felt it was more than affordable for our party size. Thank you Jessica, Steve, and Collin! read more

I held a hedgehog. And a chicken. And the largest rabbit I've ever seen (30 lb Flemish rabbit named Trix!). And while I booked the Animal Quest show for my 1 year old's birthday party, I most certainly got my fill of alllllll the animals! I filled out all the paperwork with animal requests, extra info and read up on what the animal trainers/presenters need beforehand (certain amount of space, certain weather requirements to host the show outside, etc). You're dealing with interesting and *live* animals, folks, so be prepared to make accommodations as necessary. Steve and Todd showed up early to set up and were great show hosts. We had about 10-12 kids of varying ages (10 months - 8 years old) and a bunch of adults who were really interested in learning about all ten animals they introduced us to. The show was cute, informative, and interactive. The kids were able to touch/pet a variety of the animals and learn some great tidbits (hamsters live about a year, ferrets are stinky, and pigs are about as smart as a 1 year old). After the 45 minute presentation, my little birthday girl took her photo with three of the available animals and her birthday party guests took their photo with one of the three animals she chose. It was a super sweet way to end the show! If you're planning on bringing Animal Quest in for a show, here are some of my personal fave animals we "met": - Trix the (most giant) Flemish giant rabbit - Matilda the hedgehog - Twinkie the hamster - Drumstick the chicken - The pig (cannot remember that cute dude's name) Thanks, Animal Quest! read more

They were awesome! They arrived on time and the show was very informative. They brought most of the animals I requested and all the animals looked healthy. They went into details regarding if an animal would be a good pet or not which is great because a lot of people are not informed. I highly recommend them for a kids party. Both the kids and adults really enjoyed it. read more

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My daughter had Animal Quest for her birthday party. She turned 7 and all guests were between 6-7 years old. It was fabulous!! It was an inside party due to the cold weather. Steve was our host with an assistant. He really knows his stuff and makes it fun and educational at the same time. The 45 minutes flew by and the kids loved it (as did the adults!)!! We did 15 minutes after for a petting zoo (inside as well). It was perfect. Some people might think all of those animals in your house?!?! Yes and it was super clean. No mess at all left behind. They brought a dust buster as well as cleaned up any poop that fell on their tarp that they put down to cover the entire area where the animals were shown. I HIGHLY recommend Animal Quest! They know their animals and each animal is truly loved by them, as can be seen between their bond with each animal. That was just so sweet to see. Thank you Animal Quest once again!! read more

We had such a great experience with Animal Quest. They came to our party with about 30 toddlers and they were outstanding. They arrived early, set up quickly, and did a great job of encouraging kids to come in the pen and see the animals (goat, two ducks, tiny pig, and a big rabbit) but never pressuring them if they weren't comfortable. Every one of their staff members was friendly and focused on the kids and animals. They made it a great party for all! read more

Animal Quest was wonderful. Communication was excellent. The gentlemen showed up on time, and gave the kids a great show! The animals were interesting and the handler and presenter were very knowledgeable about all the animals. They were expert at handling a lot of questions. I highly recommend them for your event. read more

Hired Animal Quest for my 4 year Old's B-Day. It was winter, so we had the animals in our house. The kids loved it! They had a bunch of different and exotic animals that were all clean, looked healthy, and were well behaved. My daughter still talks about Trix the rabbit, Blotus the bullfrog, Drumstick the chicken and her favorite Harriet the Hedgehog. Easy to work with, and the kids had a great time. Highly recommend. read more

My daughter had the best birthday party ever with Animal Quest. Lindsey and Lottie did an amazing job and everyone had a lot of fun. The animals were great and the petting zoo was perfect. Thank you for coming to our home and sharing your animals with us! read more

I had Animal Quest come out for my son's 4th birthday party in my home (oh yes, I voluntarily had live animals- including a pig and a snake- brought into my house!) I was a little nervous at first as to how this all would go, but everything went super smoothly and the kids had a GREAT time! First off, Jessica was very pleasant to deal with over email in the weeks leading up to the event and always responded to my emails promptly. The team arrived on time the day of the party and off we went! Lindsay the presenter did a great job of managing the kids and encouraging them to ask questions and touch the animals (if they felt comfortable doing so). Overall I was very happy with the whole process!!! The did a great job of cleaning up as they left- it was as if there had never been animals in the middle of my living room (except for all the adorable pictures of the kids petting the rabbit they brought!) read more

Can't recommend Animal Quest more! They far exceeded our expectations, with a show that is fun, educational, interactive, and hilarious! They went above and beyond and were a delight to watch and work with. Adults and children alike had a blast! read more

My husband was hesitant when I told him that I purchased an exotic animal party package for our 3 year old son and his friends. Scheduling was very accommodating (we scheduled a weekday party, so that might have helped) and the children were so excited. Setup was very quick, which was great for preschoolers. Steve and Desi were very patient with the questions. The animals are well cared for and friendly. As soon as they left, my husband insisted that I log onto Yelp to leave a review. He asked me again how much it cost and when I told him, he was shockingly said that it is an amazing value and he looks forward to hosting another Animal Quest party in the future. read more

If I could give this company zero stars I would! Attended a party where animal quest was supposed to be there and ended up showing up 45 minutes late. Not only were they late but the owner lacked severe people skills. He told the kids on numerous occasions that unless they were quiet he was not bringing out the animals (which is virtually impossible to get 40 6-year-olds to be quiet). It was not an "interactive" show at all!! Know your audience and make it engaging. Kids were playing on their parents cell phones because they were so bored. When it was time for the petting zoo he only had three animals available and then continued to snap at the children when touching them. It is a petting zoo for crying out loud and when kids are gentle and touching the animals he still found something to snip at them about. My child left crying because he was so rude to him! I am glad I was not the one hosting the party and having to pick up the bill for a service like this. If your business is around making presentations and customer service then that might be something you would like to work on in the future to make an engaging and fun show for kids. read more

We had Steve and his sidekick over for our sons 3rd birthday and they were amazing. The setup, the animals and their ability to keep the kids attention was just great. Even the adults were really into it and couldn't stop talking about it. If your kids loves animals, do not hesitate for a second and call these guys for entertainment, exceeded our expectations. read more

Thank You Animal Quest! I had such a great experience booking and participating in the fun with all the animals. I had animal quest come out to my school for a celebration. They were on time and great with the kids. They gave information about each animal and the kids loved asking questions and petting the sweet little furry friends. I look forward to having them back at my school next year. read more

I contacted Animal Quest to come for our "Roaming Reptiles" themed pack meeting. We have about 28 Cub Scouts ranging from 6-12 years old along with their siblings. Steve came early to set up, started on time, and was wonderful with the boys. He was patient with them even when they exclaimed with excitement with each new animal. The shortened program they presented per my request was exactly what I was looking for. I also appreciated that they were able to present proof of insurance for the park district (a requirement for us to use the room) in the event that something happened. I think this is something people forget about when planning to have live animals at a party or event. Make sure the people you hire keep your guests safe as well as the animals. I think this company does both well and I highly recommend them. read more

Another living social deal success! Back in the fall I purchased a deal for an exotic animal home party. My son's birthday is in January and coming up with cost effective parties ideas can be daunting. I saw the deal and checked with my son and he was all for it. I contacted them in November to set up the party and it did take them a couple days to get back to me but once they did they explained everything to me and sent out the contract. There were quite a few options of different things you could choose, guaranteeing your wish list, adding more party time, etc. My son was not very specific in what he was looking to see so I let them decided. I confirmed with them a few days before and on party day they called with their ETA. Once they arrived they set up quickly and explained the show worked (party guests we between the ages of 2-6) and really worked with the boys answering all their questions and giving them ample time to see/pet the animals. The show host (i forgot his name in the fast pace of the day) was incredible. He has stories/explainations for each of the animals and put everything on the level the little boys could understand. It was an awesome experience and my son was so happy! Thank you Animal Quest! read more

We had Animal Quest come for my son's 6th birthday party. We had never used their service until now, had never been to a show, and had no idea what to expect. THIS WAS BY FAR THE BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY we have ever had for our son. Previously for my son's birthdays we have rented out Bella's bouncy house (twice), Ultimate Gymnastics in Gurnee, & the Children's museum in Roundlake... With Animal Quest we had our son pick out the animals he wanted--- this was well worth the extra money! Jessica was our animal handler, the show was extremely hands on, and THE KIDS LOVED IT! We will ABSOLUTELY be using their services again! Sounds crazy, but after enrolling our son in zoo camps all summer long--- he got more out of this hour long show than all the zoo camps combined. I have never, EVER written one of these reviews before, but had to after this experience. This party (and all because of Animal Quest) was one of the highlights of our year! Animal Quest--- we love you!!! :) and highly recommend!! read more

Animal Quest came to our preschool and was a HUGE hit! The show was AWESOME! Everyone had a great time! Our parents and preschoolers LOVED seeing the animals and learning more about them through the very informative, age appropriate show. Steve and Lindsey were GREAT...but the animals stole the show! :) Thank you! We can't wait to have you back to our school!!! read more

If I could give negative stars I would. Very disappointed. Bought the party package on living social and we had so looked forward to this. They were supposed to arrive at 1:30pm to the party to set up. I had activities planned at their request so the kids would be distracted and not bug them. 1:50pm rolls around and I'm frantically trying to find a contact number. Nothing on any emails, website, nothing. My hubby finally found a number on yelp. They finally called me to say they were running ten minutes late. No apologies. I asked if they were actually going to show up, she said they had hit traffic, on Sunday. Ok. 25 minutes later they did show up. Again no apologies. They walked in and started right away. A few minutes in the man yelled at the kids to be quiet and told them he had a 3 strikes policy. If he has to tell them to be quiet 3 times he takes away the animals. He was rude to say the least. Now when I sent in my contract I listed the animals we wanted. We could pick ten. They only had 9. And I had made a deal with them that if I took the pictures we could have a few more. I had requested another snake, Tegu, baby scorpions, and the pot bellied pig which they didn't bring. And half the animals we couldn't touch which I thought was the whole idea. Then when it came time for pictures we were told we could only choose from 3 of the animals. Again this was not stated and my son so upset because all he wanted was to touch the tarantula. All said and done they packed up fast and told us we owe them $50 extra for traveling fees. When I questioned them them she pulled out the fine print. I never saw that, which is my bad. In shock I gave them a check. Which she asked my husband to hurry up because they were late for their next party. In hindsight I wish I'd have told them to leave and next time be on time. Long story short even at a discount don't waste your money. Call someone else. They were unprofessional, rude, and seriously late. And never once did they ever apologize. read more

Animal Quest provided birthday entertainment for both of my kids and each time was a hit with both kids and parents. The show was entertaining and educational. The animals appeared to be very well treated and comfortable around people. Animal Quest was courteous and professional. I definitely recommend them. read more

Animal Quest provided their petting zoo services at a library children's event. There were two trainers, the one with piercings had no people skills at all and the other one was kinda friendly but neither of them seemed like they wanted to give any information about the animals at all. My daughter and I were both petting the giant rabbit when the trainer with piercings walked over and yelled at my 4 year old daughter for touching the rabbit's head. She was not pulling the rabbit's ears or poking the rabbit in the eyes--- she was petting it nice and he yelled at her. I was shocked and merely said, "no one told us not to touch the animals' heads." The trainer responded with a MEGA attitude and said, "I'm sure he did." So not only did he yell at my daughter but he basically called me a liar as well. Needless to say, we immediately left the pen and I was highly upset for the rest of the event. If you're going to have such an extreme reaction, then you should probably post signs as well as make sure that EVERY person heard your directions. I gave this company 2 stars instead of 1 star because the animals were very nice, calm, and clean. Even though the employees have no people skills, the animals are at least taken care of. read more