very traumatizing the way the animals are kept and taken care of. inappropriate living spaces for exotic animals. do not support. the alaskan fox that couldn't move from bone degenerative disease they were hoping was "pregnant" made me nauseous so i had to leave. read more

Riverside Wildlife Center - whole place is that type of fencing in small enclosures for exotic animals - Zoos Near Me - Sullivan, Missouri

I've been here about 5 times now with daughters and for the price it's very good. There's nothing else like it this close to Sullivan where we live. read more

The one thing I love about traveling is going to the places that aren't well known or off the beaten path that tourists don't normally stop. Well, this is a gem if you have time to check it out. Lynn was extremely knowledgeable and took her time answering questions, letting us pet the animals and look at everything at our pace. It was cold, we were the only group there and it was like a private zoo tour. Our 8 year old said it was the best zoo he ever visited :) It's was worth the cost of admittance and such a nice addition to Meramec caverns! Highly recommend read more

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Best experience I have ever had at a zoo/wildlife center. It's a small operation which comes with some amazing perks of one on one with animals and close up close interactions . Many post here complain about the animals in small enclosures, that is true if any zoo. But seeing the animals react to Lynn with so much excitement and love. Made that fade quickly. Lynn also held one of my three little guys the whole time we were in the reptile section so he could interact too. So above and beyond service imo. I can't recommend this space enough best part of our vacation. read more

Very clean and organized. Loved being able to see all the animals. Will definitely be bringing the kids back with us next time we come!

If I'm being honest, first impressions of this place was that it was going to be sketch but I should have known better than to judge a book by it's cover. What an amazing little find just a few miles up the road from Meramec Caverns. We stopped in coming back from the caves and while we had a wonderful time visiting the caves, it was Riverside Wildlife Center that kept us talking the rest of the afternoon. First off, the staff at Riverside are fantastic! They are super knowledgeable, very friendly, and rather personable. We engaged with a number of staff and found they had all worked there for quite a while which contributes to a sense of being"family owned." Here's the skinny - I have never been so close to a tiger in my life - absolute best part of my day. Two fences separate you from these enormous cats but it's still much closer than the zoo. Our tour group was small, about 8 people, and we never felt rushed while visiting either the inside or outside animals. We saw them feed the big cats, pet the emu, and enjoy the tigers playing in the water. Inside contains an amazing collection of reptiles and you'll have an opportunity to hold some of them (if you dare!) I'm a big fan of critters so this too was a highlight. This was my first time to hold an alligator or such a huge snake! Holding is optional and I felt perfectly safe, so no worries if this isn't your thing. We loved how personalized our experience was and how great the interactions were with the staff and the animals. I've already recommended Riverside to a number of friends who are making their plans to visit soon! read more

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The tiger Jasmine was cool but was so sad. You could tell she hadn't been able to run or get exercise. You walk in the building and I thought the smell was cat pee and the woman said it was from the reptiles in back. Every reptile was in the smallest container or fish tank. There was a huge snapping turtle in a metal tank and he had maybe 3 inches between him and the side of the tank. approximately 10-15 baby alligators in a 5 x 4 foot tank/cage all were on a tree trunk. I am getting more upset the more I write. read more

Never knew about this place! Only found out by purchasing a Groupon. It's located at the same exit as the Meramec Caverns. This is a very interesting place! It's not for everybody but how often do you get a chance to hold a baby alligator and other snakes?? This is not a public zoo. But, the animals do seem to be taken care of and the volunteer staff seem to be attached and care about the animals. They have a couple Tigers, a Lion, Bobcats, ducks, chickens, Lemurs, and a ton of reptiles! Any Snake that you want to see and probably hold along with alligators, snapping turtles, dragons, kents and monitors. Now the store front is creepy, too creepy and cluttered for me. Bones, fossils, just all sorts of things but just too much stuff. But, I was the only one in my group that felt that way. I would go again! read more

Riverside Wildlife Center - Look at this cute little guy! - Zoos Near Me - Sullivan, Missouri

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Do not waste your money supporting this business. Came here more out of curiosity on how they ran this place. I couldn't believe what I walked in to. 30 alligators kept in a room with a shallow water hole is not my idea of care. No sunlight either. 2 Lemurs in a cage no sunlight. Raw meat just chillin on top of a turtle cage. That was gross. A huge 175 year old turtle in a murky water Tupperware container. Not even kidding No room to even turn around. The largest alligator was kept in an bigger area but dirty water as well. Very uneasy feeling waking in, and the tour guide could only tell us how hard the different animals bites were. no other info other than that the animals are all "rescues". Bunch of baby alligators in a tank that will spend the rest of their lives there. I guess graduate to the room of 30 after they get big enough. Seen the tiger, very overweight no room to exercise. There is no way this is ok, because that is no way to live. read more

Riverside Wildlife Center - Zoos Near Me - Sullivan, Missouri

We made an unprecedented stop (per my husband's insistence) at this "wildlife zoo" that was basically a swamp neighboring what looked like a meth lab. We walked into what one may consider an "office" and the first two sights were: a dog imprisoned in what appeared to be a jail cell, and a woman casually changing her child's diaper on a service counter. For $10 apiece, we were told we would get a "tour"; after giving her a $20, she said she'd have to get us change. What? To his utter opposition, a boy no older than 15 years of age was asked to guide us. My husband knew more about the animals than the poor young lad. Animals were contained within cages that looked no securer than a cardboard cereal box. Showcased was a vast array of random, exotic animals such as a Bengal tiger and had an alligator pond. Steve, the Tiger Trainer was rather hilarious in his demonstration of feeding raw chicken to the tigers. The entire scene was unexplainable, inconceivable but I commend them for rescuing and genuinely caring for the animals. read more

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You go for the towns rumors of holding exotic animals, you stay for the amazing staff. We had the best time- Daisy was a doll. read more

Riverside Wildlife Center - Zoos Near Me - Sullivan, Missouri

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Rating this place anything less than 5 stars is simply a mistake. I "stumbled" upon this park as I was driving toward Meramec Caverns. And candidly? I would put Riverside Reptile Ranch on ANYONE's most important "bucket list" items as a place they MUST VISIT in the United States. (IF...you are interested in being close to exotic wild animals. "Reptile Ranch" name does not begin to present their true identity. Unless, of course you call tigers (2), a lion, an Emu, Silver foxes, 2 wolves, a common fox, a bobcat, wild turkeys, exotic goats, A rare chicken that lays "COLORED EGGS", and a variety of monkeys and many others that I forgot . No, its not just "reptiles". Also? Any comment about "poorly cared for animals" is "insulting to both myself, and the owners / employees of this business! I've witnessed the love and care given to every single species in this place, so "Mr. California" must have simply judged the book by its cover. And, by the way? JG, You owe these guys 10 bucks. Anyway, when you arrive, and enter the front door, it may seem like a "weird" place. And yes, there may be some dust on the collection of unique skeletons and other bizarre items, but after you "EXPERIENCE" the tour, and come within inches of animals and species that you've only seen on TV, you will understand WHY you MUST check this place out. They have a snapping turtle that is speculated to be at least 125 years old....maybe much older! (Wish I took a photo. It was like 3 feet wide by 4 feet long!!! And have you ever petted a hedgehog? I think not. And you certainly would get to do that at any zoo! Or hold an alligator? I mean really??? A bad review?? Are you kidding me?? Maybe, "Mr. California", the entry fee should be more like $100.00 per person (instead of $10.00 per person) Then, Bill and Lynn just might have the extra money to clean up the junk or mess. (Yet, I hope they change NOTHING!) An UNBELIEVABLE experience for sure. Thanks so much. (And a special thanks to Gary for the great tour he conducted) :) Lastly. I have about 50 more photos to view, but they would not load. So, if you click on my profile, and click on photos, they are all there to view. Please spend a couple minutes checking them out. :) Jeff. read more

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This place was so so cool! Lynn was our tour guide and was very knowledgeable and friendly! We brought our younger cousins here and they had so much fun! We were able to hold a skink, snake, and alligator as well as pet a goat. Overall it was such an amazing experience and will definitely be back! read more

the selection of animals is very nice but none of the animals looked happy to be there, to put it mildly. none of the animals looked like they had much room to move around (especially the reptiles) and overall a lot of them were very lethargic. barely any water or food in any of the chambers. a lot of the animals packed in together as tightly as possible. wouldn't surprise me if a bunch of them were sick. i guess it's a cool place to go if you don't care about the welfare of the animals but my kids were pretty upset with what they saw. read more

Hear you could hold alligators here... and you CAN! Also serval other amazing animals. We watched our guide hand feed the tiger like house cat. The staff was welcoming and so sweet. read more

Riverside Wildlife Center - Zoos Near Me - Sullivan, Missouri

My fellow travelers and I were faced with a choice: drop 20 bucks on a tour of Meramec Caverns, or explore the intriguing Riverside Reptile Ranch we had passed further on up the road for only a quarter of a price. We're college students, so the decision was obvious. Now, Riverside looks rather dubious from the road, but it's the kind of place that promises to be memorable, at the very least. We were delighted to find that this miniature zoo in the heart of Missouri was every bit as sketchy inside as it appeared from the outside. Upon entering the front "gift shop", a slightly unsettling collection of dust-covered alligator skulls, snakeskins, and bowie knives (which I highly doubt anyone ever purchases), you shell out $5 for a guided tour of the ranch. For its location, the zoo houses a rather impressive variety of animals, reptile and non-reptile alike, including several wild cats, lemurs, exotic birds, turtles, snakes, and spiders; unlike a typical zoo, however, the burly, camo-wearing guides are more than willing to aggravate the animals a little to put on a show (although that may have been more for our benefit-I have a feeling they don't get many college girls out there). Highlights of the tour included the alligator pond-or were they crocodiles? Our tour guide informed us of a newly arrived gator that was larger and surlier than the rest, but who declined to surface from the murky water. As the rest of the alligators we could see seemed fairly large and surly themselves, we nervously huddled as far back from the edge of the deck as we could, positive that the lurking gator was about to explode through the boards in a hillbilly rendition of Lake Placid. If you're fair-haired, you might even get to be nuzzled by Leo, the blonde loving lion, as was my one lucky friend (through a ten foot chain link fence, of course). This same lucky friend also had the good fortune of getting to hold a baby alligator, which promptly peed all over her in a rather explosive fashion. Riverside Reptile Ranch was one of the highlights of our road trip, and a story which has been retold many, many times since, so I just had to rep it on Yelp. That said, if you're ever unfortunate to be passing through central MO and have a sudden desire to drape a boa constrictor over your shoulders, this is the place to do it. And make sure to visit the gift shop on your way out. read more

Well, we happened to get a Monday off and have been meaning to check this place out so I headed out to Stanton, MO with my daughter and a friend. This place is located at the Meramac Cavern exit....you pass over the highway and just a little ways down the road you'll see the sign for this little roadside wildlife center. The place does look rough....this is to be noted for sure....but hell....who doesn't like a little adventure?? You will first enter the "gift shop" or maybe a shop of curiosities is more apt. All sorts of gator heads, skull of every kind (even a hippo skull!), dried turtle shells, carved wooden animals, teeth in jars, beaded jewelry etc.... This place is a bit dark, and needs a bit of airing out....but that was part of it's charm for us. The people who work here were VERY, VERY friendly. After looking around a bit, we were appointed a tour guide (Khelsey) and we headed out to the back of the building. There were a few fancy breeds of chickens first and we saw sheep and an emu and then the REAL DEAL....2 GATORS! One was lounging on the deck and we got to touch her tail. She didn't mind a bit and was glad to just sun bathe there. There was also another one lounging on the mud in their pond. We turned the corner and saw 2 beautiful TIGERS! They were so content looking and soaking in the sun. Both looked healthy and happy. Khelsey offered them chicken parts to bring them closer and even got the male to stretch up on the fence to show how tall he was. (see photo) We then got to see bob cats, foxes, and even a wolf dog! We went to the other end where a beautiful male lion lived. His name is Leo and he was just sunbathing as well. He was a bit on the lack-a- daisy side and didn't really want to come over until his favorite person came out and he ran right up to him and was rubbing all over the fence. You could really tell he loved him. We headed back inside and were taken to the interior reptile room where we saw snakes, tarantulas, monitors, frogs, HUGE turtles, and more alligators. There were also parrots and lemurs. We got to hold a python and baby alligators and frogs. It was really cool. These people truly love their job and helping these animals (most of which are rescues) and love sharing their knowledge with others. This place is a must see if you love adventures and seeing cool animals up close. I'd say go early so it's not too hot out and BRING A CAMERA!!! I took a TON of photos if you'd like to see what you're missing. BTW - it's $10.00 for the guided tour but all of these people work as VOLUNTEERS!! The money goes to help the animals and keep this place going. There are also tip jars as you leave for your guide. read more

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If I could rate this zero I would. The animals are poorly taken care of, the place stinks, they do not clean, found spider webs everywhere. Everyone was so pushy onto giving a tip for a girls new truck read more

Riverside Wildlife Center - We also found this this dead thing in a mouse trap. This place is terrible. - Zoos Near Me - Sullivan, Missouri

I'm usually skeptical of these types of places because they have an air of the same exotic pet wackos that caused the python problem in the everglades, and the lady that had her face forcibly removed by a chimp. To that end, the tour guide went out of his way to say how "friendly" the animals were with him. But to the credit of the center, the big cats do not interact directly with handlers. I will say that the enclosures could use some size increase for the betterment of the animals' emotional health, but the tour was great & personal, and the animals appeared to be healthy. I recommend a visit - it's a unique experience. read more

Is it dirty? Yes. Is it smelly? Hells yes. Does that matter? NOPE! This place was awesome!! My girlfriends and I went on a mini-road trip last week down to Spfd from STL and had to stop here. The reviews were great and we couldn't pass up a chance to hold baby alligators! Could you?? Mark was our tour guide and he was stellar. He walked us through the outdoor animal yard which had a few fairly unimpressive chickens and roosters, but then we moved over to the tigers and lion. We were probably about 5 feet away from them which is closer than I can guarantee you'll ever get at any zoo. Mark was knowledgeable about the animals and how they came to acquire them as well as how they take care of them. Don't forget to tip and donate since they do work mostly on that. It is a $10 fee for the tour, but it's well worth it. We went inside to look at the alligators, snakes, and other reptiles. We got to hold a python and baby alligators. A must see if you happen to find yourself in Stanton, MO! read more

I LOVE this place. Me and my then fiancee stumbled onto this place on our way to the caverns. I thought it looked like something intresting, as I thought it was just a shop. As we were returning from our cave tour, my husband wasn't so sure about the place, and I said it can't be that bad. It was amazing we went on a tour, with a very knowledgable guide. The tour lasted over an hour. Me and my husband went back a year later, and i am planning another trip to STL and am going back again. This place is all nonprofit; the people that work their are ALL volunteers! They only get paid in tips. My husband wanted to take our kids to the STL zoo, i said they would get more out of the experience if we took them here, and we are. I've seen different things every time we have gone, i can't say enough good things about this place. I strongly suggest you go. read more

This place looks a little sketchy when you drive up, but was a highlight of our trip! Would recommend this stop for all ages. Our tour guide was marc and he was very informative and knowledgeable. Very up close and personal animal encounters. We saw sheep, tigers, a lion named leo, foxes, emus, ans bobcats outside. He even fed raw chicken to the tigers to get them closeup for us to take pictures. Tour continued inside to the reptile area where marc brought out a frog, lizard, snakes and alligators for us to hold. So amazing!! Definitely a must see place!! read more

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Have you always wanted to go where the Alligators roam? Where Lions and Tigers live side-by-side? Then look no further than this little roadside "zoo" situated just before Meramec Caverns. The staff is really, really friendly - my tour guide even asked me if I wanted to hold the alligator - he was only about four feet long, and not happy (yup, he was hissing at me) - I declined. This was not a Louisiana swamp tour...I'm wasn't about to mingle with a Missouri (captive) 'gator! Stop off at this little place if you want an up-close experience and to see some exotic animals (lots of reptiles). Only downfall? It's not very expansive (which seems a bit cruel), there are flies everywhere, and the indoor adventure literally stinks (but it's where they keep all the snakes and 'gators). read more

My wife bought the family a pass on groupon. When we pulled up we didn't think much of the place. Don't let the outside appearance fool you. This place is pretty cool. I've never been so close to a tiger. They had a variety of animals.Got to hold an alligator too. Our tour guide Kevin was very knowledgeable. Not your typical petting zoo. The whole family loved it. read more

This was an interesting experience to say the least. The animals appeared to be well taken care of. The enclosures seemed clean and animals were content. It's not your usual zoo experience, it's a guided tour. One downside to that is I didn't get as much time as I would have liked with the outdoor animals. We spent a good amount of time, more than I needed, inside with the reptiles. The smell inside could be too much for some, it's dated and reptiles & monkeys don't smell very pleasant. They have a A LOT of snakes. Just as the other reviews have stated, you get the opportunity to hold snakes and young alligators. Overall: It's not a place we'll soon forget; the main building needs updating; our guide was very friendly and entertaining; animals seemed well for the most part. read more

This place is now called 'Riverside Wildlife Center' which fits better a bit more. We were driving to meramec caverns when we drove past this place. We made a u-turn and decided to check what this place was all about. Our disapointment was big when we noticed it was closed. But the friendly big guys outside were happy to open the place up for us and give us a personal tour of the zoo. End of the day we saw the guy pet a lion, feed aligators and do a lot of other crazy stuff. We ourselves touched a grown alligator, got a snake on our shoulders (not the small ones either) and we got to hold a baby alligator (about 2 ft long). My wife was very affraid of snakes and they helped her a bit with that, they made her overcome her fear with a lot of patience and talking but eventually she let them put a snake on her. When we got into a tattooshop in OKC she decided to get a snake surounding the route 66 logo on her arm. This was a great experience and we have nothing but love for the guys working here! read more

This place doesn't look like much , matter of fact. the place looks down right scary. The store is made up of weird looking nick nacks that are over priced and sort of creepy. Lot of road kill skeletons and weird "antiques" The Zoo its self is something like I have never witnessed. The animals look happy and even though the cages are small they look fed and taken care of really well. Lions, Tigers, Lemurs were all my favorite. Billy took his time with us, and really showed his animals off. Hand feeding the Lion and tigers and alligators. BRAVE GUY. They run mostly on donations and I can see how the money is needed. DO YOUR SELF A FAVOR AND DONT LET THIS ONE SLIP AWAY read more

We checked out this place and had a great time. Our tour guide Lisa was so good with the kids questions. She told us about each animal, how they got them, how long they have lived there. She told us information that many adults didn't know. I had three children with me ages 5 to 10 years old. There was something for them all. The kids didn't notice a smell but there is some smell from the animals. The Wildlife Center is run on donations and volunteers, I think they have done a great job and seem to love all the animals. My three kids really want to go back. Don't let the outside of the building scare you away, it's worth stopping and going in. read more

I took my 4 year old and my 1 year old here and they loved it my son's got to see turtles tigers lions snakes lizards I think this is a good place to take your family to see awesome animals I got to hold a gator and me and both my boys held a snake and they had lots of fun read more

I love Riverside! It's dark, musty, cheesy and just one of those places that you have to go back to! Not only can you hold a gator, I went in a room full of them. The kids got to hold a Python, pet a hedgehog and watch them feed the lion and interact with the Tigers. You can't get that at a "Zoo". The staff are volunteers and the owners are down home and personable.. AND knowledgable. The gift shop when you walk in is a collection of artifacts and exhibits you would never think of being at a little hole in the wall. And yes I bought a lady a pair of Viper fang ear rings. It's worth the drive, you and your kids will love it! read more

It was a neat little place and has a very wide variety of animals reptile and not easy to find off the highway. Also my daughter loved it held all sizes of baby alligators along with the lizards and snakes she totally would not touch the spiders but it was a great experience and would suggest it to everyone read more

my son just got two geckos for the first time from his uncle who owns @jeffersoncounty reptile rescue on fb and my daughter just got her first bearded dragon from uncle steven also they were all rescue and my son is learning so he forced his females mouth to get her to eat and broke a piece of her jaw and had sand in the bottom of her cage which he did not know was the wrong thing to do as he is learning still and she is acting as if she is blind now so "turtle brian " from this ranch gave him some info and helpful info on healing his geckos eyes/ jaw and was very sweet in talking with my son and teaching him ! thanks brian he is very appreciated and thanks for the invite down to meet my son and his geckos we will be there next week ! read more