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Saint Paul, MN

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Snake Discovery A Reptile Experience

4.5 (19 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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Free-roaming Tortoise
Katie F.

It was a dream to visit after watching the channel and seeing the progress of making the zoo a reality! Staff are so nice and really invested in the visitor experience. Can't wait to visit again! Shoutout to the two free-roaming tortoises -- they were hilarious.

A must go to place for all ages!! They have amazing care and super educational I'm a big reptile person and owner. Loved this place so much!

Birthday party holding a snake
Nate B.

Snake Discovery is a very cool spot to bring kids or reptile lovers. Sort of hidden in plain view in its location. I drove by it many times before I realized it was there (wasn't looking for it at the time, but my son had talked about going there with a friend and loving it). Great place for birthday parties. They have a private room in the back (which is sort of like the front and facing the road) and you get memorable animal experiences for your group, as well as access to the zoo as well. They have a shop at the front of the store (as you enter- park in the back of the building, you will see what I mean as I didn't realize there was a big parking lot and entrance as our first visits were private birthday parties where I parked in the back) where you can buy reptiles, cages, food for your reptiles and that kind of thing. The staff and super friendly and knowledgeable and your kids won't forget this place. Well worth a trip!

4 inch tall enclosure for a Socotra Island Blue Baboon sling with inadequate substrate level for the species.
Bree D.

EDIT 9/22: I wanted to note that I got a prompt email from the manager Nick today that addressed the issues I brought up. He assured me that there will be new training and that there are recent hires that may have missed some crucial care notes during training. Mistakes happen, but I'm glad there's people like Nick at Snake Discovery to make sure those mistakes don't become choices. Tarantulas tend to freak people out, and I used to be "people". When they are in stressing situations, they can seem even less appealing, making people miss out on their intrigue and beauty. As I said in my original review below, this was my only (and hopefully last) complaint about the store, but I appreciate Nick for making sure the quality of care is to standard for all creatures, not just the reptiles. ------------ 9/21: I have a new SIBB So my husband and I come here often for feeders as we live literally right down the street. As tarantula hobbyists, we always check out the tarantula stock when we stop by. Well, today I was appalled when we saw an ADULT cricket inside the enclosure with a frantic, highly stressed, Socotra Island Blue Baboon sling. This sling's leg span is hardly an inch, and the cricket was just over that. In the 10 years that I have been keeping and caring for tarantulas, I have never in my life seen any situation where it's appropriate to feed a sling of that size an adult cricket, no matter how potent their venom is supposed to be. The enclosure they had the SIBB in is 2x2x4 with inadequate substrate height. The picture attached shows the lowest point of the substrate which is an about 2/3 inch. Not adequate for this species AT ALL. The highest point was a fluffed up piece of peat moss, but it was just a small section of the enclosure. This species is not an arboreal. Most places will describe them as terrestrial, but they are semi-fossorial or opportunistic burrowers. This is not the first time I've seen enclosure mix ups like this at Snake Discovery, but I needed to do something because this particular tarantula was not having a good time. We brought it up to Victoria at the counter who said that wasn't normal, but she didn't know who took care of inverts last. The next thing she said was that actually they can take down prey that size so it should be ok, though she doesn't know much about tarantulas. She did not go to see which of the SIBBs I was referring to, so there's no way for her to know if it was actually ok or not for its size. I did not plan on purchasing any additional tarantulas, but my husband and I decided that we needed to go back and buy the SIBB or nothing was going to be done. We made the purchase with the intent of getting that mondo cricket out right away. We made it home, but before we could reach our door, the cricket started jumping around after the SIBB again which caused it to run up to the top of the container to the lid. Again, because they aren't arboreal, it inevitably fell to the lowest point of the container. We dropped everything and got the cricket out, but now our brand new spiderling is limping around in the container. I'm not sure if it's from the fall or injuries sustained from the cricket, but this was all wrong. PetCo level incompetence, and I hate that I'm saying this about Snake Discovery. I wish I could say that I'm never going to shop here again, but they're generally a fine store with the exception of how they care for their tarantulas. And I can't even say that I'll never buy a tarantula from them again because if they're kept poorly, I'm not going to just let them stay in their care. Poorly educated staff creates poorly educated customers, and with all the tarantula care misinformation floating around online, they don't need to add to it. I just want someone managing the staff in charge of these tarantulas to teach them how to do better. Create care sheets. Re-training. Something.

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5 months ago

very knowledgeable and empathetic staff that really cares about their animals. amazing rescue for animals that you need to surrender.

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2 years ago

My kids loved coming here to see the snakes, spiders and other reptiles. Cool place to take the kids for a quick trip.

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Review Highlights - Snake Discovery A Reptile Experience

“It was a dream to visit after watching the channel and seeing the progress of making the zoo a reality!”

Mentioned in 4 reviews

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Rivershore Aquariums

Rivershore Aquariums

(14 reviews)

Windom, Southwest

I love this place!…read more You know how your kid bugs you for a fish tank and promises to take care of it only to lose interest as soon as the first pair of guppies dies? Well, that was me over 50 years ago except I never lost interest. I've been keeping fish and visiting fish stores around the country for my entire life. The people from World Of Fish who started RiverShore Aquariums have done a great job. Located not far from the original World of Fish, RiverShore has clean tanks, friendly and knowledgeable staff and they are super keyed in on planted tank setups. These days my tanks are relatively simple just to keep things easy, rocks and driftwood mostly, but I've been wanting to do a planted tank for a while. I know the basics but had some questions on substrate, plant selection and lighting for what is basically going to be a freshwater nanotank. The staff person who helped me was super knowledgeable, answered my questions and gave me some good advice for getting started. They had a good selection of different kinds of gravel as well as an assortment of driftwood and rocks. I liked that they have a table where you can do a little aquascaping trial and error before you make a final selection. The fish were high quality and appeared healthy. Most were smaller species suitable for planted tanks. I even discovered a new species that I had never heard of - anchor catfish. Super cool and perfect for my little nanotank. I know enough about fish and have been to enough fish stores to know which ones are really good. Rivershore is at the top of the list if you live in the Twin Cities, and especially if you're interested in giving planted tanks a try. Even if its plants aren't your thing or you are new to the hobby, I'd checkout Rivershore for your first aquarium.

This is such a fantastic fish store. You know that one friend whose house is always immaculately…read morepristine, such that -- no matter how recently or how well you've cleaned your own house -- you always feel a little self-conscious & guilty when you visit theirs? Rivershore Aquariums is that friend: All the tanks are SO clean, and so perfectly lit, and all the fish are ready for their closeups. It's like an aquatic Parade of Homes in there -- 0% chance of the "Oh gosh, that fish looks so sick, should I mercy-buy it & set up a hospital tank & try to save it? Or should I not give this place my money?" experience. You should definitely give this place your money. They also sold me the sweetest, most industrious little pleco I've ever had in my life. I bought her as a bristlenose pleco, but she's secretly some kind of Turbo Pleco -- as in, my tank gets direct sunlight (can't be avoided), and it had the algae to match, but a week after I brought my new plec'ling home, I found myself asking a visitor, "Hey, you didn't clean the inside of the 55gal while you were here, did you?" (Spoiler: No, I do not have tank-cleaning houseguests. I just have a magic pleco.)

TLC Veterinary Hospital

TLC Veterinary Hospital

(19 reviews)

If I could give this vet 10 stars I definitely would! Dr. Megan Leverentz was so amazing!!! Best…read morevet I've ever had the opportunity to meet. We are new to the area and wanted to find a reputable vet that would care for my fur baby like their own. A couple of places I called that are near me weren't taking any new patients. This vet is a bit farther away but so worth the drive. I was immediately greeted by the staff and taken into a room. Zero wait time! Everyone was so kind and sweet to my dog. The doctor took her time to explain everything and she was welcoming of questions and suggestions. She did not rush or suggest anything we weren't comfortable with. Which is so important because some vets want the easy way out. She understands as a pet parent herself. I especially loved her attitude and kindness! I highly recommend this vet office!

Really friendly staff, go the most part. The price point, I imagine, is higher than some other…read moreclinics but I selected this location due to their acceptance of trupanion's vet direct pay and how great the reviews were. Truthfully, I don't have experience with other vet clinics but so far, I appreciate how kind the staff has been. They all seem like pet people and get how important our pets are. Our initial appointment, we were going to leave with just what they assumed to be something minor but Dr Natalie listened to my concerns after pressing more and offered to do a chest x-ray to rule anything out--turned out to be early pneumonia. Glad I pushed for more and that Dr. Natalie listened to my concerns.

PetSmart

PetSmart

(38 reviews)

I have an extremely picky cat, who likes her food one day but not the next, or won't touch it at…read moreall. I have expressed this concern to my vet and they said to keep trying different food until we find the one. That being said, PetSmart staff is extremely helpful in choosing food for a picky cat. This PetSmart location is my go-to, because of the staff, selection, and prices. The staff are extremely helpful and pleasant to interact with. We are in here every other day and one of the cashier's always gives us crap that PetSmart is our home away from home. She's a really nice lady. I mainly come here for their wide variety of cat food selection. I want my cat on the best there is, which includes no meat by products, grain free, no artificial colors or flavor, and high in protein and taurine. I have gone with INSTINCT. I eventually want to switch her to raw, and instinct offers freeze dried raw, and frozen raw. Which is great. I enjoy being a pet perks member, I usually save about $10 a trip. I just wish you could actually earn points towards in store purchases. Highly recommend.

Every time I have to stop at this store I leave with the most visceral annoyance. Let me start from…read morethe beginning with some context: 1.) My dog has significant digestive issues related to protein. He is required to be on Hydrolyzed Protein as it is easier to break down. This food requires a prescription for reasons unknown to me, and costs $150 per bag. Maplewood is one of few locations that have his food, so I am forced to stop here frequently. 2.) Because his food requires a prescription, I have to have Banfield create a mini prescription card before I can check out with his food. Most recently, I stopped into the store for food and when I went to check out the cashier stated that the prescription card was expired. It had been expired for five months, but apparently that wasn't an issue until right then. So, I get out of the line I had waited in, go to the Banfield counter (wait in line again), get the card replaced for what seems like the 75th time, and after they explained it expires once a year, I looked at the card and realized it actually expires every six months. Fine. I take the card, wait in line again, and the cashier is finally able to check me out. During my checkout (at which point I want nothing more than to exit the store) the cashier randomly starts telling me about how her mom got her two kittens and she is going out of her way to feed them well so that they "never have to eat this food." To me, this implies that I am feeding my dog prescription food because I somehow created this protein deficiency he's had since birth...? All of this to say - a trip that should take five minutes almost always ends up taking twenty. Despite having Banfield inside several PetSmart locations, they haven't incorporated any way for their staff to pull prescriptions. In my opinion, PetSmart isn't and has never been concerned about the customer experience. If you don't have to go to this location or a PetSmart in general, I wouldn't.

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - Giraffe

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory

(447 reviews)

Como

The conservatory is such a magical place! It's amazing that the whole place is completely free. It…read morecan get busy on the weekends, but we went on a rainy Friday afternoon and had the place to ourselves. We love the bonsai exhibit and the Japanese garden. The garden is so beautiful in the springtime! There's plenty of space to walk around both in the conservatory and at the zoo. Even the grounds outside of the conservatory is beautiful!

FLORA & FAUNA This…read morefabulous public zoo in Saint Paul is fun, multi-faceted, and FREE! When researching things to do in the Twin Cities, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory popped up on numerous "best of" lists, including best places to bring kids, best free attractions, and other recommended activities. The family and I came here in early June, and we had a lovely time. Parking is free but lots fill up quickly and street spots are on a first-come basis, so the longer you wait, the further you'll have to walk.  My advice is to get here early to avoid the gauntlet of busses filled with school groups, summer camps, and other families heading to the zoo. They suggest a voluntary donation of $5/kid and $8/adult; we chipped in $20 for our family of four.  By comparison, Brookfield Zoo in Illinois charges $30/adult and $21/kid....the 4 of us would have paid $100 PLUS parking.  The Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago is even pricier, so this was a welcome relief. We saw giraffes, a gorilla, polar bears, zebras, fishes, turtles, colorful dart frogs, a tiger, and lots more.  Within the zoo is a small amusement park with a handful of kiddie rides and a 'Galaxy' model roller coaster, as well as a splendid carousel outside the park that's $4/pp.  All rides are open seasonally from May-Sept. The sea lion show seemed mid.  They made a big deal of it (not to mention amassing a huge crowd) and all I saw were some volunteers trying to complete some goofy task faster than a sea lion would.  There was a lot of narration but very little actual activity from what I could tell.  yawn. We couldn't get anything to eat or drink outside of the visitor center cafe.  None of the snack stands were open (despite it being 11:45) and every pop machine was either unplugged, sold out, or all the plastic bottles were removed for environmental reasons.  Thank goodness we packed snacks for the kiddos. The conservatory was breathtaking: lush jungles with funky plants like the Ipecac tree, air potato, chocolate, cacti, and aloe.  We encountered a logjam of people near the fruit tree section with everyone stopping to admire fig, papaya, coffee, and sugarcane plants. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory was home to a legendary 81" tall corpse flower named 'Frederick' in 2025.  These plants, considered some of the rarest and smelliest on earth, bloom once every few years and last for only 1-2 days.  Witnessing this in person takes incredible (lucky) timing or tremendous patience. 'Horace', their latest corpse flower, displayed his magnificent burgundy bloom from 6/7/26 to 6/9/26.  We missed it by less than a week!  These generate quite a crowd, with lines stretching for hours and people waiting outside to view (and smell) a once-in-a-lifetime botanical event. * TL;DR * A cool zoo, an even cooler conservatory, and the coolest part?  You don't even have to crack open your wallet. Spending a day at Como Park Zoo is perfect for those wishing to embark on budget-friendly adventures.  Pack a lunch, wear comfortable walking shoes, and get here around opening to take advantage of decent parking.  The animals appeared to be well taken care of, and the grounds were clean. The conservatory is stunning although the narrow pathways can get crowded during peak hours.  We loved our time spent here and would highly recommend Como Park Zoo & Conservatory for families or solo travelers seeking to kill a few hours in the Twin Cities.

Snake Discovery A Reptile Experience - zoos - Updated October 2026

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