Dade City Wild Things cures your need for baby animal interactions daily!
There are one thing that are cuter than babies to me and that is baby animals! If you have been a reader of Orlando Fun and Food for a long time it doesn’t take long to realize that I have a big heart for animals. I absolutely love zoos and aquariums to see these animals up close, but there is something amazing about places that let you get hands on these amazing animals. I covered Dade City Wild Things last year to cover their Swim With A Tiger experience, but I knew that I had to get back to check out some of their interactions.
Wild Things offers a wide variety of animal interactions that are broken down into 2 different categories, A and B. The interactions can either be a play session, feeding, petting and photo session. When I was there I had the chance to see and interact with the newest animals at Dade City Wild Things as well as feed a panther.
First off I will share with you some of the more unusual animals that I had an encounter with. The first animal that I got to pet and see up close was a coyote and an Eagle Owl. First off, it was just amazing to see these animals up close but when I had the chance to pet them and see them face to face I was in awe. There is something special about being able to interact with animals that you never thought you would be able to encounter to give you a better appreciation for the animal and love for animals in general.
The next babies that I encountered were the baby monkey and lemur. Both the monkey and the lemur were only 11 weeks old when I had my interaction. The monkey played around on the table while eating snacks and the lemur hung onto his teddy bear while I had the chance to pet and play with the little guy!
Next I had the chance to play with one of my favorites at Dade City Wild Things, Sarah the Gibbon. Sarah was full of energy and absolutely loved me! She played with me on the table, climbed into my arms, and enjoyed some crackers that I had to give to her for a playtime snack. I loved spending time with Sarah. I had interacted with her the night before at a fundraiser where she clung to me and when she did it again I fell in love with this little girl! I highly recommend spending some time with Sarah if you get the chance to!
The next interaction was one I will never forget. I got the chance to see Annie the Anteater baby and learn more about her. She was one of the most unique animals that I have ever seen because I have never seen an anteater that close before. I learned about where she lived, what she liked to eat, about her long tongue, and also how she enjoys reaching. As far as unique interactions go, Dade City Wild Things really had a ton to see and do!
My girlfriend wanted a chance to spend some time with the lion and tiger cubs so she jumped into the interactions for both of them. The interactions for the cubs happen separately and change based on the age and size of the cubs that they have. Both the lion and tiger cubs were in phase 3 which means that she could pet and play with them but not pick them up. One at a time they were brought into a pen area where they could pet the lion and tiger cubs while they were being fed, get pictures with them and play with their toys.
After the interaction were over, we got a chance to play with Lily (the tiger) and Lacy (the lion) in their play area and pool. Normally these two animals would never interact with one another but here they are good buddies. I really enjoyed watching them play and run around with each other as well as see them swim in the pool!
Overall Dade City Wild Things is a phenomenal place to see rare animals up close and experience them in interactions. Some places that have interactions do not seem to care much about the animals however Dade City Wild Things is exactly the opposite. I have spent several days with the owner and workers at Wild Things and can tell you that they not only care about their animals but put them first. I have seen interactions cut short and canceled because the animals were not happy. Wild Things does not force the animals interactions which is amazing!
Next time you are looking for a great place to have some up close animals interactions for the entire family, make sure you check out Dade City Wild Things!
To learn more about Wild Things and to schedule a tour or interaction, check out their website here!
Jason Mayhew
My name is Jason Mayhew, and I am the owner of OFF On The Go. When not traveling with the website, I own my own marketing and PR company, J Mayhew Marketing. I have the best job where I get to travel the world and showcase the most amazing and unique experiences!
