Task 7 - Animal Adventures

Task 7 - Animal Adventures
Location: 336 Sugar Road, Bolton, MA
www.animaladventures.net

I had purchased a groupon for 4 to visit Animal Adventure’s in Bolton, MA We arrived at our schedule time and were added to a family who had already started a tour 30 minutes earlier. While I don’t mind addon’s I was a tad disappointed that we were added to a tour that had started 30 minutes prior. We were assured however that the areas we had missed we would circle back to at the end of the tour.

Our tour started with the alligators & crocodiles and a few very large snakes. They are beautiful and clearly very rugged reptiles. We saw several types from Albino and American alligators to caiman crocodiles. What struck me was the number of these reptiles all jammed tightly into the small enclosures. They seemed to be so starved for room that they were climbing on each other.

Next we perceeded into the other side of the main building where we were ushered into a small room on the side. Here we meet Obidiah an amazingly beautiful 3yo Eurasian Eagle Owl. Next we meet an chinchilla who entertained us by taking a very animated dust bath. We learned that because their hair is so fine and soft that they have trouble drying off if they get wet and that they prefer to clean themselves using the fine dust. He seemed to really enjoy the opportunity to play and rolled around creating a pretty good could of dust. Next we got to meet a hedgehog. He was beautiful and his spiky coat was surprisingly soft if you pet him from front to back. 

After having met the Hedgehog we moved into the main area of the building. We meet three Mountain Coati’s names Buffy, Ursula and Jane and their friend Abu a white-nosed coati. They looked like ant eaters and enjoyed lounging around and playing in their enclosures. We also saw a wood chuck who like me was struggling in the extreme heat. This poor little guy was on his back doing his best to stay cool. Multiple times I had to step outside to catch some fresh cooler air.

When I asked why they keep is so warm they indicated that the majority of the facilities residents are cold blooded and require warmer temperatures. I would learn that later when we went to the reptile room to meet the snakes. Before going to the reptile room we continued our tour where we meet three Ring-tailed Lemur’s named Reese, Flash and Tarzan. These beautiful animals were hanging out by their tails in their enclosures and seemed to really appreciate the visit. They entertained us for a good long while before we meet the next resident he was so small and cute but I was assured that he was less then friendly. He was a monkey and while the type escapes me at the moment he was full of energy and I struggled to get a good picture since he wouldn’t sit still.

My favorite resident was soon to come and it turns out that they have a kangaroo. He too was struggling to keep cool in the heat and was relaxing in his enclosure. I would have loved to have seen him up and moving around but can’t say I blame him.

Featured front and center when you enter the building was one of the most violent of all was a smaller caiman crocodile. We learned how these guys are the most vicious of all that they have at the facility and are only handled by select staff.

Finally we entered the reptile room where we met monitors, snakes and iguana’s. One of our guides favorites was the Indian sand snake. It was almost impossible to tell which end was its head and that it was that way as a defense mechanism. We also meet a gecko who had lost a tail at some point who was def a climber.

Having endured the heat long enough we shifted our tour back ourside where we meet their two pot bellied pigs. These guys didn’t seem to be bothered by the sun or the heat and were enjoying running around full of energy.

They also had a few goats one of which had recently given birth to a small calf. This little guy was smart and stayed inside a little building that they had to avoid the elements.

Our final stop of the tour was the back yard where we would meet a pair of foxes and several very large tortoises. The foxes much like the other animals were doing their best to stay cool in the heat and were relaxing. The tortuous on the other hand was moving around and while he wasn’t moving fast we all managed to capture a picture with him.

While we enjoyed our tour we found the facility a tad disorganized and messy and wondered about the animals well being. Particularly the owl who when we asked we were told was perfectly healthy. I wondered why they would keep him so confined rather then returning him to the wild where he belonged. We were told that he is a popular bird and as such they keep him.

I’d love to see this place focus more on making the facility appealing to visitors since I believe that the services they offer are very important. Right now it just looks dumpy and poorly taken care off. It’s a hodgepodge of buildings and enclosures.