talk to the animals

Yesterday we had a really lovely day out at the Tropical Zoo at Syon House. It's such a great place for children; totally interactive and all hands-on, touchy-feely stuff. The children have no inhibitions whatsoever, no fear nor anxiety, and it was great to see them holding and touching all the creepy crawlies that were on offer.

These things give me the creeps but better to see them in a zoo, as opposed to in your kitchen!

Another squirm-worthy beast that was actually surprisingly soft, furry and gentle (apparently!!) ...

How about this for a millipede? Not convinced you'd ever find one of these underneath your flowerpots ..

This was a "touch only" and we couldn't help noticing that the guide kept his hand around its neck the whole time (comforting!) ..

And this one's for my Mother - gets her every time!!

There was a variety of dragon/lizard-type things who got quite perky once the crickets and mealworms came out ..

A variety of tortoises, including a tiny leopard tortoise that so captivated one of our family, and this lovely and very large tortoise here ..

And lastly a wide selection of cockatoos and parrots, including a pair of Amazonian parrots who spoke rather well, so long as it was 'hello' or 'goodbye' ..

So if you're in the area, you should definitely add it to your list. As they say, it's fun for all the family!

Have a lovely week x