Hailey was incredible! She kept the kids engaged the entire time and didn't miss a beat, even when the iguana pooped on her . She was fun, knowledgeable, patient, and made the whole experience feel really special. The entire process was great from start to finish. Booking was easy, and everyone we interacted with was knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. Hailey arrived right on time and made sure the birthday kids had plenty of opportunities to participate and interact with the animals. The kids absolutely loved it, especially getting to see and hold the huge snake! We would absolutely recommend Scales and Tails Utah for a birthday party or event. It was such a fun, memorable experience! read more

We had scales and tails come to my son's birthday party and it was a hit! Best party ever! Hailey was also amazing! She had the kids laughing and even all the adults laughing! So much fun and would 100% do it again read more

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I've driven past scales and tails for many years and never really knew what it was. So one day, I walked in and discovered it's something of an interactive "zoo". The employee inside was super nice and let me know that when I'm ready to come with my family that we should get tickets online because they are a few dollars cheaper. The following weekend I brought my 2 year and 1 year old boys. As far as animals go, as the name suggests they have a wide variety of lizards, turtles, snakes, spiders, and more. When you enter, you're assigned a "guide" that walks you through and talks about pretty much any animal you want them to. At certain points, they selects animals to pull out of their cages and you're given the opportunity to touch or hold them. The inside of the building is kinda cramped and not really set up to be a guided zoo experience and there are so many cages that it would take a week to be able to see them all. I have it understood that scales and tails puts on traveling shows for birthdays and such and my guess would be that this is its primary form of business nd the tours given at the facility are really just chances to donate to help them keep things running. I don't say any of this as a bad thing though. I'm certain that the experience you have is highly tailored to your desire to learn about more animals and you can probably ask to hold a lot more than we did. Once the tour is completed you are able to just hang out and keep checking out the animals for what seems to be however long you want. Two of the highlights for us were the large alligator "darthgator" and the opportunity for our whole family to hold a 10ft python. I highly recommend to anyone with or without kids to come check it out at least once. It's a cool experience that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else. read more

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Awesome experience! Our guide was excellent, a great combo of funny and informative. We hadn't been there in a very long time but remember fondly of our first tour at their previous location so we decided to go as a mother's day "nostalgia tour" and boy did it deliver!!! Awesome experience, even with teenagers in tow! read more

I have had the opportunity to interact with Scales and Tails at a few community events in the past, but COVID is what really got me up close and personal with them. In the public setting, they have a traveling program that allows participants to see the animals up close, touch and even hold them. But you have to take turns with other people. I don't always share well, so when I learned that they started doing private tours to continue generating revenue during Covid, I was on board! You can't just walk in, appointments are required. Booking online was simple-select your desired date and time, and you're good to go. If you use a Groupon like I did, enter Groupon2020 as your coupon code. You'll have to provide it when you get there, so don't think you can be sneaky and pull one over on them. That's just rude anyway. The facility is in a strip mall/storage shed-esque place with little signage from the outside. I visited after dark, so my outdoor picture was useless. It's a little tricky to find, so give yourself time. It's also a reptile habitat, so it's very warm and humid inside. If you come wearing a coat or jacket, they have a place to hang it up. Trust me, you'll want to lose the layers. After a brief review of the rules (don't touch the cages, only touch the animals the staff member tells you to, avoid the head areas, etc., you start your tour. It's an hour long and consists of visiting multiple animals and learning A TON about them. Our lovely tour guide (I missed her name-she had red hair) was brilliant. She used so many words I've never heard of and knew all the fact about the animals. And it was very obvious just how much she loves and cares for them. We got to hold several snakes, pet tortoises (it would be hard to hold those guys), a big lizardy thing (I'm not the best at retaining their proper names) and got very up close with some hairy spiders. We were lucky enough to watch meal time for an alligator and that big lizard gal. This was absolutely a fun activity and well worth the money. If you are mildly interested in animals, or know someone who is, this is a cool thing to do. And very covid friendly, as masks are required, hand washing is abundant and the facility is very limited on the number of people in there at a time. Check it out! read more

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We had such an amazing time at Scales and Tails! There were so many cool snakes, bugs, lizards, gators and more! It was a terrific value getting to view up close and touch some critters, and our guide was very informative and happily answered all our questions - we learned so much! Would highly recommend for any animal lover :) read more

Scales & Tails Utah - Petting Zoos Near Me - Kearns, Utah

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Hired Scales and Tails for my sons third Bday party and couldn't be happier!! On time and professional, and SO good with the kids. Kept a group of 2-6 year olds entertained and occupied for 45 mins which is a true feat! (Even the younger ones who got distracted kept coming back) All the parents commented on how it was the perfect party activity. Worth every penny, would definitely hire again!! read more

I took my boys to visit Scales & Tales of Utah today. So many cool animals to see. My youngest was so brave, he wanted to see and touch all of the animals, even the tarantula. The staff were all so friendly and willing to share. The only thing that lowered the score a little was that it was a little crowded and and close together. It would be nice to have a bit more walk way and the animals were more at eye level where we could see them in their enclosures. Many of the animals there are rescued. Overall it was a great time though. read more

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We used a Groupon for our visit, which was great because I don't know if we'd have heard of this place before. It's a kind of hole in the wall place, pretty neat. This warehouse tour showcases big snakes and other reptiles you can see up close and touch/hold as well. It's about an hour long and the gentleman presenting does a fantastic job. He's witty, funny, and shares lots of interesting facts about the animals. This is a good outing for families with teens, little kids, and just adults as well. read more

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Saw this place on Yelp and decided to check it out when we had a free afternoon in SLC. I have to admit that it looks pretty underwhelming from the outside, and even when you walk inside. I was pretty skeptical, especially when I saw the price. But the staff totally makes up for everything once you start your tour. The basic idea is to have one-on-one encounters with all different kinds of snakes, reptiles, and spiders. The staff is extremely knowledgeable, and oh the puns!!! It was quite funny. We have a pretty large group of 12 people, and our guide took the time to give everyone an experience with each animal, easily filling the extra time with his abundant knowledge. It was crazy because the guy couldn't have been older than 20. He worked well with adults and small children alike. My 7 year-old has shown some fear of spiders, but she ended up holding the tarantula twice! Great experience! read more

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Cons: Little pricey and a little cramped. Pros: Staff is knowledgeable, friendly and personable. They make the experience enjoyable for little kids; kids get the opportunity touch and even hold various lizards and snakes to their heart's content. I might add, the staff does emphasize safety at all times, so that's a big plus. read more

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I run a "Hogwarts Academy" club at the middle school I teach at. We wanted to do a "Care of Magical Creatures" meeting. I was amazed that Scales & Tails offered a presentation with a Harry Potter theme. They went WAY above and beyond what I expected though. The amount of props and Harry Potter connections was beyond perfect. Our hilarious, knowledgeable, personable presenter John had students positively howling with laughter. Plus they learned so many cool animal facts. They absolutely loved being able to interact with the animals as well. We will for sure have Scales and Tails come back every year, thank you SO MUCH!! read more

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I was looking for Dart Frogs. The staff at Scales & Tails is very helpful and patient with my questions.

Friendly, cute, knowledgeable, and patient staff, lots of cool animals to see! We all had a blast on our guided tour.

This is the third time I've come here. Each of the tours have been top notch! I've learned new things each time and the tours are engaging for all ages. read more

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My wife and I took our youngest son to Scales & Tails for his 8th birthday. He loves reptiles! John and the team at Scales & Tails have gone a great job with the limited space they have available. They provided a great fun and engaging educational experience for the kids. The highlight for our son was being able to hold some of the really big snakes they have. I don't want this to come across as a complaint. I do wish they had a bigger facility with better accommodations for large birthday party groups and perhaps better ventilation throughout the building, but they're working really well with what they've got. It is a bit pricey, but feeding all those animals isn't cheap so I'm happy to pay the price to support that kind of educational experience. We will definitely go again! read more

Such a fun experience for kids... and adults. Would go again! They let us hold and pet so many of the reptiles read more

Scales & Tails Utah - Petting Zoos Near Me - Kearns, Utah

We came to celebrate my scale-loving child's birthday. We just did the tour, not an actual party, but it was perfect. Our guide Hailey was so knowledgeable and took special care to discuss whatever the birthday boy wanted. I was (kind of) dreading the tour because I get squeamish around these type of animals, but I learned so much and actually had a great time. I would highly recommend them! We are going to sign up for their zookeeper program. Also - the names of the animals are perfect! read more

Scales & Tails Utah - Petting Zoos Near Me - Kearns, Utah

Such a fun place my kids first times there and they keep asking to go back. Would recommend this place to anyone. The staff is great with kids and very knowledgeable. read more

Scales & Tails Utah - My kids loved it here!!!! - Petting Zoos Near Me - Kearns, Utah

This was such a fun experience! My kids loved learning and getting to touch the animals! read more

Scales & Tails Utah - Petting Zoos Near Me - Kearns, Utah

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Scales and Tails presented their animals at the Daybreak Community Center! And boy! It was a fun show. They had everyone in the audience captivated with the animals. Many of these animals are unique to Utah so it was exciting to see them up close. I can't wait to go to another show with them! read more

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This place is great! We took my daughter here a few years ago to help her with her fear of animals and the staff was awesome with her! A few weeks ago she asked if we could go back, so I bought some tickets on Groupon. Right now they're requiring reservations due to Covid, but it was a great experience! We basically got a private tour! Lots of cool animals and opportunities to hold or pet several of them! Great educational experience for families! read more

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I CANNOT believe this business only has 17 reviews- it deserves 1,700! While visiting Utah we looked into several different activities to busy our family for the week when I came upon Scales & Tales. Here we are 2 months later and when asked my kids will tell you this was HANDS DOWN their favorite memory from our entire visit in Utah. Incredible to be so hands on with such interesting creatures, my 9 year old son was in absolute critter heaven. I can't express how refreshing it was to visit an establishment and have an employee be so genuinely excited to teach other people about their passion, just something so rare to see these days. Even being the last group of the day our guide was so energetic and hilarious, answering all of our questions with such care and excitement. This business is so under rated- a MUST for anyone in Salt Lake City! read more

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We loved our time here! They were extremely accommodating our weird travel schedule, and in the end it was the perfect way to split up a long drive. Even if you're not a reptile fan, I highly recommend dropping in to check them out. You'll get opportunities to see animals that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere! read more

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I have attended numerous presentations from Scales & Tails Utah and have been SO impressed every time! The staff are extremely entertaining, knowledgeable, and professional. I have booked shows for afterschool programs with youth of all ages in attendance. Not a single person walked away without being excited about the show, about animals in general, about careers working with animals, etc. The presentations are extremely interactive and the kids always love touching the huge snake at the end! I even attended a show they did via zoom and the kids loved that too. I have worked in youth programs for many years and have contracted with many partners. Scales & Tails is by far my favorite! Highly recommended!! read more

I took my 4 children for the first time and not really knowing what to expect, "a pet store that lets you hold animals", was overall glad we went. Once checked in, a worker took us around telling us cool info and letting us touch/hold a variety of creatures. I think the animals are known and cared for and I like that. It did have a feeling of being very cramped and not sparkling clean... but when dealing with animals I don't know how you can- ha! read more

Excellent educational activity! Fun for the whole family! Paul was an exceptional guide. Highly recommended.

A fun summer activity! You get a one hour tour, lots of information, and even some snake petting! On Mondays and Fridays, for an additional fee, you can even feed some of the animals. Parking is ample. Make reservations. Beware you don't confuse this with ScalesnTails. That's a near by pet shop. read more

Our visit to Scales and Tails totally exceeded our expectations! we had a one on one "tour guide" whose name was Christian. He took so much time with us and was incredible knowledgeable. He was very good with kids and got down on their level to explain things to them. We give the experience a double thumbs up! read more

My kids and I had a wonderful time on our tour. We got to hold many neat creature and was very entertained by our guide. I definitely recommend this place for anyone who loves reptiles. read more

Scales & Tails Utah - Holding a tarantula for the first time! - Petting Zoos Near Me - Kearns, Utah

Fun and interactive experience! The business can come to you for a show or you can go the warehouse where they keep the reptiles. You can pet or hold a snake, tortoise, tarantula, and many other things. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. If there's something you want to pet, they are willing to get it for you, as long as it's not poison, delicate, or a gator. My two year old loved the experience and I loved it too! We will definitely be back. read more

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This is one of the coolest experiences I have had with my girls for a while. Very unique and an intimate setting with some great reptiles and great people. They are super knowledgeable and kind. Everyone is there to share and educate so that you can come and learn more about reptiles and the world around us. Their hours are short, in the afternoon, but that makes sense since they tour around everywhere during most days. The facility is a little cramp and one daughter had trouble with too many people (about 10 looking at one snake) in one cramped area. You can spend about 1-2 hours depending on how much you want to look at and talk about each of the species they have there. read more

Scales & Tails Utah - Petting Zoos Near Me - Kearns, Utah

What a great place! My boyfriend and I did the hands on tour and it was worth every penny! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about his job and all the animals in the store. It was especially cool to see animals that you would never see in person on any regular basis, such as their Gila monster lizard. All the animals look very healthy and are very well mannered. The other staff there were also very nice and working hard. Don't skip this place or you'll missing something great! Thank you again! read more

My husband and I went in with our son on Thursday evening and we had a great experience. Our guide was amazing and was very kind and knowledgeable. Definitely recommend this place! read more

so much fun! had a blast . everyone is so awesome and knowledgeable on reptiles! I will definitely come back when I am back in Utah! awesome vibes. read more

Scales & Tails Utah - beautiful snake named ninja - Petting Zoos Near Me - Kearns, Utah

We purchased a Groupon a few months ago and visited Scales & Tales Utah for a tour. For what the facility lacks, it more then makes up for it's shortcomings with friendly and knowledgable staff members, and a wide variety of amazing creatures! We loved having a private tour from a staff member. They talked with us about the many snakes, reptiles, spiders, and other critters, and let us handle many of these amazing creatures! The facility itself isn't much more than a small warehouse, overcrowded with cages and boxes, but the staff made visiting Scales & Tails a great experience and our little boy loved it. Thank you! read more

What a fun experience! We had Kaden as our tour guide! He did a great job explaining all the animals and taking special care to keep my 4 year old involved and interested. We are excited to check out their new facility when they move! read more

Had so much patience with us! Great selection of reptiles. Hands on fun! Held the snakes. Staff was very knowledgeable. Critters are well taken care of. read more

Really fun place to go and see some big reptiles! I guess they bring their reptiles to schools as well which is awesome! Employees are super knowledgeable about the reptiles and can answer almost every question you throw at them! It's really fun to hold big snakes! read more

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Such a fun experience! I love all the interaction and education!! We got to see them "catch" the smaller alligator and then we got to pet it! We saw tarantula fangs, watched them hand feed the huge monitor and the kookaburra. We held snakes, turtles and a bearded dragon. We got to pet another huge lizard that looked like something out of a movie. The staff is great!! So worth your time and money!! Great for all age children and adults!! read more