Zoo Creatures

My girlfriend and I decided to stop here on our way home from vacationing in Maine, we figured it would be quite the treat due to all the positive reviews. We walked in to a dozen employees aimlessly walking around and weren’t greeted or asked if we needed assistance. I give props to the owners for literally having one of ever reptile, amphibian, fish and arachnid you can think of but it was a huge let down the more you looked around. Cloudy fish tanks, soiled bedding in reptile cages, and some improper set ups. No snakes are visible without assistance, otherwise you can study the index card taped to the plastic bin. Upstairs is the «glorified» big snake and reptile breeding room. Most exotic shops let you explore and hold all their species regardless on the size… not here. You have to pay a minimum of 40 $ to just go up there and get a «tour» and not to mention it’s only available on weekends and out of state customers make no exception because there’s «only one person working up there». I’m sorry but as a reptile hobbyist this is complete garbage. Charging to go see big snakes? Treating the upstairs like it’s forbidden? Long story short I wouldn’t purchase any animal from this establishment. Tanks are dirty, crowded and unclean. Assistance is non existent and everything is WAY TO OVERPRICED. About 20 $ more than the average standard. Ridiculous. If you’re in the area, drive another 45 minutes and go to Dinkys reptiles in Oxford Mass. Much better

Zoo Creatures is by far the most knowledgeable pet store in the area! I have gotten animals from there in the past and am always welcomed by their super friendly staff and am given more information on how to care for my pets than I would ever find on google. They truly care for all their animals and give them the best care and strive to make sure they will still be cared for correctly long after they leave the store. Today we brought home a bearded dragon. Steven was a huge help in finding everything we needed. We were there for almost two hours asking a million questions and he didn’t hesitate to run all over the store making sure we had everything we needed with a smile on his face the whole time. Even carried everything to the car for us. Thank you, Steven!

I’ve been coming here for my aquarium and reptile needs for a long time… But I’ve recently stopped going in as often. I am giving Zoo Creatures two stars because their selection and overall quality are good, but there are some major flaws including service and cleanliness.
I can’t give this place four or even five stars because SOME (not all) of the staff are extremely rude and act as if you’re pestering them. Okay, I get it! Taking care of all those animals is not an easy job, but have a little respect for the clientele. I have had many negative experiences with the young man who works in the fish section (I think his name is Michael). I have bought most of my aquarium fish from here and a few reptiles and he is consistently rude. For example, I asked him to get me some feeder fish and he literally looked at me, ignored me and walked out back. He came back out and said «just a minute.» Wellp. to make a long story short, he kept ignoring me for about ten minutes. All I wanted was a few feeder fish. Eventually I got a nice young girl to help me and she was very polite. This young man is so tough to deal with that it has actually gotten to the point where I do not go there for my feeder fish and supplies anymore. I get my feeder fish and aquarium supplies from Petco and only go to Zoo Creatures if I really need something that one of the chain pet stores might not have. Like I said, their selection is fantastic!
I have bought a bearded dragon and a few other reptiles from them and everyone who works in the reptile department are helpful and knowledgeable, especially the heavyset young gentleman who walks with a cane. I do not know his name, but he is an asset to this company. He is very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
Also, their selection of animals is astounding. They have some amazing and beautiful reptiles and fish. However, sometimes their cleanliness is questionable. I really like Zoo Creatures, I just wish I didn’t have to feel like I’m pestering the attendant every time I go in to give them business!

Some of the other reviews have commented on dead fish, the smell, and bad service at this pet store. Most pet stores have a dead fish or two. Sometimes you can see that at this pet store, but for the most part the aquatic life is alive and looks healthy. It is true that there is a strong animal smell when you go in, but that is because there are so many animals there. Most pet stores don’t have as many animals this pet store has. This pet store has a large selection of aquatic animals, reptiles, and they also have a few small rodents. If you get some fish, they give you a health guarantee. I have never had to go back, but with the guarantee, they can replace it for you. They also have some areas in the small rodents section saying that they are hand raised, which means it has been treated properly and is more likely to be tame and sociable. I have also never had a bad experience with the employees and the customer service. The employees I’ve talked to have seemed nice and knowledgeable. They also sell pet products. Some of the things they have are cheaper than other pet stores and some things they have are a little more expensive; you just have to do your research on which products there are a good deal.

Staff are very helpful and they have a large selection of freshwater fish. I got a nice little lesson on brackish water tanks and purchased the whole set up from them. Only pet store I go to now for my fish and fish supplies.

I live in Massachusetts. I breed Redfoot tortoises. By that I mean, I have a pair of captive-​bred Redfoots who mate (all on their own), and I hatch the eggs and raise the babies. I wholesale my baby tortoises to Zoo Creatures for sale as pets. I carefully looked into pet stores in New England before I chose Zoo Creatures as the only store that I will sell my babies to. These are great people who are very knowledgeable about the animals and take great care of them. They make sure that people who buy the reptiles as pets are educated about proper care and buy appropriate housing.
My baby tortoises are second generation captive bred-​animals. They are not wild-​caught. They are exceptionally well fed and cared for, they live outside all summer, they are taken for regular veterinary exams and get a final exam by Dr. Greg Mertz at the New England Wildlife Center in S. Weymouth, MA before I sell them to Zoo Creatures. These are happy, super healthy 1 ½ — 2-​year old babies that make great life-​long pets. I’ve had the father for 30 years.
I’ve made this post to help educate the public about where some of the baby tortoises at Zoo Creatures come from. It is so important to NOT purchase wild-​caught reptiles and birds for pets.

I wanted to buy a nice fish, I know nothing about fish! Alana had to educate me. Learned. Had to develop eco system. with a real live plant. Went back. checked water I. was all.set.I love my special any Snowflake he is very interactive and. Happy Beta. Thanks Alana. We are well and. Happy togethers!

We buy a lot of our reptile supplies here. The staff is knowledgeable and extremely helpful. I find some things are overpriced, but you can’t beat the quality and selection, not only in supplies but in animals. We’ve taken the tour multiple times and I highly recommend taking it. It’s extremely informative; you see many different types of reptiles. Make sure you call ahead though, I’ve noticed they’re getting extremely busy for the tours.
I know this place has gotten a lot of bad reviews in the past, but they’ve improved ten-​fold over the last few years. I’ve never had a problem with either animals or supplies (we’ve bought 2 snakes, 2 mice, and adopted 2 cats). This is definitely one of my top go-​to shops for reptile supplies!

This place is amazing. Staff is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Took a tour of New England reptile distributors (upstairs). There is a fee and also only on Saturdays and Sunday’s. Call ahead. Best tour every! If you like snakes or even if you don’t you will gain a whole new respect for them. Lack of 1 star is because they hide their bunnies etc in a corner in the store.

Zoo Creatures is the most BEAUTIFUL Pet Store: Reptiles/​Amphibians/​Birds/​Fish/​Fuzzy animals, Tanks. everything you need for your pets store Ive ever been to! Nice & knowledgeable staff, so many dif. kinds of beautiful creatures under one roof! We went on a tour & we are so thankful our friend told us about this magical place! A must see if your in the Plaistow, NH area! Wish we had something this awesome in LV! We will def. be back, & tell everyone we know, 2 thumbs up for this amazing pet store. :)

I am not a pet enthusiast, but purchased the Zoo Creatures tour from Groupon for my child, and all of us had quite rewarding experience!
During the tour, I learned about snakes and lizards more than I learned for the last 40+ years of my life. The place is truly unique! If you have a choice between a zoo visit and a tour at Zoo Creatures, definitely, pick Zoo Creatures (but you must take the tour which shows areas that are not accessible during normal store hours). Highly recommend!

I get all my supplies for my reptiles from them prices on mice and bedding are great … Very knowledgeable for the most part … Snakes are little expensive from here but well taken care of… Super friendly staff… I love them

My wife and I had a wonderful experience at Zoo Creatures tonight! There was so many more options then your typical pet shop and there is no other store like it that I’ve been to that has such a variety in exotic creatures. There was so much to look at and explore we took over and hour in there just looking around and we didn’t even get a chance to really see EVERYTHING. Alana was extremely helpful and friendly and had answers to all of our questions in the fish department as well as the rest of the shop. We will definitely be visiting again and also stop by at some point to take the tour of NERD.

This is my go-​to pet store! Every other weekend I go there for my bearded dragon. It’s not too expensive (a few items are cheaper elsewhere, but in general, the items are a better deal), and the variety they have is incredible! I’ve started my own Dubai Roach colony, get Tomato Hornworms, heating supplies, terrarium décor… I can’t say much for other animals, but if you have a reptile, Zoo Creatures is THE place to go! The staff is pretty great too, they’re knowledgeable and helpful. They also seem to like their jobs, which is pretty nice!
Only slight complaint: Their boxed live crickets seem to have a way of dying a week or two after buying them. It’s not husbandry since I know other people with similar issues as far as the crickets go. Not a big deal — those are the only thing that I’ve ever had problems with.

I have been coming here for a while now and have seen many significant improvements in cleanliness and pet health. They truly employ people who are compassionate and knowledgeable about animals. I recommend them for product recommendations and there’s so much stuff to see here– great to bring kids here for a free aquarium and animal tour. They do special reptile tours which I can’t wait to do. Also great check in offer which is a bonus!

Friendly. Smart helpful staff wild store keeps me going back

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a pet store. you can go and get your basic supplies and equipment, but i would not ever buy a single pet there. i went there simply seeking some form of bio-​media for my new fishtank, which they could not offer me. the person in the aquarium section simply pointed me to chemical startups and 24 hour cycling products. any reputable or at least hobbyist run fish store would have offered gravel or sand off the bottom of an active tank. he told me they did not even have a sump system they could pffer me a sponge or water from. which by the way they did in the cabinets below there 65 gallon angel/​discus/​catfish tank (noticed this while i was checking the place out).
to be honest bad service and smelly pet store doesn’t really bother me, i like to shop in peace anyway. the thing that bothers me is DEAD FISH IN 4 OF THE TANKS. also i over heard the person in the fish section helping another customer, or not helping i should say. his information on cichlids was truly very innaccurate and also a mass stereotypeing of the over 1500 cichlid species. i didn’t really look much at the other animals but based on the appearance of their aquariums i would not buy a single living creature of any sort from them. I’ve read a lot of other bad reviews about their dogs as well (i did some digging after my terrible experience). PUPPY MILL DOGS ARE WHAT OTHER REVIEWERS ARE SAYING.
IN MY PERSONAL OPINION ANY HUMANE AND RESPECTABLE ESTABLISHMENT WOULD NOT LET DEAD FISH ROT/​BE PICKED APART BY OTHER FISH IN THE TANKS. THIS WAS THE CASE IN AT LEAST 4 TANK I TOOK ACCOUNT OF.

I have been a frequent visitor to this store. After many visits I became familiar with the bird department. When I decided to get a parrotlet I figured this was the place to go. I lucked out and picked out my parrotlet in the incubator on my first visit. I named him Howie and he was amazing! I had him for 6 months and he was the happiest, sweetest bird. I loved him to pieces. One day I came home to find him dead in his cage and I was devastated. I couldn’t imagine what could have happened.
After about 6 months I felt ready for another bird. I called and asked to be put on the waiting list for parrotlets. A few months later I got the call and was excited. I picked out a little blue boy, Simon. He was precious. I took him home and got him settled (he was already out of the incubator). I bought all new things because I still had no idea what happened to Howie.
Simon died about 36 hours after coming home. I couldn’t believe that I had let myself get attached to this precious little bird only to lose him. I brought him back and received a full refund-​but that did nothing to ease the pain.
They were rude when I brought him in asking me MANY questions about how I took care of him. I’ve read book after book about parrotlets, I did everything right and I knew it. I am devastated that I have lost two amazing birds from this store. I have now learned that I will only look and never let myself get attached to another one of their birds.
Last week I went in to say hi to the birds, and to my disgust I found a bird dead on the bottom of the cage in the bird room. I alerted the front desk that there was a dead bird. They asked if I was sure-​aparently they have a bird that likes to sleep on the bottom of the cage (pretty sure that isn’t healthy). When they went in the room they realized that I was infact correct-​dead bird in the cage.
Clearly there is something going on with these birds and I would not be comfortable making a purchase from here in the future.

This first time I went to Zoo Creatures, I was looking to purchase a Ball Python. I had previously purchased two from my local Petco, but both had mites, refused to eat and died within a few weeks…
So, I did some research and found New England Reptile Distributors (NERD), which breeds, sells, and shows captive-​bred reptiles, particularly Ball Pythons.
Almost all of the snakes available at Zoo Creatures come from NERD, which operates in the building adjacent to Zoo Creatures.
I called Zoo Creatures a few days in advance and the guy I talked to was very kind and even offered to give me a tour of the breeding facilites in NERD if I had time.
Anyway, when we got there, the reptile department had dozens of baby Ball Pythons available. The staff who worked the department was very patient and very knowledgable, and let me see each and every baby Ball Python (~25 snakes) before I made my final choice. All of the snakes were in clean environments and looked healthy. The staff also gave me three frozen/​thawed feeder mice (which they also breed) for free, along with some great advice.
This is far from the over-​stocked, too-​small cages seen at Petco, and the staff here are just wonderful! I still have my Ball Python today and am so glad I made the right decision to go with Zoo Creatures.
I go to Zoo Creatures every summer as a side trip from Hampton Beach. Since my first trip I’ve checked out the other departments:
The small animal and bird sections were both clean and the animals looked healthy. Most cages weren’t overstocked like they are at Petco, and one can easily ask the staff for more information. I believe the rabbits shoud’ve been in large hutches rather than small cages, but that’s just me.
They have a nice selection of fish and aquaria on display. The reptile section has several species for sale including pythons, boas, chameleons, geckos, lizards, turtles, arachnids, and scorpions. They also have several color morphs available. Their tortoises live in large outdoor enclosures.
Lots of good products available. Orijen, California Natural, Innova and Sojos were just a few of the available brands of premium, all-​natural dog and cat food. They even carry raw meat products for those of us who feed the prey model or B.A.R.F. diets.
They also carry food & supplies for ferrets, degus, Egyptian Spiny Mice, chinchillas, sugar gliders, and hedgehogs, among other small animals.
One thing that comes as a red flag to me was the small glass pen of puppies and kittens they had for sale. Most of them looked healthy and happy, but I did notice one of them had diarrhea and another was rather listless, which is a serious red flag. Some of the pups may well come from local breeders, but *reputable* breeders do not make deals with pet stores, ever. Thus, I would recommend against purchasing a puppy or kitten from Zoo Creatures — or ANY pet store for that matter.
Overall Zoo Creatures is a great pet store with a wide selection of animals and a friendly and knowledgable staff. As per usual, do some research before buying a new pet and don’t be afraid to ask the staff questions, it’s their job to help you out!

Zoo creatures is/​was pretty interesting. Because they are set back off rt 125, I have no idea if they exist still, but they carry a lot of exotic pets that people in trailers shouldn’t have, but they do.
Its actually a fun place to bring the kids too because there are so many animals to look at and to wish you could set free, but you can’t.