09/30/2026
Got to meet this little cutie at the Wildlife festival this past weekend from our friends Two by Two Animal Haven, Inc
Getting to do something like this is an extreme privilege I was given because I’m a fellow educator and know the owners. However, this is obviously a high sought after experience and one that certain groups do capitalize on. Often times when you see the more uncommon exotic mammals at events or with non-AZA zoos like kangaroos, otters, capybara, sloths, etc. they are used for profit rather than educationally. You can go to these small zoos or events and pay to hold these animals for photo ops, which obviously most people want the chance to do, but does nothing for actual education or conservation efforts. Like when I was a kid and the local fair had someone that used to have a tiger cub you could hold for $30-50 for some pics.
Two by Two and other excellent educational groups like them bring their colorful exotic animals to teach the public about them and their plights in the wild, not just charge some bucks to hold them. In my opinion this is what separates the actual educators from people that are trying to make money off of their animals as a prop like a roadside zoo.
I was fortunate to hold this eight month old joey one of the few times she was taken from off display to show people, but the general public was not allowed to hold her. Again this is just my opinion, but I’m very fortunate to be in contact with several educators that I look up to and motivate me to do better with getting people to care about these critters in a substantial way!
Needless to say if I ever do get a kangaroo or sloth (unlikely) I will not be allowing the public to hold them even if it makes a lot of people unhappy. Holding the corn snake or blue tongue skink is fine because those are common pets, larger exotic mammals aren’t.
