Riverside Reptiles Education Center

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Riverside Reptiles Education Center ZAA-accredited reptile zoo in Enfield, CT. Explore 100+ species through exhibits, live programs, field trips, birthdays & hands-on education.
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Open Tue–Sun 10–4; closed Mondays except major holidays. 132 South Rd. For Educational Programming contact the education office at [email protected]

🕷🍬TOMORROW NIGHT is Riverside Reptiles' Halloween Party! Visit us anytime from 6-8pm for discounted admission to the zoo...
10/22/2026

🕷🍬TOMORROW NIGHT is Riverside Reptiles' Halloween Party! Visit us anytime from 6-8pm for discounted admission to the zoo and Halloween activities:

Trick-or-Treating
Costume Contest
Animal Encounters,
Face-Painting + Coloring Sheets
Pumpkin Co****le
Themed Vendors,
and of course - a rockin' Halloween playlist to boogie to.

Plus, come see all of the spooky enrichment our animals will be enjoying that night!

👻Tickets are only $12 per person (children under 3 are free). You can buy tickets at the door or online at www.cereptilesrescue.com/halloweenparty. This event is a fundraiser for our nonprofit Conservation and Education Reptile Rescue.

We can't wait to see your costumes!

To celebrate National First Responders Day on October 28th, Riverside Reptiles will be offering free admission to Fire F...
10/19/2026

To celebrate National First Responders Day on October 28th, Riverside Reptiles will be offering free admission to Fire Fighters, Police, EMTs, & Paramedics on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25TH. Please bring a valid form of ID to redeem this discount.

We will be open from 10am to 4pm on 10/25.

Animal Spotlight - Florida Softshell turtle Softshell refers to the family Trionychidae, which includes six species. Riv...
10/18/2026

Animal Spotlight - Florida Softshell turtle

Softshell refers to the family Trionychidae, which includes six species. Riverside Reptiles has two species of softshell, and today we're learning about the Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox).

First things first, where can you find these little friends in the wild? Well, Florida of course! Their range covers the entire state, from coast to coast. They can also be found in southern Alabama and Georgia. These turtles spend the majority of their life under water, at the bottom of rivers, ponds, lakes and other sources of freshwater. Females will come onto land to lay their eggs.

They get their name, softshell turtle, because they've adapted to have a thin, flexible shell that allows them to hide in places other turtles can't fit. They're able to shuffle underneath the sandy bottom of a river to hide from predators and prey alike. Their long, snorkel-like nose helps them search for food in the sand and get a quick breath of air.

Riverside's Florida Softshell is a male named Clarence. He was rescued by Brian in 2017 and is estimated to be around 13 years old. His previous owner was unable to care for him and surrendered him to a local nature center. When he was not thriving at the nature center, they asked Brian if he could take him in. Clarence has been with us ever since. You can visit him at Riverside Reptiles Education Center, where he lives in a large aquarium with diamondback terrapins.

10/16/2026

Enrichment is an essential part of how we care for our animals at Riverside Reptiles! By providing animals with novel experiences or challenging the way they access their food, enrichment encourages animals to explore, problem solve, and engage in natural behaviors.
Enrichment can come in many forms including changing the layout of an enclosure, puzzle feeders, and even training with keepers. If you ever see strange items in the animal enclosures here at Riverside Reptiles, it very well may be some form of enrichment!

We’re hiring! Riverside Reptiles Education Center is looking for a Part-Time Animal Keeper to join our animal care team....
10/15/2026

We’re hiring!

Riverside Reptiles Education Center is looking for a Part-Time Animal Keeper to join our animal care team. This position is approximately 24 hours per week over three days, with the possibility of additional hours becoming available in the new year. Responsibilities include daily husbandry, diet preparation and feeding, cleaning and enclosure maintenance, monitoring animal health and behavior, recordkeeping, water-quality testing, and assisting with animal handling, enrichment, and medical treatments.

We’re looking for someone who is reliable, hardworking, highly observant, comfortable with the physical and sometimes messy realities of animal care, and experienced with reptiles, amphibians, fish, and/or invertebrates. Professional or substantial structured animal-care experience is strongly preferred; experience with venomous reptiles or large potentially dangerous reptiles is a plus. If you’re interested, please complete our application form here:

https://www.riversidereptileseducationcenter.com/part-time-animal-keeper.

Please share with anyone you think would be a great fit for our team.

10/14/2026

Our rescue eastern box turtle, Connie, got to try out her new enclosure!

After being taken from the wild in the 80s, Connie lived in unsafe conditions until December of last year when her and her two turtle companions came to live with us at Riverside Reptiles. They arrived very sick, but after nearly a year, these old ladies are healthy and ready to explore!

Connie has joined our North American native pond with another eastern box turtle, Tiny. After being added to her new enclosure, Connie was a little hesitant but quickly adjusted and enjoyed a good soak in the pond. Now, you will likely find her sitting up near the window, enjoying some sunlight.

One of her companions, a gulf coast box turtle taken from the wild in the 90s, has joined our pond turtles in admission and the third turtle, a three toed box turtle also taken from the wild in the 90s, needs a little more attention than her companions and will be staying off exhibit.

Stories like Connie's are part of why it is illegal in Connecticut to remove eastern box turtles from the wild. Turtles are important seed dispersers in their native ecosystem and taking even one turtle can remove hundreds of future turtles from the environment.

If you are interested in getting a pet turtle, our rescue page has many little friends looking for new homes!

If you'd like to learn more about adoptable animals or the rescues who call Riverside Reptiles home, please visit our non profit site: https://www.cereptilerescue.com

🎃🐍 Who's excited for Riverside Reptiles' Halloween Party on Friday October 23rd from 6-8pm? 🐢👻Our annual party features...
10/14/2026

🎃🐍 Who's excited for Riverside Reptiles' Halloween Party on Friday October 23rd from 6-8pm? 🐢👻

Our annual party features trick-or-treating, face-painting, animal encounters, co****le, and full access to all of our animals on display! Wear your costumes and bring a treat bag to this night of Halloween fun!

🕷Tickets are $12 per Person (Children under 3 are free).
🐸Tickets can be purchased at the door or you can skip the wait and purchase in advance here: www.cereptilerescue.com/halloweenparty.

This event is a fundraiser for our nonprofit, Conservation & Education Reptile Rescue.

Riverside Reptiles Education Center will be OPEN on 10/12/2026 for Indigenous Peoples' Day! Come say hi to our animals a...
10/11/2026

Riverside Reptiles Education Center will be OPEN on 10/12/2026 for Indigenous Peoples' Day! Come say hi to our animals and educators!

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Open Monday, October 12th: 10 AM–4 PM
📍 132 S Rd, Enfield, CT 06082
🌐 www.riversidereptileseducationcenter.com

10/11/2026

🐊 LONG WEEKEND PLANS? MAKE THEM WILD!

We’re OPEN MONDAY for the holiday weekend!

Come face-to-face with more than 100 species of reptiles, amphibians, fish and more at Riverside Reptiles Education Center in Enfield, CT! 🐍🦎

From giant snakes and alligators to turtles, axolotls, tarantulas and plenty of surprises, there’s something amazing around every corner!

📍 Enfield, Connecticut
🕙 Open Saturday, Sunday & Monday, 10 AM–4 PM
🎟️ Walk-ins welcome. Free parking!

Make this long weekend an adventure!

Did you know? A Riverside Membership has many perks, one of which is free or discounted access to our after-hours events...
10/10/2026

Did you know? A Riverside Membership has many perks, one of which is free or discounted access to our after-hours events!

October's free member event is Jeepers Creepers! on Friday the 30th from 6-7pm. RREC owner Brian Kleinman will be bringing out some of our coolest and creepiest animals for you to meet up close! Prepare to learn about snakes, amphibians, arachnids, and insects!

🎫 This program is FREE if you are a member and $15 for non-members. We have limited seats available, so pre-registration is required. Save your seat at www.riversidereptileseducationcenter.com/jeeperscreepers

Pictured below is Tabitha, our beautiful golden red rump tarantula.

Address

132 South Road
Enfield, CT
06082

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+18602079335

Website

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