Verified Company
My kids love it!!
And me too!!
Reply from EcoVivarium
2026.01.26
Thank you Noeel! So glad you guys had a great time visiting with our staff and ambassador animals! We look forward to seeing you all again soon!
I cannot say enough about EcoVivarium and the ladies who presented animals at my 11-year-old's birthday party-- and I don't even like snakes!
From my first interaction with EcoVivarium, I was impressed with the friendly service. Even over the phone they were helpful and professional and kind. Later, when I had to make an adjustment to my order, they were so accommodating.
At the party, they were an absolute hit! The kids AND the parents (30ish people) were enthralled. It was so interesting and educational, and everyone got to touch the animals if they wanted to without feeling pressured or threatened. Everyone had a good time. The ladies who presented the animals were so sweet and smart and entertaining. They were sensitive to the feelings of the people and the animals and made us feel at ease because they were always professional and in control.
I did not expect to like this experience, but I will never forget it. Thank you, EcoVivarium!
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.11.12
Thanks, Shannon! We're so glad you and your guests all enjoyed the program. I will be sure to share your rave reviews with Shelly and Miyah. So glad they exceeded your expectations. From the photos you shared, it looks like your son and the others had a blast. Lives the picture of him with Magic, the big Burmese Python.
We hope you're able to visit EcoVivarium in the future to meet now of our staff and Ambassador Animals! Thanks again - See You All Soon!
We hope you're able to visit EcoVivarium in the future to meet now of our staff and Ambassador Animals! Thanks again - See You All Soon!
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.11.12
Hi Adrian! So glad you enjoyed your recent visit to EcoVivarium! We look forward to seeing you all again!
Family fun and educational...
The facilities are filled with welcoming and knowledgeable staff guiding tours to view, pet and hold a number of creatures - including, lizards, snakes, and bugs. we've taken the basic tour and the platinum tour and they are both well worth the time and spend, especially with funds going towards such a great cause.
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.10.13
Hi Veronica,
So happy you all enjoyed your new private tour experience! We love having our guests return for new adventures with the amazing reptiles that call EcoVivarium home! We look forward to seeing you all again soon for more great adventures together!
So happy you all enjoyed your new private tour experience! We love having our guests return for new adventures with the amazing reptiles that call EcoVivarium home! We look forward to seeing you all again soon for more great adventures together!
Very very fun, really cool and beautiful animals, the tour guide was amazing she was very nice and silly she made us laugh a ton, straight up a really awesome place, definitely going to visit again 👍👍
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.10.13
Thank you for the rave review! We're so glad you you enjoyed meeting our Ambassador Animals. I'll pass along your complements to the staff too! We look forward to seeing you for more great adventures soon!
Reply from EcoVivarium
Thank you for the 5-Star review. So glad you enjoyed your visit! We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.09.22
Hi Michael,
Thank you for the 5 star review. We're glad you enjoyed your visit to EcoVivarium and look forward to seeing you again soon!
Thank you for the 5 star review. We're glad you enjoyed your visit to EcoVivarium and look forward to seeing you again soon!
Great place for kids
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.08.16
Thanks! We're glad you enjoyed your visit and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Such a special place. Always a great experience for my kids.
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.09.22
Hi Jodi,
Thank you for the five star review.I'm so glad that your children had a wonderful time visiting with all the animal ambassadors. We look forward to seeing you and your family again!
Thank you for the five star review.I'm so glad that your children had a wonderful time visiting with all the animal ambassadors. We look forward to seeing you and your family again!
Brought our summer class here! Everyone was so knowledgeable and kind!
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.07.15
Thank you for the great feedback! We're so glad you all enjoyed your visit. We hope to see you again soon!
Amazing experience. The animals are beautiful and well taken care of. Our tour guide was amazing, you could see how much the animals loved her. Highly recommended
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.10.13
So glad you enjoyed your tour with Shelly. We are so fortunate that all of our staff adore the animals and sharing their stories with you. Every visit offers new animals to meet and experiences to enjoy with them. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Great assortment of reptiles and staff was nice but the cages that some of the big lizards were in were downright inhumane. There was one two foot lizard in the first room that was in a glass box about 3 feet long. There was a tub of water and that was the poor thing's entire habitat. Nothing to climb on or hide under and no where to move. It was desperately trying to get out the entire time we were there. The desert tortise in the same room lived on the linoleum floor. He had no outside to go to and nothing stimulating to do - it was really sad. I admire people rescuing animals but their habitat should try to approximate their natural world. Some of the reptiles had that but many did not.
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.10.13
Roberta, thank you for taking the time to share your experience and for caring so deeply about the animals. We completely understand your concerns — and we want you to know that we share that same desire to see every one of our rescues thrive in the most naturalistic environment possible.
Many of our animals arrive at EcoVivarium through law enforcement confiscations, neglect cases, or owner surrenders. Often, they come to us with no enclosure or small broken glass cages, with serious medical needs, and no history of proper care. Some have lived their entire lives in small “drawer-style” rack systems with no light, climbing space, or enrichment. In those cases, what you may see as a simple or limited habitat is often still a tremendous improvement over where they began.
That said, you are right — some of our habitats are smaller or more utilitarian than we’d like them to be. As a nonprofit sanctuary caring for over 400 rescued reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods, we do our best to meet every animal’s immediate physical, nutritional, and medical needs first. While some animals are housed in enclosures that meet only basic standards, they also receive regular out-of-habitat enrichment and natural sunlight exposure during nonpublic hours. Our tortoises, for example, are routinely taken outdoors to graze and bask in the sun, while our lizards and snakes rotate through enrichment and exercise sessions to promote healthy activity and mental stimulation.
We are deeply committed to doing better — and we are actively working toward that goal through our **Guardians of the Scales** initiative. This campaign is dedicated to building new, spacious, and naturalistic habitats designed to replicate the animals’ native environments as closely as possible. Our vision includes large indoor/outdoor vivariums where animals like our tortoises, monitors, and iguanas can roam, climb, bask, and live enriched, natural lives.
Every donation, ticket purchase, or membership directly supports this transformation — helping us move from survival care to truly thriving environments for every creature we rescue. We are immensely proud of how far we’ve come, but we know there is still a long way to go.
We appreciate your honest feedback, because it helps others understand both the challenges and the heart behind this work. Each animal here is a survivor of hardship — and we are determined to give them the safe, compassionate, and enriching lives they deserve.
We invite you to visit again in the future to see our progress or to join us in building that better future through **Guardians of the Scales**. Together, we can create lasting change for these extraordinary, often forgotten creatures.
With gratitude,
**The EcoVivarium Team**
*Rescue Today. Inspire for Generations.*
Many of our animals arrive at EcoVivarium through law enforcement confiscations, neglect cases, or owner surrenders. Often, they come to us with no enclosure or small broken glass cages, with serious medical needs, and no history of proper care. Some have lived their entire lives in small “drawer-style” rack systems with no light, climbing space, or enrichment. In those cases, what you may see as a simple or limited habitat is often still a tremendous improvement over where they began.
That said, you are right — some of our habitats are smaller or more utilitarian than we’d like them to be. As a nonprofit sanctuary caring for over 400 rescued reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods, we do our best to meet every animal’s immediate physical, nutritional, and medical needs first. While some animals are housed in enclosures that meet only basic standards, they also receive regular out-of-habitat enrichment and natural sunlight exposure during nonpublic hours. Our tortoises, for example, are routinely taken outdoors to graze and bask in the sun, while our lizards and snakes rotate through enrichment and exercise sessions to promote healthy activity and mental stimulation.
We are deeply committed to doing better — and we are actively working toward that goal through our **Guardians of the Scales** initiative. This campaign is dedicated to building new, spacious, and naturalistic habitats designed to replicate the animals’ native environments as closely as possible. Our vision includes large indoor/outdoor vivariums where animals like our tortoises, monitors, and iguanas can roam, climb, bask, and live enriched, natural lives.
Every donation, ticket purchase, or membership directly supports this transformation — helping us move from survival care to truly thriving environments for every creature we rescue. We are immensely proud of how far we’ve come, but we know there is still a long way to go.
We appreciate your honest feedback, because it helps others understand both the challenges and the heart behind this work. Each animal here is a survivor of hardship — and we are determined to give them the safe, compassionate, and enriching lives they deserve.
We invite you to visit again in the future to see our progress or to join us in building that better future through **Guardians of the Scales**. Together, we can create lasting change for these extraordinary, often forgotten creatures.
With gratitude,
**The EcoVivarium Team**
*Rescue Today. Inspire for Generations.*
This is a review for their Eek! Ecotherms birthday party package. Susann was super helpful with coordinating the event and even gave me the idea to have it hosted at my daughter’s school for her 3rd birthday. It was a wonderful treat for the students and teachers, and my daughter had a blast!
Susann and Sam were our animal presenters and they did an awesome job of ensuring all the kiddos got a chance to pet the different reptiles. I would definitely recommend booking them for a birthday party.
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.07.01
Thank you, Rachel! We had a blast with everyone at the preschool! Your daughter set sick a great example the way she interacted with all the animals! Loved at the end when she was craddeling Korra's face as the teachers held her! Thanks again for inviting us to the celebration! See you all again soon on your next visit to the museum!
Misleading information online. Prices are triple what’s listed as entrance fees. We had to pass. Tours are extra.
Very disappointing! Hard to find location…
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.10.13
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback — and we’re so sorry for the confusion and disappointment this caused. We completely understand how frustrating it can be to plan a visit based on outdated information, only to find that the details have changed. Unfortunately, several third-party and city-managed websites list older pricing and program information that we have no control over, even though we’ve repeatedly requested updates.
Our current admission and tour pricing are accurately listed on our official website at https://www.EcoVivarium.org - As a nonprofit living museum and reptile sanctuary, our prices reflect the rising costs of specialized care, nutrition, and veterinary services for over 400 rescued animals. These funds directly support their daily needs — from proper UV lighting and fresh produce to medical treatment and new habitats.
We’d also like to clarify that our tours are not “add-ons” in the traditional sense — they’re fully guided, hands-on experiences that go far beyond a typical zoo or museum visit. Guests interact safely with our Ambassador Animals while learning about their unique adaptations and rescue stories. For many visitors, this deeper engagement becomes the highlight of their visit and helps them understand why EcoVivarium is unlike any other facility in the country.
As for our location, we know it can be a bit tricky to find the first time! We’re tucked inside an older building in Escondido’s historic downtown — a bit hidden, but filled with amazing creatures and caring people. Clearer signage and improved directions are part of our ongoing facility improvements as we continue to grow.
We hope you’ll consider giving us another chance in the future. EcoVivarium is more than a museum — it’s a sanctuary of second chances. Every ticket, membership, and donation fuels the **Guardians of the Scales** campaign, which is building new, larger, and more naturalistic habitats for our rescued reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods.
Your feedback reminds us why transparency and education matter, and we’ll continue doing our best to ensure visitors always have the most accurate information available. Thank you for caring about the animals — we hope you’ll visit again and see how your support helps transform their lives.
With appreciation,
**The EcoVivarium Team**
*Rescue Today. Inspire for Generations.*
Our current admission and tour pricing are accurately listed on our official website at https://www.EcoVivarium.org - As a nonprofit living museum and reptile sanctuary, our prices reflect the rising costs of specialized care, nutrition, and veterinary services for over 400 rescued animals. These funds directly support their daily needs — from proper UV lighting and fresh produce to medical treatment and new habitats.
We’d also like to clarify that our tours are not “add-ons” in the traditional sense — they’re fully guided, hands-on experiences that go far beyond a typical zoo or museum visit. Guests interact safely with our Ambassador Animals while learning about their unique adaptations and rescue stories. For many visitors, this deeper engagement becomes the highlight of their visit and helps them understand why EcoVivarium is unlike any other facility in the country.
As for our location, we know it can be a bit tricky to find the first time! We’re tucked inside an older building in Escondido’s historic downtown — a bit hidden, but filled with amazing creatures and caring people. Clearer signage and improved directions are part of our ongoing facility improvements as we continue to grow.
We hope you’ll consider giving us another chance in the future. EcoVivarium is more than a museum — it’s a sanctuary of second chances. Every ticket, membership, and donation fuels the **Guardians of the Scales** campaign, which is building new, larger, and more naturalistic habitats for our rescued reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods.
Your feedback reminds us why transparency and education matter, and we’ll continue doing our best to ensure visitors always have the most accurate information available. Thank you for caring about the animals — we hope you’ll visit again and see how your support helps transform their lives.
With appreciation,
**The EcoVivarium Team**
*Rescue Today. Inspire for Generations.*
Donny was a wealth of knowledge and a great guide. Booked a private tour and got to meet a lot of cool wildlife and learn more about their success and why they play such an important role.
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.10.13
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your private tour and that Donny helped make your visit memorable. Our guides love sharing the incredible stories of our rescued Animal Ambassadors — from their unique adaptations to their vital role in inspiring compassion and conservation.
Every visit helps us continue providing lifelong care and educational opportunities through our **Guardians of the Scales** initiative, building a brighter future for these extraordinary creatures. We’re so glad you had the chance to connect with so many remarkable species and learn more about their importance in our shared ecosystem.
We hope to welcome you back soon for another adventure — there’s always something new to discover at EcoVivarium!
With gratitude,
**The EcoVivarium Team**
*Rescue Today. Inspire for Generations.*
Every visit helps us continue providing lifelong care and educational opportunities through our **Guardians of the Scales** initiative, building a brighter future for these extraordinary creatures. We’re so glad you had the chance to connect with so many remarkable species and learn more about their importance in our shared ecosystem.
We hope to welcome you back soon for another adventure — there’s always something new to discover at EcoVivarium!
With gratitude,
**The EcoVivarium Team**
*Rescue Today. Inspire for Generations.*
Such a cool place! Full of all kinds of snakes and reptiles and the like. The employees are very knowledgeable and do a great job explaining things to both kids and adults alike. I’m so glad this place is here! Very educational but also something kids will enjoy.
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.10.13
Frank,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your visit and found it both fun and educational. Our team loves sharing the wonder of reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods with guests of all ages — helping everyone discover just how fascinating and important these often-overlooked animals really are.
Every visit supports the lifelong care of our rescued Animal Ambassadors and helps us continue creating hands-on learning experiences that inspire curiosity, compassion, and conservation. We’re so glad EcoVivarium could make a positive impression, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for more scaly adventures!
With appreciation,
**The EcoVivarium Team**
*Rescue Today. Inspire for Generations.*
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your visit and found it both fun and educational. Our team loves sharing the wonder of reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods with guests of all ages — helping everyone discover just how fascinating and important these often-overlooked animals really are.
Every visit supports the lifelong care of our rescued Animal Ambassadors and helps us continue creating hands-on learning experiences that inspire curiosity, compassion, and conservation. We’re so glad EcoVivarium could make a positive impression, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for more scaly adventures!
With appreciation,
**The EcoVivarium Team**
*Rescue Today. Inspire for Generations.*
One of the best tours I've had. A lovely mix of fun facts about the breed, the specific animal, and the rescue. Bring your kids, they'll have a great time!
Reply from EcoVivarium
2025.03.27
Thanks for the review, Alex! So glad you enjoyed the tour. We look forward to seeing you again soon!