Our Zookeeper for the Day experience is now available to book for children as well as adults.

Available for ages 8+ the package costs just £70 per person, one of the cheapest on the market.

Trialing life as a zookeeper allows you to get hands on with a variety of livestock, exotic and domestic species across our 50 acre site.

Being an animal keeper involves rolling your sleeves up and getting stuck in with food preparation along with mucking out the animals and much more, so you should be prepared to get your hands dirty!

For under 18s the price includes entry for one adult spectator. 

Hobbledown Annual Passholders get 10% of the price.

To book call 01708 385096. Vouchers are valid for 12 months and following payment you will be redirected to our animal handling bookings team to secure your preferred date.

 

A typical day’s experience

• Duration: 10:30am- 3pm
• Food prep
• Meerkat mayhem, time for you to supply brunch to the mob
• What goes in must come out. Time to clean the Wallabies and Mara.
• Enrichment –Goat walkies! Or Alpaca
• Cuddle a coati
• Pick ‘n mix (Mystery task)
• Face your fears – it’s up close and personal with this exotic encounter

(Itinerary is subject to change due to animal welfare reasons)

 

What you need to know

• The cost is £70 per person and we can accommodate a maximum of 2 participants per day.
• Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.
• For under 18’s the price includes entry for one accompanying adult spectator.
• Additional spectators will have the option to pay the normal admission fee for entry and take photos of the voucher holder whilst they are in public areas.
• Participants should be physically fit due to the nature and demands of the work.
• Experiences are available throughout the year, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
• The duration and content of the experience is a rough guide and may differ on the day.

 

 

Terms and conditions:

Hobbledown reserves the right to alter the experience or cancel at short notice. The voucher holder (participant) will be notified of any changes or cancellations as early as possible.

The voucher is only valid for the named recipient/s.

Vouchers are non-refundable or transferable.

Proximity and contact with the animals is at the animal host/ instructor’s discretion.

The experience is implemented on a strict time scale. Should you arrive late without prior notice the booking maybe cancelled or shortened.

The participant must inform Hobbledown of any medical conditions, or any known allergies.

If a participant is behaving in a way which is detrimental to Hobbledown’s policies, we reserve the right to remove the voucher holder (participant) from the premises without a refund.

A booking is only secured once full payment has been received.

Hobbledown has a no smoking policy.

Please do not eat or drink any foods intended for the animals.

In the event of an emergency please follow the instructions of your host/instructor.

Behind the scenes can be muddy so please wear appropriate clothing for working in all weathers. (To include long trousers and walking boots/wellingtons.) It may be necessary, due to animal husbandry reasons, for participants to use a disinfectant footbath. Please ensure suitable footwear is worn.

Jewellery should be removed.

You must not enter an animal enclosure without the presence or authorisation of your host/instructor.

We are unable to guarantee any specific animals and itineraries as these may need to be altered for animal welfare reasons.

Bookings must be made within 1 year of the date on the gift voucher. To avoid disappointment please book your preferred date as early as possible, with a minimum of 3 weeks’ notice.

Additional accompanying guests must pay full admission to enter the site. For under 18s the price includes entry for one accompanying adult spectator.

Adult only or child only parties are not permitted at Hobbledown.

Hobbledown will not accept responsibility for any person disregarding health and safety guidelines or neglecting to follow safe working practice instruction by its trained animal hosts/instructors.

Please inform a member of the team of any phobias.

Photos can be taken however Hobbledown will not be liable for any damage to your device.

This package is sold as a whole. Substitutes or refunds are not available for any part of the experience.

Insurance

You are required to bring a copy of photo ID with you on the day of your experience.

For insurance purposes, all voucher holders must be 8 or over and have up to date tetanus vaccination.  Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult who will be responsible for them at all times.

You will not be liable for accidental damage to equipment, except where damage has been caused as a result of reckless or wilful negligence.

Keeper for a Day Health and Safety

It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure all cuts and abrasions are covered prior to commencing the experience. For under 18s this will be the responsibility of the parent or guardian.

Please wash your hands at every opportunity.

Whilst every effort is made to accommodate everyone, due to the nature of the experience unfortunately, at the present time the experience is not suitable for pregnant guests, visitors with disabilities or learning difficulties or those who are suffering from an immune suppressant illness. 

Experiences are also not suitable for those allergic to dust, animal fur or bedding.

Cancellation rules

Once the booking has been made we are not able to change the date and the experience is nonrefundable (apart from exceptional circumstances; as deemed so by Hobbledown.)