Wanna Pet a Zebra? How About a Monkey?

There's a hidden gem in the desert, 60 miles north of Las Vegas along Interstate 15, and well worth the time. The drive in can be a little deceiving, because it looks like a dusty residential area, with parking on a dirt lot. But inside the gate is a whole different story. The first thing that caught my eye while standing in line was a large black animal with the head of a large cat and a thick black tail, short legs, long thick hair, on a leash, with a crowd of people gathering around not just taking pictures, but also petting the creature. Later, I found out this is called a bear cat.

Bear Cats smell like Fritos Corn Chips. This guy is very docile, almost the same tempermant as a dog.

So it turns out this is an exotic animal petting zoo, Roos-N-More. The zoo is only open on specific days, so you will need to plan your trip ahead of time and admission is just $10, plus there are optional kangaroos and otter tours for an additional price. They also provide small food bags for a minimal cost so you can entice the animals.

Camel kiss

This odd looking animal is a bushbaby, plus it's a baby, so it's a baby bushbaby :-)

Baby monkey 2 months old, not ready to be held yet.

The kangaroos are surprisingly docile and the small ones will nibble (not bite) your finger.

Toucan's have a long thin tongue that doesn't look like a tongue at all. This bird's about to take her hat and glasses

The anteater liked to dig for ants, but not eat them. Anybody know what anteaters say? I have no idea, but as the official mascot of my college, they were always depicted saying "ZOT!"

This guy starred in this Rascal Flatts video. The handler in white shirt talks to the monkey as if he understands English, which, evidently he does.

Otters here. You can pet the otters on a private otter tour, just don't bring ANY food into the habitat. The handler will tell you these guys are master thieves and have been know to take iPhones and keys, then immediately run into the water. One guest immediately lost a bracelet upon sitting in the grass next to a friendly one.

I was a little intimidated to walk up and pet this guy. I mean, just look at the glove this handler is wearing. Owls might look friendly in the movies, but they have a talons and a sharp beak and can do some serious damage. Just like all the animals here, this one seemed to thrive on the attention.

Me and the coatimundi. On a previous trip, I got to see this guy climb on people's backs as they formed a line and hunched over. They have thick fur and almost human hands.

The same coatimundi eating a carrot

A baby Lemur. Poor guy was tired, fell asleep while being held.

Zebras LOVE carrots, but the zoo doesn't sell carrots so be sure to bring your own. And watch out for the camel, 'cause that camel pushes his weight around to get to the carrots.

 

This zoo is one of the most interesting places I've been to near Las Vegas. I highly recommend taking a day trip to this out-of-the-way destination. The zoo is called Roos-N-More and you can find out more information at their website www.RoosNMore.com. The zoo is only open certain days and certain hours, so be sure to check the website for the days you can visit. On my previous visit, I saw a baby porcupine and (2) 2-toed sloths, so you never know what animals they're going to have on display. Plus there are some less exotic animals to see, like an emu, llama, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs and great danes.