The Reptile Discovery Center

If you love reptiles then this is a place you should visit. The place isn’t very big but they have a very wide assortment of all kinds of cool and unique creatures. The staff is very knowledgeable and it shows with how they care for and house these beautiful animals.

Went here today and it was way above our expectations. There is an indoor and outdoor area both with and abundance of various reptiles we had never seen before. The staff is very well informed but the show was awesome! Go to the show. The kids were so psyched to hold pythons and the venom extraction demonstration was very impressive. I rarely write reviews but it was so good i felt compelled to do so. Thanks!

DeLand isn’t exactly a tourist attraction hub, but this place is worth the trip for anyone visiting the region. Their display collection includes some of the most fascinating and venomous species of snakes on the planet, the outdoor area is a lovely walk and features up-​close views of gators and other reptiles, and the store is cute. Of course the highlight is the milking of the snakes (check the schedule!). It’s extremely interesting and somewhat harrowing to watch. The workers there are very informed and share a lot of great information. Well worth a visit.

If you’re staying in the Daytona area, this gem is just a short 20 – 30 minute ride for you and more than worth it. It’s slightly off the beaten path but in no way inconvenient to take a short trip. You owe it to yourself to make the effort.
The key here is to make sure to see the 1130 or 330 (call to check on times) reptile show. During this, they let you handle several reptiles, and watch a great show where they extract venom for pharmaceutical purposes.
Staff was ultra nice and knowledgeable. Very clean and well maintained facility. When you first go in, you’re going to think, hey, this is small. Give it a chance, and make sure to see the show.
All in all, one of the best things we did/​saw/​attended during our stay in Daytona.

I’m not sure why our review from last year ‘wasn’t included’ and factored in, probably bc we don’t get to vacay much! Regardless we travel to FL regularly… the Deland Reptile center is a mandatory stop now even if I’m not on vacay! My now 7 year old and now 2 year old loves it; my daughter used the experience for a school report regarding antivenin extraction. Not only is the process entertaining (the cobra likes to show off, aggressive guy) but it’s also educational and impressive. Great way to spend a rainy afternoon (or sunny as you can hit their trails) for an inexpensive treat for the kids. Excellent field trip /​girlscout/​boyscout experience too as a large group of kids were there in the afternoon. Clean and does not smell like you would expect with that many reptiles.

It’s a small place but what a great collection! It’s definitely worth the stop. The staff are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Make sure not to miss the venom collection. Right before the show starts they bring the reptiles out for folks to hold. Pretty cool experience. The only downside is the nature trial. All the exhibits other than the gator were empty.

As scene on the Discovery Channel, Dangerous Jobs and Swamp brothers. Carl is the man. Take you kids or go without, all that seperates you and a numerous poisnous snakes is a thin sheet of glass. The King Cobra is a sight to see. Live venom extraction program — given at 11:30 and 3:00 Thursday through Sunday

We found The Reptile Discovery Center thanks to Groupon. This place is waaaaay out there in Deland. We ventured out without calling first and just missed the venom extraction, which is apparently the highlight of the day. The Reptile Discovery Center has a large array of venomous snakes and extracts venom daily for anti-​venom production.
The facility itself is small, yet clean. There are about 20 – 30 reptiles displayed in glass enclosures inside the building. They have some impressive specimens including a huge Burmese python, cobras, rattlesnakes and gorgeous mambas. The have other reptiles like turtles, alligators and lizards. Since we’d just missed the «show» a kind gentleman noticed and brought out two of their ball pythons for us to hold. The worker assured us these seasoned snakes were held often and never had any issues with children. At first my son hesitated, but after I held the snake he warmed up. He ended up holding the well behaved snake for 15 minutes. He giggled and giggled as the snake slithered over his arms and neck. My son said after the encounter, «I’ve never had a snake friend before!»
If you visit, don’t miss the outdoor «Discovery Trail». This winding trail takes you through the woods and by several outdoor enclosures for huge snakes, turtles, alligators and lizards. The habitats all appeared well maintained and there was fresh food and water available in each enclosure. There are a few picnic tables along the trail and they thoughtfully offer «bug spray stations». In January we didn’t think we’d need it but once deep in the woods the bugs were relentless. They have a small gift shop with toys, trinkets, books, snacks and jewelry.
If I had paid full price ($ 9.50/adults, $ 6.50/ kids 4 – 17) I would have been disappointed as the facility is fairly small. This is a place to kill a few hours, at most. Still, it was enjoyable time. The highlight of course, was being able to hold the snakes. They host birthday parties here too– my son was already talking about bringing his friends back!