FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Some commonly asked questions are answered here, cannot find the question or answer you are looking for contact us and we will be happy to help.
Do you have a licence to use animals?
Yes. Snakes Alive held the Performing Animals Licence prior to the new legislation laws that came into place in October 2018 and now holds a 5-star Animal Activities Licence (AAL). Snakes alive ltd. also ran at Barleylands Farm Park under a Zoo Licence for 5 years (from 2014-2019) and continues to provide a thorough and detailed level of care for its animals.
All companies that provide animals at external venues must hold an Animal Activities Licence awarded by the Local Authority. This ensures that all animals are treated well, housed in appropriately sized enclosures and are transported and exhibited with the animals well-being in mind. Even if you decide to use another company please ask for this documentation alongside Public Liability Insurance and Risk Assessments to help reduce companies that have a negative impact on animal welfare.
What area of the UK do you cover?
We are based within the South East of the UK and primarily cover Essex and London but will travel to Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk. We may consider other areas during the warmer months, so please contact us if you live beyond these areas.
How are travelling costs calculated?
The following travelling costs are added to the online prices: Mileage is charged at £1 per mile from our starting location; £50 per hour travel after the first hour of travel time, for example if the journey is expected to take 90 minutes we will charge an additional £50. We may also add a fee on if the journey takes us through the centre of London; tolls or parking fees may also be applied where applicable.
What animals can we encounter?
At parties and events you can typically encounter range of snakes, lizards, tortoises, spiders, scorpions, amphibians and interesting insects. If you have expressed an interest for a particular animal to attend we do try to accommodate this but we may need to remove animals from show if they have recently eaten, are sloughing or are unwell.
Do you have Meerkats of other mammals?
No. We specialise in reptiles and invertebrates.
Where can I find terms and conditions?
Terms and conditions can be found on the About Us page.
Are the animals safe, are any of them harmful?
We do not use any venomous reptiles however, our arachnids are venomous but are safe to handle when done correctly. The animals are never leave the animals unattended. Any animal can be unpredictable in their behaviour so we always ask that children are kept calm and supervised throughout our presentations and any pets to be kept in another room. Hygiene is also of the upmost importance to both our audience and animals so we strongly encourage all participants to wash their hands before and after encounters and no food is to be consumed near or during the presentation. We provide alcohol based hand sanitizer at all of our displays and latex gloves if certain insects are being displayed. A copy of our general Risk Assessment is available upon on the About Us page.
Do you cater for children with additional needs?
Yes, we are happy to cater for children or adults with additional needs. Please inform us of any requirements prior to booking so that we can discuss arrangements.
What happens if someone has a phobia of snakes or spiders?
We can provide preliminary information on the animals prior to the encounters and will provide nervous guests with the opportunity to approach the animals in their own time or distance themselves during presentations.
I'm studying Animal Management at college, do you take work experience?
We have some availability to take young people studying for work experience in the local area. Please email us your details, what course you are studying and where, your availability and a paragraph about why you would be interested in completing your work experience with snakes alive and we will get back to you.
I haven't received your email OR I haven't received a response
Please remember to check your junk mail inbox but if you still haven't heard from us please feel free to contact us again, we aim to respond within 72 hours.
Do you offer animal boarding?
Unfortunately we have will not be accepting any new clients or bookings at this time. We have enjoyed getting to know so many of your lovely animals.
Do you offer Animal Adoptions?
Unfortunately we are not offering any new adoptions at this time.
What area of the UK do you cover?
We are based within the South East of the UK and primarily cover Essex and London but will travel to Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk. We may consider other areas during the warmer months, so please contact us if you live beyond these areas.
We do however provide parties and entertainment in: Abberton Abbess Roding Abridge Aldham Alphamstone Alresford Althorne Ardleigh Arkesden Ashdon Asheldham Ashen Ashingdon Audley End Aythorpe Roding Bardfield Saling Barnston Barrow Hill Basildon Beauchamp Roding Beaumont-cum-Moze Belchamp Otten Belchamp St Paul Belchamp Walter Berden Berners Roding Bicknacre Billericay Birch Birchanger Birdbrook Blackmore Black Notley Bobbingworth Bocking Boreham Borley Boxted Bradfield Bradwell-on-Sea Bradwell Waterside Braintree Brentwood Brightlingsea Broomfield Broxted Buckhurst Hill Bulmer Bures Hamlet Bures St Mary Burnham-on-Crouch Benfleet Broxted Canvey Island Castle Hedingham Chadwell St Mary Chafford Hundred Chelmsford Chignall Smealy Chigwell Childerditch Chipping Ongar Chrishall Clacton-on-Sea Clavering Coggeshall Colchester Cold Norton Colne Engaine Corringham Debden, Epping Forest Debden, Uttlesford Dedham Dengie Doddinghurst Dovercourt Downham Dunmow Drapers Green Duddenhoe End Earls Colne East Horndon East Mersea East Tilbury Elmdon Elmstead Market Elsenham Epping Farnham Faulkbourne Feering Felsted Finchingfield Fingringhoe Flitch Green Foulness Island Foxearth Frating Frinton-on-Sea Fryerning Fyfield Galleywood Gosfield Grays Great Baddow Great Bardfield Great Bentley Great Bromley Great Dunmow Great Horkesley Great Maplestead Great Notley Great Oakley Great Saling Great Totham Great Wakering Great Warley Great Yeldham Hadleigh Hadstock Halstead Harlow Harwich Hatfield Peverel Hawkwell Helions Bumpstead Henham-on-the-Hill Herongate Heybridge High Beach High Laver Hockley Horndon-on-the-Hill Horsley Cross Horsleycross Street Howe Green Hullbridge Hutton Ingatestone Ingrave Kelvedon Kelvedon Hatch Kirby-le-Soken Lambourne Langenhoe Latchingdon Lawford Layer de la Haye Leigh-on-Sea Lexden Liston Little Baddow Little Bentley Little Bromley Little Horkesley Little Maplestead Little Totham Little Warley Loughton Maldon Manningtree Margaretting Marks Tey Mashbury Matching Tye Messing Mistley Mount Bures Mountnessing Mundon Navestock Newport North Benfleet Northey Island North Shoebury Nounsley Oakwood Park Old Heath Ongar Orsett Osea Island Ostend Ovington Pale Green Parkeston Pebmarsh Pentlow Pilgrims Hatch Pitsea Pleshey Potton Island Prittlewell Quendon Ramsey Rawreth Rayleigh Rayne Ridgewell Rochford Rowhedge Roydon Saffron Walden St Lawrence Bay St Osyth Sandon Sewards End Shelley Shellow Bowels Shenfield Shoeburyness Sible Hedingham Silver End South Benfleet Southend-on-Sea Southminster South Ockendon South Woodham Ferrers Stanford-le-Hope Stansted Mountfitchet Stanway Stambourne Stapleford Abbotts Steeple Bumpstead Stebbing Stisted Stock Stondon Massey Stow Maries Sturmer Takeley Tendring Terling Thorpe-le-Soken Thaxted Theydon Bois Thorrington Thundersley Thurrock Tilbury Tilbury Tiptree Tollesbury Tolleshunt Knights Toot Hill Toppesfield Two Tree Island Ugley Ugley Green Vange Virley Wallasea Island Waltham Abbey Walton-on-the-Naze Warley West Bergholt Westcliff-on-Sea West Horndon West Mersea West Tilbury Wethersfield White Colne White Court White Notley Wickford Wickham Bishops Wiggens Green Wimbish Witham Wivenhoe Wix Woodlands Park Wormingford Wrabness Writtle Young's End
CANT'T FIND THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION PLEASE EMAIL US AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP:
PARTY QUESTIONS
Why does my party cost more than advertised?
Prices are the base price that we then add travelling costs to this (see General FAQs for how we calculate these)
I’m not a child, can I have snakes alive attend my party?
Not a problem! Here at snakes alive we do not mind what age you are or what the occasion is we can put on a party to suit your requirements. We have attended Weddings, Hen & Stag Parties, Chinese New Year events, Religious Festivals, 18th, 21st, 30, 50th, and 60th birthday parties. So don't let the children have all the fun, we are all young at heart.
Does a large snake always attend a party or event?
Large snakes are included in selected party packages or can be purchased as an add on item for a party.
Can I hold a party at my house?
Yes, we will provide parties at home locations and in hired venues, such as halls.
Do we need to provide anything?
All we ask is that we have access to a table to put the animals on and a power socket in order to heat the animals if necessary. We will supply covers for flooring but we recommend that if you are concerned with any furnishings or flooring getting soiled then you take precautions prior to our arrival.
KEEPER EXPERIENCE QUESTIONS
Do you run Reptile Keeper Experiences at Barleylands Farm Park?
Unfortunately as of November 2019 we have decided to leave Barleylands Farm Park to focus on our external services, such as Parties, Events, School Visits and Animal Hire.
We hope to offer Reptile Experiences again in the future at a new premise but are not in a position to offer that until the animals have adjusted to their new environments to minimise stress. We will of course be advertising this on Facebook and the website when we are ready.