I have finally boarded the bandwagon of spending time in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. With the trend of cafe hopping, our neighbouring country has brought it up a notch with petting zoos!
D.A Little Farm in Mount Austin
D.A Little Farm and Shiba Cafe are both petting zoos in the same building and operated by the same company. While Shiba Cafe is a dog cafe featuring different canine breeds, D.A Little Farm brings a mixture of exotic and house-friendly animals to its visitors.
The petting zoo occupies half a floor, with partitions for the exotics like fennec foxes, raccoons, and meerkats. Meanwhile, we have rabbits, guinea pigs, and reptiles in their hutches and cages; and parrots such as lovebirds fly freely around. At certain timings, a flock of ducks and an adorable kid (baby goat) are released for a meet and greet. And then there’s the free-roaming alpaca, who has a habit of stealing hay and pellets from its friends.
While I have mixed feelings about such establishments – animals should either be in the wild or kept in a space suitable for their sizes – I am still thankful to have such an opportunity to be up close and personal with these animals. If D.A Little Farm didn’t exist, I don’t think I’d ever know how friendly a bearded dragon can be.
Small, friendly lizards from Australia, the bearded dragon makes for a popular pet as they are easy to care for and have a calm temperament. Interestingly, their name comes from the “beard” under their chin, which they can puff out when they are stressed.
The hour-long session entails meeting, feeding, and handling the animals. Yes, we get to feed both the meerkats and the foxes too! There are caretakers around giving us tips and ensuring the overall safety of both their guests and animals. However, I do not recommend picking up the rabbits as they are prey animals with delicate bone structures.
More than fluffs and puffs
All in all, our visit to D.A Little Farm was a wholesome and joyfully chaotic experience. There were definitely some funny moments, like the alpaca cheekily snatching food not meant for it right from our hands, but that just added to the petting zoo’s charm. Getting up close with the animals made the day feel playful, grounding, and genuinely memorable, especially in this hectic urban life.
Please note that reservations are required;
for more information: Shiba House Malaysia
Not a sponsored post.
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