Exotic animals amaze Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Court residents

To mark National Pet Month in April, residents at Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Court, in Berkshire, have recently enjoyed a friendly visit from a wide range of exotic creatures, including a giant snail, a snake, a gecko and a chinchilla.

The residents were astonished and delighted to meet the animals, who were brought in by a specialist from Wild Science, an organisation that promotes animal education and animal therapy. Residents had the opportunity to learn interesting facts about the animals’ habitat, diet and welfare.

Taking part in this activity, resident Joan Williams was amazed when she held the giant snail. She said:

The body is not as slimy as I thought it would be. And the shell has so many ridges! It’s a lovely texture.

Resident Tony Cleave felt brave enough to handle a gecko. With a twinkle in his eyes, he said:

I had never held a gecko. It’s such a fascinating creature. It weighs so little and it has the tiniest toes and feet.

“Look at the amazing big ears! I bet he can hear well”, said resident Joan Parr when she held a chinchilla.

Sharon Fletcher, one of the Activities Coordinators at Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Court, said:

It was really lovely to see the residents’ faces light up when these animals came in! They brought joy to our residents, boosted their mood and encouraged social interaction.

The Home also has two guinea pigs, Elvis and Ginger Stripe, who have become everyone’s pets.

The animals are gorgeous

said Activities Coordinator Sharon Fletcher.

They provide the experience of looking after an animal, and also boost our residents’ mental health and wellbeing.

[Summary: Residents at Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Court, in Berkshire, enjoyed a friendly visit from a wide range of exotic animals. The animals were brought in by a specialist from Wild Science, an organisation that promotes animal education and animal therapy. Residents learned interesting facts about the animals’ habitat, diet and welfare.]