Feed baby animals near me

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Kristina Hernandez is a mom of two girls, freelance writer and photographer. Originally from New Jersey, she is in love with the Upstate and could not imagine raising her kids anywhere else. She enjoys hiking to waterfalls, kayaking, camping, cooking, and exploring all that Greenville has to offer. And she really loves baby goats. Follow her on Instagram at @scadventurer.

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10 Great Animal Farms and Petting Zoos near Washington, DC | MommyPoppins

Make some new friends at Green Meadows Petting Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm

4/8/22 - By Jennifer Marino Walters

Got a little animal lover in the family? The Smithsonian National Zoo probably springs to mind as the first place to visit in DC, and for good reason—it's famous, it's free, and it's home to more than 2,500 animals. But there are many animal farms and petting zoos near DC where kids can get up close and hands-on with all kinds of animals, from barnyard friends like goats and sheep to bison and zebras. Families can even feed the animals at many of these petting zoos and farms, and really—who wouldn't want to bottle feed a baby cow?

Here are 10 great animal farms and petting zoos in Northern Virginia and Maryland where kids can have memorable animal encounters. For more zoo and farm fun, check out our Guide to Farms in Washington, DC and our list of the best zoo in every state.

Great Animal Farms and Petting Zoos in Northern Virginia

 
Many animals are waiting to meet you at Leesburg Animal Park. Photo courtesy of the park

1. Leesburg Animal Park — Leesburg

Kids will love to feed and pet the roaming goats, sheep, llamas, and other farm animals at Leesburg Animal Park's great petting zoo. The fun doesn't stop there, though. Families can also enjoy live animal shows, take a wagon ride, and see exotic animals like camels, squirrel monkeys, and African-crested porcupines. For kids, there are indoor and outdoor playgrounds, pony rides, and an indoor Discovery Room with crafts and other hands-on activities.

2. Roer's Zoofari — Reston

Families can get up close with nine different species—including bison, llamas, fallow deer, and more—on a self-drive safari and/or a walking tour of this great little zoo. There are also many other reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, birds, and smaller mammals on display. At the on-site petting zoo, families can feed goats, sheep, zebu, and other barnyard friends.

Related: 12 Great Places to Explore the Natural World in the Washington, DC Area

How many baby animals can you spot at Frying Pan Farm Park? Photo courtesy of the park

3. Frying Pan Farm Park — Herndon

Kids can hang out with horses, chickens, peacocks, rabbits, sheep, goats, cows and pigs at Kidwell Farm, Frying Pan Farm Park's recreation of a '30s working homestead. Wagon rides and farm tours are also available. Once they've had their fill of the farm, kids can play on the playground and ride the 1920s carousel. Admission to the park and the farm are free, but the carousel costs a small fee.

 
Cuddle baby goats at Georges Mill Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm

4. Georges Mill Farm — Lovettsville

Families can make an appointment to visit this eighth-generation family farm that specializes in producing goat cheese, pastured pork, and eggs. Kids will love seeing the farm's resident goats, pigs, and chickens at any time, but the real fun happens in March and April. That's when families can purchase tickets to bottle feed and/or snuggle baby goats on weekends. Each ticket is good for one hour of time with the goats.

5. Great Country Farms — Bluemont

This farm is known for its 12-acre play area that includes several mazes, jumping pillows, a ninja obstacle course, mini golf, slides, wooden play structures, and more. But it also has a barnyard area where families can feed goats and meet pot-bellied pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese. Great Country Farms is open mid March through the end of August and all of October.

Great Animals Farms and Petting Zoos in Maryland

6. Old Maryland Farm — Upper Marlboro

Though this farm inside Watkins Regional Park is not a petting zoo, it's a great place for kids to learn about farm life in Maryland. Families can interact with agricultural exhibits and display gardens and see plenty of farm animals, including horses, pigs, chickens, llamas, and more. The farm also offers curriculum-based programs and other activities. Old Maryland Farm is open Tuesdays through Sundays.

Related: 10 Amazing Drive-thru Zoos and Safaris

 
Careful—your kiddo might beg for a pet goat! Photo courtesy of Clark's Elioak Farm

7. Clark's Elioak Farm — Ellicott City

This farm is truly magical for young kids, with a fairy garden, an enchanted forest, storytimes, pony rides, train and wagon rides, and more. There's also a petting zoo with goats, cows, pigs, sheep, and other friendly farm animals. The farm is open early April through early November on Tuesdays through Sundays.

8. Green Meadows Petting Farm — Ijamsville

At Green Meadows Petting Farm, visitors can get hands-on and up close with more than 200 animals, including plenty of babies! Unlike at most petting zoos, the farm provides the food for free, so little ones can feed to their hearts' content. Other activities include pig races, hayrides, slides, a large play area, and more. The farm is open on various dates from early April through mid November.

Bottle-feed baby cows at South Mountain Creamery. Photo by Adam Fagan, CC BY-SA 2.0

9. South Mountain Creamery — Middletown

This family-owned working farm is home to over 500 dairy cows and a whopping 16,000 chickens. Families can tour the entire farm (either guided or self-guided), including the Milking Barn, the Cow Barns, the Maternity Ward, and the Calf Barn. They can also watch the cows get milked each day from 1:30-3:30pm. And on weekends and school holidays (including every day in the summer), they can even bottle-feed baby cows! Bottle-feeding reservations must be made in advance online. Don't forget to stop by Karen's Kountry Store for some fresh ice cream made on-site.

Related: 11 Best US Aquariums for Your Next Family Vacation

Go on safari at Catoctin Wildlife Preserve. Photo courtesy of the preserve

10. Catoctin Wildlife Preserve — Thurmont

This 50-acre park is home to hundreds of exotic animals including bears, monkeys, panthers, alligators, and more. There is also a butterfly garden and opportunities to pet and feed animals like deer, sheep, and alpacas. Families can also take a one-hour safari ride that will allow them to interact with and feed zebras, bison, camels, antelope, and more. The preserve is open daily from early April through the end of October.

How animals take care of their offspring

Many of you have seen how cats and dogs take care of their children. Cat cubs are born small, helpless. In the first days after birth, they do not see or hear anything - they only squeak thinly and plaintively and crawl on their tummy. Immediately after the birth of the babies, the mother cat carefully licks them. The mother cat feeds them with milk and fiercely protects them.

Sometimes cats adopt cubs and other animals.

Mom-dogs also take great care of their cubs until they become completely independent. They warm newborn babies with their bodies, almost do not leave them. They feed on their own milk. Protect from enemies.

When the puppies grow up, their mother teaches them how to fight, hunt, and behave in a dog society. Their father often takes part in the upbringing of grown puppies.

Cows, goats, chickens, ducks, geese and other domestic animals and birds take care of their cubs.

What about wild animals? Do they take care of their cubs? Of course! Perhaps even more selflessly than domestic ones. After all, wild animals are not under the care and protection of humans.

Here, for example, elephants. They usually live in a herd - an elephant mother, her daughters of different ages and baby sons. An elephant mother feeds her cubs with milk after birth for about two years. When a herd of elephants moves to a new place, the baby elephant holds on to the tail of its mother or older sister with its trunk.

Well, if the baby elephants are in danger, the elephant is fiercely protective of her children, and then she is very aggressive. Attacking the enemy, the elephant hits him not only with tusks, but also with his trunk.

Tigresses are very caring and wild relatives of cats.

A tigress mother feeds her little tiger cubs with milk for up to six months, even though they are quite capable of eating meat after two months. And then the tigress begins to patiently teach the kids the wisdom of hunting.

Bears are also very caring and patient mothers. For a whole month they are constantly next to newborn cubs, feeding them with milk. And when the babies have milk teeth, they allow the cubs to feast on berries and insects.

A mother bear teaches matured cubs to hunt, climb trees, and swim. Often the cubs climb on their mother, bite, pull the tail and paws. Usually the she-bear tolerates pranks of babies. But at an excessively naughty teddy bear he can growl angrily, or even slap hard with his paw.

How do monkeys take care of their babies?

Monkey mothers don't leave their babies alone. They carry them everywhere with them. Monkey cubs are always clean - monkey parents monitor this very carefully. Lick wool, catch insects. And even grown up adult monkeys, having quarreled with their relatives, resort to their mothers for sympathy and consolation.

Marine mammals also take care of their babies.

Birds fly from morning to evening in search of food for their chicks. So, for example, a swallow can fly to the nest with food four hundred times in a day! And grown-up chicks are taught to fly.

How do water birds like ducks take care of their chicks?

The duck does not need to feed the chicks herself. As soon as the chicks are born, the mother duck leads them to the water. She teaches the chicks how to get food. At the same time, the duck carefully monitors their safety, diligently hides the ducklings in the reeds, warms under the wings. In the same place, under the wings of the mother duck, the downy outfits of the chicks are smeared with fat. Without it, the fluff of the chicks will get wet, and the chicks will not be able to swim.

It is often said that the cuckoo is a bad mother. She throws her eggs into other people's nests. In fact, there are more than one hundred and fifty species of cuckoos, and most of them build their own nests, incubate their eggs and feed their chicks.

Insects also take care of their offspring. Everyone knows what kind of care ants and bees surround their larvae. But other insects also lay their eggs only where their larvae can find food.

Some types of fish are also caring parents. There are fish that build nests to protect eggs or fry. For example, a foam nest is built by macropods and gourami.

But seahorses not only carry their offspring in a special bag, but also take care of them after birth, share nutrients with their babies.

One can talk endlessly about how animals take care of their offspring. And if the guys find it interesting, they can learn even more from books, magazines, the Internet.

14 pet owner errors

Pet owners make every effort to provide their pets with the right conditions to live and eat. But mistakes are often made. We have collected the most common faults of owners in relation to their pets.

1. Abrupt transition from commercial food to homemade food (and vice versa)

Changes in your pet's diet should be gradual. A sharp change in the menu is stress, which often causes indigestion, refusal of food and other unpleasant symptoms in the animal. The transition must last at least five days. Every day, you need to add a new type of food to your pet’s usual menu, gradually increasing its amount.

2. One tray for multiple cats

If you have multiple pets, be sure to provide each with separate food and water bowls and a separate litter box. The smell of another cat can permanently wean a cat from going to the tray.

3. Make an animal obese

Excess weight negatively affects the heart, blood vessels, and the pet's musculoskeletal system. The presence of obesity can be determined visually. In a dog of normal weight, the waist line should be clearly distinguished, and the ribs should be covered with a small fat layer.

4. Irregular watering of the animal

The owner will not forget to feed the animal, but the lack of water in the pet's bowl can be overlooked. It is very important that there is always clean water in a special container. This is especially true for animals fed dry food. Water must be freely available to the animal to prevent dehydration.

5. Do not give an account of words

Animals are quite smart and, living with humans, have a fairly large passive vocabulary. If a word or phrase is pronounced often, then the animal will remember it. Be consistent. Words must match actions. For example, it's wrong to say "It's okay" when trying to calm your pet when you've taken him to the vet for a vaccination. He will fix these words in his memory and will be alert every time he pronounces the phrase.

Every animal needs special food. It is produced for different categories of pets: for sterilized and capable of producing cubs, for young and old individuals, for different breeds. It is not recommended to offer the animal universal food. Give him specialized feed, and the animal will be in great shape. They contain the most important vitamins and minerals your pet needs.

7. Let the cat go outside

The benefits of outdoor walks have been proven, but it is not safe for cats to be outdoors. There they may stumble upon aggressive dogs, machines, infectious diseases, ticks and other parasites. Let the cat out only if you live in a private house and your plot is fenced. After walks, be sure to periodically treat the cat from parasites. For the selection of an anthelmintic and a remedy for ticks and fleas, we recommend consulting with your veterinary therapist.

8. Be inconsistent

"Always" or "never" - these are two words that reflect the essence of animals understanding your orders. There are no halftones here. If you allow something, then allow it always. But if you need the cat not to sleep on your bed at night, you don’t need to allow him to do this during the day (that is, you don’t need to allow the cat to sleep on your bed in principle).

9. Lock the dog inside the car and leave

This is a gross mistake that many owners sin. In a car, a dog can get hot - this is the first thing. In the summer there is generally like in Africa. An animal can easily get heatstroke. In winter, it is cold in the car, and there is a risk of frostbite for the animal. In many countries, it is possible to break the glass of a car in which a lone animal is sitting.

10. Treat the pet yourself

As soon as the animal gets sick, the owners themselves try to make a diagnosis and prescribe therapy. They themselves select medicines for them, folk remedies or give "human" drugs. It is important to understand that the diagnosis is made only by a doctor and in the presence of passed tests. Accordingly, therapy is also selected by a specialist. If the medicine is intended for people, then only a specialist will tell you the correct dosage. In addition, animals should be brought for preventive examinations. And do not ignore a visit to the veterinarian-dentist.

11. Allow the cat to sleep on the battery

Cats love to sleep in a warm place. In winter, they lay down on the radiators to warm themselves. This is absolutely impossible to do. When lying in a place that is too warm, the internal organs of a cat overheat, which can provoke various diseases. The cat will not notice this, but the owner must forbid her to lie on the radiator.

Tip! If the cat does not want to leave the battery, put a multi-layered blanket or thick towel there.

12. It is irrational to use vitamin supplements

Minerals are extremely useful. But do not forget about the norm. An overdose or an incorrect quantitative composition will provoke bone fragility, which is fraught with fractures.

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