Two exotic pet businesses to open; one will take visitors to a mini Jurassic Park

Exotic Pets in Bel Aire is expanding with a second store along West Kellogg, “which is much better visibility,” said co-owner Darien Drollinger.

He and partners BJ Hatter and Josh Moore are opening the business Saturday at 4448 W. Kellogg, which is between Guitar Center and Skechers.

You might not feel like you’re in a west Wichita strip center, though.

“It’s not your typical pet store,” Drollinger said.

“We wanted to build more of an experience,” Hatter said. “You walk into a cave, and all the tanks are floating.”

There are ponds and waterfalls and a tree that rains into a pond.

Exotic Pets will sell fish, reptiles, amphibians and inverts, such as scorpions and tarantulas, along with food and supplies.

There will be more than 300 types of reptiles and more than 200 species of fish, including what Drollinger called a lot of rare, more expensive fish.

The business will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

The partners also plan a new business next to the Bel Aire store, which is at 6254 E. 37th St. N.

Later this year, they’ll open what they’re calling the Wichita Reptarium, “which is kind of like a mini zoo,” Drollinger said.

Customers can rent the space for events and parties or also visit for a fee at other times.

The Reptarium will have much of what the stores sell along with bigger creatures, such as a 5-foot alligator or a similarly sized monitor lizard along with 15-foot snakes.

“It’ll be a very Jurassic Park, dinosaur-themed place,” Drollinger said.

Look for more information on the Reptarium along with a sneak-peek video later this year.