We visited Our Animal World near Framlingham, an exotic zoo in a van, and met snakes, lizards, hedgehogs, tortoises and more
It is said never to work with children or animals - but one woman from Suffolk melded the two into her dream job.
Our Animal World, based near Framlingham, offers animal therapy and education for private hire to all ages across East Anglia.
Nestled inside a large white van, it provides the opportunity for people young and old to meet a variety of species.
The den of birds, reptiles and farm animals was the brainchild of former primary school teacher Laura Jackson, 33, who wanted to turn her love of animals into a business.
She said: "When I was teacher I would often bring my animals into school to show them off or for demonstrations, and I've been a fan of using animals for education ever since.
"The way children engaged with the subject was incredible - they would remember and talk about it for months after. From then on I became known as 'the animal teacher'.
"Eventually a teaching assistant suggested I turn my passion into a business, and I haven't looked back since."
Laura gained her licence to keep or train animals for an exhibition on March 30, and Our Animal World has been in operation since April.
Creatures on display include a mix of traditional farm animals, such as chickens, rabbits, hedgehogs, and guinea pigs, alongside snakes, other reptiles, exotic birds and all manner of bugs - including an ant colony.
She even has pet goats, although they are not part of the business.
Her menagerie is not open for the public, as Laura wants to keep the true location of her animals a secret for security reasons, but private visits can be arranged.
Laura and her team often visit schools, care homes, disabled residences and parks to bring the joy of nature to the public.
Visitors can learn about these animals, their habitats, and if they are under threat.
Many of the animals, with the exception of frogs, tortoises and smaller bugs, can also be held.
Laura believes interaction with these animals is a charm of her exotic farm, with animals offering catharsis.
She added: "I have a diploma in animal-assisted therapy, and that is my main aim for the business.
"The idea is that someone can be given an animal to hold, which they focus on, meaning they're more likely to relax or open up. It's a more casual way of doing therapy.
"There's also the positive effects animals can have on people's mental health."
When off-road, the animals are kept in specially-built enclosures in her back garden, which is where SuffolkNews was granted access to.
Keeping this many animals is an expensive job, and the address has solar panels installed to cut costs.
Many of the animals, such as the two corn snakes and the royal python, are still relatively young - but others, such as Frankie the bearded dragon, were among the first animals Laura collected.
She said setting up the business was her dream, as she can now justify further animal purchases as a business decision.
Key to this up-close mentality is the striking white van.
It contains various amenities for the animals, such as food, heating, and ultra-violet lighting, enclosures for each animal, and a curiosity corner that allows children to get hands on with skeleton, shed skin, feathers and more.
Laura said each enclosure in the van is supposed to be a smaller version of their home.
The nature of the visit will depend on which animals will be in the van, with options ranging from smaller visits, with four to five animals on display, to the entire farm being out.
For larger requests, a gazeebo is set up behind the van, which contains a run for chickens, rabbits and hedgehogs.
Laura doesn't run the business on her own. She often takes in students from both Otley and West Suffolk College - typically those on animal-related courses.
Three volunteers, Eric, Erin and Amelia, all 16, are animal management students at West Suffolk College.
Erin and Amelia had only been at Our Animal World for a few weeks, while Eric had been there for several months.
Having to each do 150 hours of work experience for their courses, they chose to give Laura a hand on her farm.
Their duties include, cleaning and feeding the animals.
Erin said: "This is a brilliant place to work for, and we all have a great time.
"I love all the animals, but the Rankin's dragon - or the rabbits - are probably my favourite.
"When I leave college I hope to become a vet."
Eric noted his favourite animal was Cassie, the royal python.
While he didn't quite know what he wanted to do when he finished college, he said his love for animals drives him.
Amelia, who wants to work in a rescue shelter, said: "Working here is incredibly exciting as we get to meet a range of cool animals.
"I'm looking forward to the future - I haven't been out with the farm yet, but my first trips are already planned.
"I can't wait for people to meet our animals."