After so many fish, it was time to take on a group of animals that I’m less familiar with…from a set that is either a holy grail for collectors (if they missed it), or a treasured part of the collection (if they didn’t miss it!) It’s a series of salamanders and newts produced by Safari Ltd in association with the Tennessee Aquarium.
Classification: Amphibians
Fire Salamander (Wild Life Europe by Schleich)
4.8 (11 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is one of Europe’s largest salamanders, reaching a length of 15-25 cm long. It usually resides in the deciduous forests of southern and central Europe, where it prefers to spend most of its time concealed under fallen leaf litter and logs.
Axolotl (Alotl Bit Crazy, LLC)
4 (8 votes)
Review and images by Fembrogon; edited by bmathison1972
The trouble with collectibles is you often have to act quickly – or, at least, not slowly – to get what you want. The same is true if you wish to share your find with others. A while back I visited a local reptile expo and found myself coming home with several critters – not real ones, sadly, but ones of the plastic and plush varieties, charming enough in their own way to win over me and my wallet.
Toad (Ashland)
3.2 (10 votes)
Thanks to their poisonous nature the humble toad is steeped in myth and folklore, with a strong link to the occult, witchcraft, and the devil, particularly in Europe. Toads are a common ingredient in witch’s potions and folk medicine, and a popular choice as a familiar (animal servant). Indeed, in Shakespeare’s MacBeth one of the three witches has a toad familiar named Paddock and a toad is also used in one of the witch’s potions…
Round about the cauldron go;In the poison’d entrails throw.
Axolotl (MatMire_Makes)
3.5 (10 votes)
Review and images by Fembrogon; edited by bmathison1972
With the onset of commercial 3D printing and a growing number of online shops and artist-friendly websites, a new world of hidden treasures and surprises has opened up for collectors and hobbyists. One such surprise I recently encountered was featured on a table at a reptile expo, where the handlers were not only selling the typical real (and rather cute) reptiles, but also a selection of equally cute articulated toys.
Blue Poison Dart Frog (Wild Life America by Schleich)
4.6 (13 votes)
Before we begin the review, I would like to extend my gratitude towards Happy Hen Toys for sending this figure along as a review sample. Happy Hen Toys is a U.S. distributor of figures by Safari, Papo, CollectA, Schleich, and other companies significant to our hobby. In the case of CollectA they’re often the only place that sells their products at a reasonable price within the United States.
Animal Collection 1/1 Waxy Monkey Tree Frog & Breviceps adspersus (SO-TA)
5 (2 votes)
So-Ta, a Japanese toy company, released this set of frogs this summer (2022). There are actually two sets. These sets were released as a gashapon set (plastic eggs in vending machines) and as a boxed set. The sets both contained the same two species but in different colour schemes. The box set has the designers initial colour scheme with the mint coloured Waxy monkey tree frog and the duller painted B.
Tiger Salamander (Wild Republic by K&M International)
4.5 (2 votes)
Review and images by stemturtle; edited by bmathison1972
Eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum (K&M). Length is 10.5 inches or 27 cm.
This figure is made of soft rubber. The paint did not hold up well to my granddaughter’s play, so I touched-up the green spots.
Chinhai Spiny Newt (Animals with Superpowers by Yowie Group)
4.7 (3 votes)
As of this writing, amphibians are the most neglected vertebrate group on the ATB, with roughly a dozen reviews representing them. There’s little that can be done about this however, as aside from a few popular species the group as a whole is rarely reproduced in plastic. Frogs are obviously the most popular amphibians and dominate the toy amphibian market, although most are generic and not assigned to any particular species.
Frog, Male (AAA)
3.3 (3 votes)
As the first group to leave the waters to become, at least partially, terrestrial, amphibians have had a long and intriguing evolutionary history. Though no longer the mighty giants they were once, they still exist in a multitude across the globe, in spite of the many trials they face from disease and humanity.
American Bullfrog (Wild Republic FrogWatch USA, by K&M International)
4 (3 votes)
The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is the largest frog species native to North America and a member of the Ranidae, or true frog, family. Bullfrogs are native to most of eastern North America but have been introduced elsewhere in North America and around the world. Bullfrogs are bold and voracious feeders, eating anything that moves in front of them that they can fit in their mouths.
American Bullfrog (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)
5 (3 votes)
The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is an iconic American animal. A fixture in still, shallow water portions of swamps, rivers, marshes, lakes, and ponds. Anyone out enjoying a summer night within its range is no doubt familiar with its deep, bellowing, “Jug-O-Rum” call.