The Curious Compendium 2023-2024: Shih-tzu, maltese, pekingese!

[NSD Bashe]

Which brand is the one on the bottom right of the top photo?

[Saarlooswolfhound]

That is a (not very good) repaint done by myself of a melanistic specimen. It is the Schleich mare right next to it (left).

[NSD Bashe]

That's a cool variation though

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Thank you! There's lots of other unique patterns I would like to try... melanism presents in several different ways. There are blonde "golden" coats... spotted or even faded patches are seen sometimes... zebras are not just black and white!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Since you asked about it...and the photos weren't too difficult to find... here are a few better shots. Its not as glossy in person. And stripes or heavy spotting are difficult for me to do (I tend to get very particular about them) so don't judge too harshly. I tried...





(It's not flat black, there is some brown shading in there that's easier to detect with the eye in person that a camera can't pick up in an image)

[EpicRaptorMan]

I have the old female Schleich zebra from the first photo on the bottom shelf. I recently acquired the mail that I repainted into a quagga.

I also have the CollectA Grévy's Zebra for sale if anyone is interested.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Cheetahs!





Some things I found neat about these guys. There are 5 species: Asiatic, Northwest African, South African, Sudan, and Tanzanian cheetahs. Cheetahs tend to hunt more during the day to avoid competition with other predators at night (lions, hyenas, leopards, etc.). It is beleived that cubs have mantles of hair that imitates a honey badger and because of the badgers' reputation it will deter most predators from even investigating the cubs!

[EpicRaptorMan]

What's the cheetah on the second photo, bottom row, far left? Now THATs a dynamic pose.

[SerAndrew]

Mine is the Schleich. I think it's unbeatable!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

PNSO EpicRaptorMan.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Now Grevy's zebra and Quagga!



Grevy's zebras are generally considered the most donkey-like (often described as mule-ish) of the zebras. They are the largest bodied, have the biggest ears, and longest faces. For the quagga, even though it went extinct over 130 years ago, it was the first ever animal to have its DNA analyzed!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Hippopotamus!





Hippos do NOT sweat blood! They produce an as yet unnamed mucus like substance, that is tinged red, from their skin. This color is from red hipposudoric acid and orange norhipposudoric acid. This substance is still little understood, but: it is secreted from glands in the skin, dries on the skin, survives bathing all day in rivers etc., protects their skin from UV radiation AND is a natural antibiotic (due to its acidity). This is also why hippos have their characteristic reddish-purple tinged skin!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

African wild ass!



Some facts. Their large ears developed to help disperse heat in their desert climate. They are the smallest wild equid species. There are only 570 left in the wild, with 150 in captivity. Part of this recovery issue is their hybridizing with feral domesticated varieties of donkey.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Pygmy Hippos!



Fun facts: they have a 4 chambered stomach like ruminants, but because they use microbes to ferment their food and they do not chew their cud, they are NOT ruminant animals.

[BlueKrono]

If you're taking requests... do you have wooly rhinos? Those would be neat to see at some point.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I do, but only the most readily available ones so far. I have the Papo and Safari, recently just got the TNG elasmotherium. If you'd still like to see them I am happy to oblige, but no worries if not.

[EpicRaptorMan]

I'd like to see some hyenas to scale.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I can present my spotted hyenas soon.   The only other type I have are striped and they were presented with my other Asian mammals already.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Next is the spotted hyena! (per request)





Fun facts! Their heart is roughly double the size of any similarly sized mammal. They are the only mammal that can tear and break down elephant hide and bone. Those jaws have been measured at producing forces of up to 1100 PSI (pressure per square inch)! That is some of the strongest in the animal kingdom, and amongst the strongest of any mammal recorded! I could go on and on for these guys...

[EpicRaptorMan]

I have the Schleich one that is presented on the top photo. Although I'm considering getting the SafariLTD from the top photo OR the one below it...Mojo maybe?