Stuffed Guinea Pig, Gray-Brown and White

Almost as cute as the real thing!

Our Plush Guinea Pig

This adorable little stuffed guinea pig is both realistic and extremly soft. Our guinea pig is 8 inches long and has been well crafted by Hansa. It has grayish-brown and white fluffy fur covering its body. You'll enjoy talking to your new found friend and stroking him to sleep. Be sure to see our other rodent toys and gifts.

About Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are small rodents that are neither from Guinea nor are pigs. They originally came from the grasslands of the Andes, but are no longer found in the wild. They were introduced to Europeans in the 16th century and became household pets. They have a docile nature and are easy to keep around the home. They weigh 1 -2 pounds and are 8-10 inches long and are usually kept in cages lined with wood shavings. Guinea pigs breed year around with about 5 litters a year consisting of an average of 3 pups. They can learn complex paths to food and were often used, prior to rats and mice, in scientific experiments, hence the term "guinea pig" for a person who is being tested.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Soft, Plush Vulture

As lovable as he is unique!

Our Plush Vulture

We think this plush stuffed vulture toy is exceptional. It is so lifelike and compelling, you almost won't believe it's a stuffed toy and not the real thing. Although it is made of synthetic materials, it looks real. With its white head, neck and ruff, light colored body and yellow beak, this imposing raptor most closely resembles the Griffon vulture. This hansomely detailed vulture stands 12 1/2 inches tall to the top of the head. The designer of this unique line of stuffed animals takes pride in the European heritage of his realistic animal design. Each piece is hand-cut and stitched.

About Vultures

Vultures are scavengers and feed mostly on the carcasses of dead animals. Vultures are found on every continent except Antarctica and Oceania and are divided into Old World vultures which locate prey by sight, and New World vultures, which locate food through smell and sight. Vultures are to easy to recognize by their bald head which is devoid of feathers. Baldness helps keep the bird cool, since most live in intensely hot climates. Vultures rarely attack living animals, but feast on the dead or dying. Vultures do not bring food in their talons to their young, rather they regurgitate food from their crop. A group of vultures is occasionally called a venue, and when circling in the air, a group of vultures is called a kettle.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

How Much Wood would a ...........

Since it is February and it is snowing here like crazy, it is clear our stuffed groundhog friend here did not see his shadow. A groundhog is often called a marmot or a woodchuck. In any case this furry rodent is one of the many fine examples to be found in the gift shop at Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Very Cool Hansa Stuffed Vulture Still Available

Come see our stuffed vulture

As of today, December 19, 2010, we still have several of our popular, beautiful, and lifelike Hansa stuffed vultures available and ready to ship! The mail is going so fast this year, we can reasonably assume that you'll get it in two days if you're in a big-city zip code, and two or three days if you are more rurally located.

This plush toy vulture is impressive-looking and extremely soft - like real feathers, although the materials are synthetic. It is made in the Phillipines, and is happy to come and live with you!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Stuffed parakeet

Our stuffed green and yellow parakeet is so popular, we ran out over the Christmas holiday. It's now back and ready to fly to your house or to a person you want to send it to as a gift. These adorable, lifelike toy parakeets almost look like the real thing. They will brighten your day or that of the parakeet lover in your life.

We think this stuffed parakeet is exceptional. It is so lifelike and compelling, you almost won't believe it's a stuffed toy and not the real thing. Although it's made of synthetic materials, it looks real. The designer of the Hansa line of stuffed animals takes pride in the European heritage of his realistic animal design. Each piece is hand-cut and stitched.

This is not your ordinary stuffed animal. Our stuffed bird has the charm and quality you'll want to keep for a lifetime. It's the kind of toy your child will remember for years to come. It's the kind of "pet" a young child will want to name and create his or her own stories about.

The literature says, "The magical kingdom of Hansa plush was originally created for the most exclusive European clientele. Europeans have treasured these lifelike heirloom creatures for over twenty years. . . . Each Hansa piece is a handcrafted masterpiece, lovingly designed from portraits of real animals. The 'skin' for each of these marvelous animals is hand-cut and trimmed, never stamped out by machine. The fabric for spotted and striped animals is custom designed and specially manufactured in small lots to Hansa's exacting specifications."

As time permits, we will be adding more of this unique line to our gift shop. If you're looking for an animal and don't find it on our site, please write to us. See other Hansa stuffed animal toys on our Stuffed Animals page. Be sure to look over our other parrots and related birds.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Your favorite stuffed kiwi bird is back in action!

This stuffed kiwi bird is fun for everyone. We love this kiwi and so do our customers. It's also been a continual favorite of kiwi lovers who receive it as a gift for birthdays, holidays, or "just because." This kiwi could be a Valentine's day surprise for someone very special. Our kiwi has been out of stock for a few weeks, and now it's back and ready to travel. Come on over and take a look!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Stuffed baby cheetah back in stock

After a brief absence, our adorable Hansa stuffed baby cheetah is back in stock and ready to ship! This baby cheetah toy is all you expect from a lovable Hansa stuffed animal.

We think this plush stuffed cheetah is exceptional. It is so lifelike and compelling, you almost won't believe its a stuffed toy and not the real thing. Although its made of synthetic materials, it looks real. Note the tufts of fur on the back of the neck and on the head, as well as the delicate curly whiskers made of fine, clear filament. Each piece is hand-cut and stitched. The height (12 1/2 inches) is measured to the top of the head.

Come on over and take a look at our cute stuffed cheetah by one of the world's outstanding makers of realistic stuffed animals - that's Hansa, of course!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

New look for our stuffed fawn by Hansa

Surprises are always around the corner! I've just taken a new photo of our popular and very realistic-looking stuffed fawn by Hansa. The deer measures 23 3/4 inches from the front hooves to the tip of its little tail. In the old model, the head was looking toward us in this same position, almost like it was going to stand up. In the new model, the fawn seems to be resting. The fur is as soft as ever, and the fawn's head has beautiful, natural, deer-like structure.

We think this stuffed fawn toy is exceptional. It is so lifelike and compelling, you almost won't believe it's a stuffed toy and not the real thing. Although it is made of synthetic materials, it looks real. This wonderfully detailed baby deer measures 23 3/4 inches long, 9 1/2 inches wide and 13 inches high to the tips of the ears. The designer of this unique line of stuffed animals takes pride in the European heritage of his realistic animal design. Each piece is hand-cut and stitched.

This is not your ordinary stuffed animal. Our plush deer baby has the charm and quality you'll want to keep for a lifetime. It is the kind of toy your child will remember for years to come. It is the kind of "pet" a young child will want to name and create his or her own stories about.

The literature says, "The magical kingdom of Hansa plush was originally created for the most exclusive European clientele. Europeans have treasured these lifelike heirloom creatures for over twenty years. . . . Each Hansa piece is a handcrafted masterpiece, lovingly designed from portraits of real animals. The 'skin' for each of these marvelous beasts is hand-cut and trimmed, never stamped out by machine. The fabric for spotted and striped animals is custom designed and specially manufactured in small lots to Hansa's exacting specifications."

If you're looking for an animal and don't find it on our site, please write to us. To find our other Hansa stuffed toy animals, or see our entire inventory of stuffed animals, stuffed beanies and plush hand puppets, check out our Stuffed Animals Page. See our terrific selection of deer, elk and moose toys and gifts.

Stuffed Emperor Penguin by Hansa

We have just one left as of this post! I'm talking about our colorful and regal-looking stuffed plush emperor penguin. Doesn't he look fine standing there waiting to be discovered by a new best friend? Our emperor penguin is made by Hansa, maker of high-quality realistic stuffed animals. Our plush penguin works equally well as a toy or as a collector's item for anyone who likes stuffed animals. Come on over and take a look!

Our very popular Hansa red squirrel with nut is back in stock - doesn't it look real?

Our popular stuffed squirrel with nut is back in stock and ready to ship for this holiday season!

We think you'll love this Hansa stuffed red squirrel with nut. It is so lifelike and compelling, you almost won't believe it's a stuffed toy and not the real thing, although it is made of synthetic materials. Not only is the squirrel itself soft and cuddly, but the nut is also made of soft fabric and painted to look quite real.

Realistic stuffed meerkat by Hansa is back in stock and ready to ship!

These plush meerkat stuffed animals are exceptional. They're as realistic as they are cute. Although they're made of synthetic materials, they look real. This one sits up surveying his territory.

The civet family (Viverridae) includes binturongs, civet cats, falanoucs, fossas, genet cats, linsangs, mongooses and meerkats (which are actually a type of mongoose). They are related to the cat family but are not actually cats. They do have a cat-like body, but with shorter legs and a longer tail. Their face resembles that of a weasel. These mostly nocturnal (active at night) mammals are native to Asia (including Indonesia and the Philippines), Africa (including Madagascar) and southern Europe. Some species are terrestrial (ground dwellers), but most are arboreal (tree dwellers); some are carnivores (eat only meat) and others are omnivores (eat fruits and vegetables as well as meat). Civet cats have scent-producing glands that secrete a musky-smelling substance which is used as a perfume fixative.

Meerkats are diurnal, which means they are active during the day. They have an average life span of 12-14 years. Meerkat populations move whenever their food supply becomes depleted. Being omnivores, meerkats eat both plants and animals. Meerkats can even eat scorpions because they are immune to their venom. However, the most significant characteristic of meerkats is their altruistic behavior. They are one of the few mammal species that significantly cooperates and coordinates acivities with each other. Meerkat mothers are given an opportunity to go out to feed themselves while their young are watched by other meerkats. In fact, some meerkats spend all or part of their lives helping others raise their young rather than breeding themselves.

Stuffed pink pig by Hansa back in stock

Whether you're referencing the swine flu or simply giving a cute pink pig (or piglet) as a gift, Hansa's wonderful stuffed pig could be the choice for you! They are back in stock and ready to ship as of tody and until they sell out again, as they may before the end of the holiday season!

Our stuffed pink pig is 10 inches long from nose to rump with an additional 1 1/2-inch, white-tufted curled tail. Handcrafted beautifully by Hansa, this pig has many fine features, including hooves painted to appear cloven, ears stitched to a realistic shape, a detailed mouth, and a fabric tongue. Our pink pig is sturdy, has posable front legs and stands 7 inches tall. Let him become a family member. He is clean and loving, and fits nicely in a stuffed animal collection. Be sure to see our other pig toys and gifts.

The words pig, hog and swine are generic terms and may be used interchangeably without regard to gender, size or breed. A male pig is called a boar. A female pig is called a gilt if she hasn't had piglets yet, or called a sow if she has had a litter. The pig originated as a Eurasian wild boar and was domesticated by early farming people. The pig is known as an even-toed ungulate having four toes, although it walks on only two. It is an incredibly intelligent animal with a brain size similar to humans. It keeps clean and only rolls in the mud to cool off, since it lacks sweat glands. It has been a valuable food supply for generations of people from many cultures. Some religions, such as Judaism and Islam, have prohibitions regarding eating pork. This is not because the pig is externally dirty, but because it doesn't have cud to redigest.

Aardvark stuffed animal by Hansa - back in stock!

We've missed our beautiful stuffed aardvark by Hansa, and so have our customers! We're happy to report that the aardvark is back in stock and ready for shipping. Now, who could resist those prominent pink ears and cool tongue? Come on over and take a look!

Our wonderfully realistic-looking stuffed aardvark by Hansa is a toy that looks amazingly like a real animal. The plush aardvark is 12 1/2 inches from nose to rump. Its tail adds another 10 inches to its length, and the pink fabric-covered tongue is posable and holds its position when you move it. The tongue is about 1 1/2 inches long. It is sewn with soft plush fabric with extra-soft white tufts around the eyes, ears, and chin. There are four toes on each front foot and five toes on each back foot. This is a good thing, because aardvarks are known for digging! It has gentle hard plastic eyes (black pupils with a ring of gold for the iris) pinkish brown inside the ears. Our stuffed aardvark replica has a kindly expression and promises to snuggle next to you. This aardvark makes a wonderful gift for stuffed animal lovers and complements nicely any stuffed animal collection. The fabric is produced in small batches and is chosen especially for this animal. Each piece is hand-stictched in the Philippines by crafters willing to produce a unique item each and every time. Check out our other aardvark toys and gifts.

Read more about Hansa stuffed animals and see our selection.

Aardvarks (Orycteropus afer) are African mammals of a medium size that are most active at night and are good at burrowing into the earth. Their name, "aardvark," comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch language and means "earth pig." This unusual-looking animal has many names locally, including "antbear" or "anteater," although it is not a close relative of the anteaters of South America. Neither is it closely related to a pig, but is somewhat isolated taxonomically and is the only member of the order Tubulidentata. It is not a true edetate, although we've listed it with our edentates on the web site so that people could find it. As odd as it sounds, the aardvark is most closely related to elephant shrews, hyraxes, tenrecs and elephants. If we had put the aardvark in our elephant category, would you have found it? It's a strange thought!

Only one Hansa stuffed emperor penguin left!

Right now we have only one elegant Hansa stuffed emperor penguin left in our shop. Who will be the lucky person who gets to take him home for the holidays? See previous post to learn more about the scarcity and collectibility of the Hansa realistic collectible stuffed animals.

Hansa realistic stuffed animals in stock and ready to ship (Tasmanian devil is pictured)

Our world-reknowned and much-loved Hansa stuffed animal toys are back in stock and ready to ship! These adorable and collectible stuffed animals are so popular and are made in such small quantities that it's not always possible to keep them in inventory. We've just received a new shipment, so please check them out while they're still available! A recent typhoon with flooding occured in the Philippines where these unusual animals are made. This slowed production and shipping to an even greater degree, making it harder than ever to get some of the animals that U.S. vendors had anticipated for Christmas and Hanukkah. Once in stock, some of the most popular Hansa stuffed animals disappear almost overnight this time of year.

Click here to see the Hansa stuffed animals we have in stock as of the moment of this post.

Popular big stuffed manatee back in stock

Although the middle-sized manatee in the center is now discontinued, we have the large and the small manatees available to ship anywhere in the world. The big manatee continues to be very popular, and you can see why when you try to get your arms around this soft and quite large water-loving animal.

Our Stuffed Manatees

These gentle, realistic-looking stuffed manatees are wonderfully soft and floppy. The bodies, flippers and tail are made of soft plush fabric allowing for lots of movement. The whiskers are made of gray-black thread. Our manatees have a kindly expression and promise to be your friend. This manatee makes a nice pet. Check out our other manatee toys and gifts.

About Manatees

In the wild, there are three species of manatee: (Genus - Trichechus) West Indian, West African, and Amazonian. All three are endangered and protected by international law. They are gentle, slow moving marine mammals which spend most of their time searching underwater for edible plants. They can weigh up to 1,000 pounds and eat about 100 pounds of aquatic plants per day.

Stuffed Tasmanian devil almost looks real!

Our Tasmanian Devil

Our Tasmanian devil toy stuffed animal is amazingly realistic, but without the bite! It is beautifully designed and made of quality materials from Hansa. It is extremely soft with lots of cuddly fur. It has a 12-1/2-inch body and a 6-inch tail. White patches are realistically placed on the chest and body. Its legs are posable. Our taz is loving and promises not to bite. Also check out our other Tasmanian devil toys and gifts.

About Tasmanian Devils

Although ours is rather sweet looking, real Tasmanian devils are the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupials. The body size varies greatly depending on the diet and habitat. Adult males may stand up to 30 centimeters (almost 9 inches) at the shoulder and are usually larger than the females. Tasmanian devils are widespread throughout their habitat and live from the seacoast to the mountains. They live in coastal heath, open dry forest, and mixed rainforest. They seek homes where they can hide and take shelter by day and find food at night. Mainly scavengers, they feed on whatever is available. Their powerful jaws and teeth allow them to completely eat their food, grinding up bones, fur, and all. The Tasmanian devil makes a variety of noises, from rough coughs and snarls to high-pitched screeches. A sharp sneeze is used as a challenge to other devils.

I was once fortunate enough to visit behind the scenes at the medical center of the San Diego Zoo. In the nursery they had a Tasmanian devil in an incubator, only a few days old. The tiny animal had pink skin and only a few very long black hairs. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. I guess you could say it was ugly, but then what baby animal isn't cute in its own weird way? I like them better with hair, but it was such a treat to get this unusual view of a baby Taz!

Stuffed aardvark by Hansa - last one until October shipment

Unlike so many of our favorite animal-themed toys and gifts, this beautiful stuffed aardvark is NOT going out of production. However, supplies in the U.S. are nearly sold out. We have only one left in stock as of today until the shipment arrives from overseas in October. You can see and order this wonderful Hansa aardvark at Tapir and Friends online!

Our Stuffed Aardvark

Our wonderfully realistic-looking stuffed aardvark by Hansa is a toy that looks amazingly like a real animal. The plush aardvark is 12 1/2 inches from nose to rump. Its tail adds another 10 inches to its length, and the pink fabric-covered tongue is posable and holds its position when you move it. The tongue is about 1 1/2 inches long. It is sewn with soft plush fabric with extra-soft white tufts around the eyes, ears, and chin. There are four toes on each front foot and five toes on each back foot. This is a good thing, because aardvarks are known for digging! It has gentle hard plastic eyes (black pupils with a ring of gold for the iris) pinkish brown inside the ears. Our stuffed aardvark replica has a kindly expression and promises to snuggle next to you. This aardvark makes a wonderful gift for stuffed animal lovers and complements nicely any stuffed animal collection. The fabric is produced in small batches and is chosen especially for this animal. Each piece is hand-stictched in the Philippines by crafters willing to produce a unique item each and every time. Check out our other aardvark toys and gifts.

Stuffed Animals Made by Hansa

Read more about Hansa stuffed animals and see our selection.

About Aardvarks

Aardvarks (Orycteropus afer) are African mammals of a medium size that are most active at night and are good at burrowing into the earth. Their name, "aardvark," comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch language and means "earth pig." This unusual-looking animal has many names locally, including "antbear" or "anteater," although it is not a close relative of the anteaters of South America. Neither is it closely related to a pig, but is somewhat isolated taxonomically and is the only member of the order Tubulidentata. It is not a true edetate, although we've listed it with our edentates on the web site so that people could find it. As odd as it sounds, the aardvark is most closely related to elephant shrews, hyraxes, tenrecs and elephants. If we had put the aardvark in our elephant category, would you have found it? It's a strange thought!

Stuffed hyena by Hansa

In stock as of today and ready to ship anywhere around the world, this beautiful stuffed hyena created by Hansa!

Our stuffed hyena is lifelike and sturdy. Hansa prides itself on making lifelike animals of near-custom quality and design. The materials are made to order for small-run series of your favorite animals. Our stuffed spotted hyena measures 14 inches from nose to rump and stands 8 1/2 inches tall at the shoulder. Its nose is made of moulded hard plastic and looks very real. The eyelids are also made of plastic, giving a lifelike aspect to the face. See our other hyena toys and gifts as well as our collection of Hansa stuffed animals.

One might think that hyenas are related to dogs, but they are actually in a separate biological family most closely related to meerkats and mongooses. Hyenas have among the strongest jaws in the animal world. According to Wikipedia, "The Spotted Hyena, or Laughing Hyena, (Crocuta crocuta) is a mammal of the order Carnivora. They are moderately large, terrestrial carnivores native to Africa. They are best known for a chirping, birdlike bark that resembles the sound of hysterical human laughter. Though often labeled incorrectly as a scavenger, the spotted hyena is actually a powerful hunter, the majority of its nourishment being derived from live prey. Spotted hyenas are the most common predator in sub-saharan Africa, living in savannah, dry woodland and desert habitats."

Chinchilla stuffed animal toy back in stock

Another back-in-stock item today is our very popular stuffed chinchilla. It almost looks real, and it may look like it's made of real fur, but it's not! Hansa has gone out of its way to create lovable, lifelike synthetic animals that you and your young friends can enjoy for a lifetime. They have all been tested to meet the most stringent new import laws. You can enjoy these stuffed animals while feeling completely safe about the materials used to make them.

Our stuffed chinchilla

This engaging, realistic-looking stuffed chinchilla is soft and cuddly. The chinchilla replica is sewn with soft plush mottled synthetic fur and is sturdy enough to stand on its feet and rump. It reflects the total quality of stuffed animal toys made by Hansa. The head is accentuated with large realistic looking eyes, a light muzzle with fine whiskers and large fur-lined pink ears. This plush chinchilla is about 11 inches long, including its beautifuly curled, gray tail. Our stuffed chinchilla has a kindly expression and promises not to bite. This chinchilla makes a wonderful gift for chinchilla pet lovers and nicely complements any stuffed animal collection. Check out our other chinchilla toys and gifts.

About chinchillas

Our Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) is the common long-tailed chinchilla. It is the size of a small rabbit, crepuscular, and is found in the Andes of South America. Its name, chinchilla, comes from the name of a tribe of Andean people, the Chincha, who adorned themselves with furs from this rodent. In their native habitat, chinchillas live in burrows or crevices in rocks. They are agile jumpers and can leap up to five feet. Predators in the wild include hawks, skunks, felines, and canines. Chinchillas have a variety of defense tactics including spraying urine and releasing fur if bitten. In the wild, chinchillas have been observed eating plants, fruits, seeds, and small insects. Chinchillas were brought to the United States in the 1920s and were domesticated and sold in pet stores. There are several chinchilla owner pet clubs and lots of information on how to care for a domesticated pet chinchilla. The native Chilean chinchillas have been hunted for human apparel since the early 1900s. Around 1900, an estimated 500,000 chinchilla skins were exported annually from Chile. Chinchilla pelt is considered by some to be the most valuable pelt in the world, and coats have sold as much as $100,000. This scale of hunting seriously depleted the number of wild chinchillas, and the international trade in wild chinchillas or their skins is now restricted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).