Stuffed anteater

Is this adorable stuffed anteater just what you've been looking for? Come on over to Tapir and Friends Animal Store on the Internet and check it out! We ship anywhere in the world!

This engaging, realistic-looking stuffed giant anteater is soft and graceful. This plush anteater made by Fiesta is 22 inches long and is sewn with soft plush fabric and white and brown synthetic hair. It is sturdy enough to stand on its white feet with lovely brown claws. It has gentle hard plastic eyes and pink ears covered in synthetic fur. Our giant anteater replica has a kindly expression and promises to snuggle next to you. This stuffed anteater makes a wonderful gift for stuffed animal lovers and complements nicely any stuffed animal collection. Check out our other anteater toys and gifts.

The Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is found in Central and South America. It is an edentate, a mammal with no teeth. The giant anteater crushes insects, mainly termites, using hard growths inside its mouth. The anteater also swallows small pebbles and sand which stay in its stomach to help in digestion. The giant anteater grows to a size of 6 feet to 8 feet, including a 3 foot to 4 foot torso and tail. Generally it weighs from 65 to 140 pounds. This large edentate is covered with stiff, straw-like hair which grows up to 10 inches long on the tail. Anteaters may be grey or brown, but all have a diagonal black and white shoulder stripe. Anteaters have an amazing tongue. It can reach two feet in length, with a width of only 1/2 inch. The anteater can cover its tongue in a sticky saliva, allowing it to trap ants, and can extend and withdraw it up to 150 times per minute.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Tree frog Peeper Keeper Eyeglass Holders still available from Tapir and Friends

This delightful series of eyeglass holders is going fast. We still have our charming green and orange tree frog in stock as of this post. We also have alligators, flamingoes, giraffes, and more. But once they're gone, there's no telling what we'll be able to get back in stock because the animal series (much to our dismay) has been discontinued by the manufacturer.

You can use this carved and painted wood frog eyeglass holder for the obvious purpose (to hold your glasses so you don't lose or break them) or to hold business cards or even recipe cards. Does anyone still use recipe cards? If you know someone who does, this could be the perfect gift to brighten their kitchen!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic monkeys in bulk?

Do you need plastic primates in bulk? We can help! Some of our plastic animals are available in larger quanties. Among those available in bulk are a number of primate species including certain monkeys such as this capuchin monkey on a branch. Just visit our web site and give us a call at (503) 338-8646 and let us know what you need!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

What's inside a shark's mouth?

Say "Aaaaaaah!" Sometimes the customers want to know things such as, "What's inside the shark's mouth? Can we drill it and pour in greadine? Is it hard plastic, or soft?"

A toy animal's portrait usually looks more like this. It lets you know what you're getting, but maybe it's a little boring. Hmm. I think I just got an idea :)

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Wavy the Crocodile - Stage Puppet / Hand Puppet

Yay!!! Wavy is back in stock! This popular crocodile hand puppet (also called a "stage puppet") wriggled right out of our grasp and had to be re-ordered. We think we have enough now to make quite a few Wavy the Croc fans very happy!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Unique and beautiful crab jewelry!

Check out the lovely details in this unique and beautiful piece of crab jewelry. Our crab pin will bowl you over with it's realistic detailed design. Come see this crab and its many aquatic acquaintances in Tapir and Friends Animal Store (online). If you're interested in products made in the U.S.A., this could be just the thing for you. These beautiful animal pins are hand-made and hand painted in the state of Washington.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Mr. Hermit Crab

Our big plastic hermit crab with the inquisitive eyes is turning out to be quite a popular guy. And why not? He looks so cool and those eyes make him appear somewhere between realistic and very personable. This crab is big enough that you can learn the parts when studying sea life in school. Or - what a nice gift for any crab fancier!

This engaging, realistic-looking plastic hermit crab replica is 4 3/4 inches wide and 2 1/4 inches high. It is made of solid flexible plastic. Its legs are flexible, but not posable. The shell is made of the same hard plastic and is flexible at the front. Our hermit crab has a kindly expression and promises not to pinch. This hermit crab makes a nice pet, a gift or works well in a diorama. Check out our other crab toys and gifts.

There are approximately 500 different species of hermit crabs living in saltwater intertidal zones. It isn't a true crab, but has a soft belly which it protects by crawling into an abandoned mollusk shell. This behavior of living in an abandoned cave evokes the image of a hermit, thereby getting its name. As the hermit crab grows, it must find an ever larger shell to inhabit. The hermit crab is fussy about which shell it takes. It likes those that have anemones or sea plants growing on it and even decorates his shell with these living things. This provides a symbiotic relationship, food for them and they provide better security from predators through camouflage.There are land varieties of hermit crabs and, surprisingly enough, there is an organization of hermit crab pet lovers, who keep them at home in aquariums.

Come see our great selection of plastic sea animals!

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 tapir back in stock

Wow! Our stuffed tapir, "Yanisa," is back in stock. We really missed her!

Our stuffed tapir from Hansa is hand-made in the Philippines and is based on the look of a real animal. This tapir is special! Not only are toy tapirs as rare and endangered as their real-life counterparts, but this one embodies Hansa's dependable quality construction and lifelike appearance. Hansa creates each animal with great care from the drawing board to the last stitch. The animals are hand made, the fabrics designed and purchased in small quantities to suit each design. The dark fur is a chocolate brown; the light fur is white. Yanisa's eyes have a plastic lid over them, giving them character and appeal. We have to tell you that the tail is white, not dark as in a real tapir but we hope her shining personality makes up for this.

We've named our tapir "Yanisa," after the half-Thai daughter of a Russian tapir fan and corespondent. The name sounds beautiful, but it also means "Wisdom" in the Thai language. One of our favorite tapir quotes comes from Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, who, after describing in the book Travelers' Tales Thailand, said: "Many years earlier, a traveler in Burma had described the tapir as 'an enigma,' a survivor of a 'more gentle and legendary time . . . wandering in unique isolation in a world not yet mature enough for its wisdom.'" So, what better name could we choose for this beautiful tapir?

This tapir's feet are quite realistic with a lifelike soft hoof on each of the three toes per foot. (We always like to point out that real tapirs have four toes on each front foot and four on each rear foot, but toy tapirs usually end up with three and three.) Look at the pleasing face and "signature" long tapirlike nose. Our stuffed tapir stands 7 1/2 inches tall and measures 13 1/2 inches long. Check out our other tapir toys and gifts. Read more about real tapirs on our Tapir Gallery web site. You can also contribute to their conservation through the Tapir Preservation Fund's web site. Your Club Tapir donation does not have to be processed separately, but can be added to your shopping cart! Your purchase helps save endangered animals!

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.

Rrrrrrrrrr!!! Drink your juice!

These dinosaur plastic children's drinking cups are actually very kid-friendly despite the roaring in the title of the post. What kid doesn't love dinosaurs? And what kid doesn't like to have a fun cup to drink their milk or juice out of?

We have two styles of dinosaur cups - the Triceratops seen above, and the T-rex seen in the top photo. The cups are almost indestructible, and they love to play with children. My grandtapir, Teagan, loves to bang them together, although he's still using sippy cups and isn't quite old enough to drink out of something that can't be turned upside down with liquid in it. When he graduates to "I'm a big boy now" cups, he will love his animal cups even more.

We read in an article that a number of doctors and dentists had concluded that it's good to graduate the kids away from sippy cups as early as feasible, because the shape of the sippy tends to promote tooth decay. You don't want orange juice all over the floor any more times than necessary, but when graduation day arrives, you and your little ones will love our whole line of animal cups, not just the dinosaurs! The materials are thoroughly tested and pass the most stringent and up-to-date laws on child safety. The cups are also extremely sturdy. Just ask Teagan's mom! If the kid does break it with any kind of normal use or "reasonably" paranormal use, we'll replace it for you. We're confident! I tried to break one myself. It was HARD to do, even by an adult! Come check them out!

Parrot Peeper Keepers - get them while they're hoppin'

Among the animal eyeglass holders we still have in stock are these cute and colorful realistic parrots! If red is your color or birds are your game, do check them out before our final stock disappears!

The Peeper Keeper has been discontinued by the manufacturer, but as of this post date, we still have a number of parrots left, as well as quite a few other animals. Once they are gone, they're gone forever unless some other company picks up the line, and we have not seen that happening.

You supply the glasses - the cool striped ones here are just for show. We think the parrot will like whatever you put on it, and and we know that he can see with your prescription! These wonderful eyeglass holders make a great decoration for the hall, bedside, or next to the computer - wherever you typically leave your glasses. They can also be used for business cards and recipes. What fun!

Mom and son love these bald eagles!

Among our plastic birds, we have a number of American bald eagles. Just before Christmas, we asked Santa to send these three to the mother of a little eagle lover. Scroll on down to see what Mom had to say about a boy's Christmas wishes. . . .

January 10, 2010

I just wanted to let you know how pleased I was (and am). . . . My son was VERY particular in explaining to Santa exactly what he wanted, and you made his holiday wish come true. He was SO excited (the talons were just right). So thanks for making Mom and son happy and if we have helped some endangered species along the way, well, that's just gravy! or maybe the other way around. . . .

Of course, we were happy to forward the information to Santa, and he seems have come through! And that makes US happy!

Moose Peeper Keepers - the last of a dying breed

We stocked up for Christmas, and we still have a few moose left for you. The moose comes, as below, without the peepers. You supply them (we think he can see equally well with any prescription). For his part, our moose helps you keep the glasses where you can find them, or out of the way so nobody sits on them. If you've lost your glasses as many times as "someone I know," this may be just the ticket.

Once we've sold out of any of the selection of animal Peeper Keepers we still have left, that may be the end. There are a few animals we can still get, but we never know until we check on it. These eyeglass holders, very sadly, have been discontinued by the manufacturer. We have a number of animals still in stock, so you'll need to get them while you still can. They are a favorite for holidays and birthdays, but they probably won't be around by next Christmas.

Manatees get cold, too

Who's in the news? Chilly manatees! Check out this article in the Los Angeles Times to see how some of Florida's manatees manage to warm up in an unlikely spa! They have some great photos - very unusual!

And we have stuffed manatees and plastic manatees for manatee lovers who also want to help support wildlife conservation. You can see three of them on this page. Currently we have the plastic manatee and the large and small stuffed manatee in stock.

When you buy any stuffed animal, plastic animal, or other item from Tapir and Friends online animal store, your purchas helps us fund projects that help save tapirs and their rainforest habitat. We are all connected on this planet. Tapirs are "our thing," but it all works together in the giant ecological web that is our world. You can purchase replicas of your favorite animal and know you're helping save wildlife and inform the public about unusual and endangered species! What could be better?

When it's winter all around, don't colored butterflies make us smile?

Yes! I love looking at their bright colors any time of year, but it's especially nice when the skies have been overcast and gray. These beautiful butterfly pins are painted in the state of Washington, USA, by talented artists with a flair for realism and a love of animals. (Not to mention, they can hold brush much more steadily than I can!) The result is fantstically beautiful animal jewelry - really collector's items of heirloom quality - for only $29.00 each.

We have lots of painted animal jewelry that isn't even online yet. If you have a favorite animal or are looking for a gift, give us a call toll free at (888) 325-3179.

. . . beautiful!

When does a moose need a makeover?

I don't know. That could be one of the great mysteries of life. But sometimes our animals are delivered to us looking different than the last time we saw them. This happened with our plastic moose. Usually, the trend is toward more realism, and that was true in the case of our moose replica today. He looks a bit different, has slightly different colors, and is even somewhat smaller. He also costs a little less than our former moose.

So, what's the first thing some moose do after a makeover? Of course. They get their pictures taken. That's exactly what our made-over moose replica did.

Did you know that moose are one of the hardest plastic animals to photograph? Do you know why? Their antlers cast big shadows over their eyes! How did we get our moose to pose in the light for us? It's simple! Leave a comment and I'll tell you!

You can see our newly-remodeled plastic moose replica online right here.

Disappearing plastic frogs

Our wonderful, colorful, and lifelike plastic frogs have been discontinued by the manufacturer! They are disappearing species by species, sadly just like in real life. We still have a number of species left, and although we are always looking, it's hard to find plastic frogs as realistic as this bunch. Not every frog on this page is going out of production, but the one you see here and several others are soon to be history. If you love frogs or need them for your school project, get them while you can at Tapir and Friends Animal Store online!

Can a panda bounce?

Our latex rubber panda is made of squishy foam with a latex coating that makes it sqeezable and non-damaging to children or furniture even if "a little someone" decides to toss it across the room. This 8 1/2-inch giant panda is attractive to children, because it's very easy for them to hold onto, it's a bit soft, and the contrasting black and white seem to catch their attention. They can learn about real pandas as they grow up and come to appreciate that we all want to do our parts to help save endangered species and their habitats. What better way than with a lovable panda replica? We sometimes think of it as a "plastic panda," but it's softer than most plastic animals.

Come check out our latex-covered realistic giant panda toy!

Swimming/floating plastic fish and seahorses!

Order from our online store

Because you asked for them, we've been looking for these little floating plastic fish for a long, long, time. Finally, they are in our store and ready to ship!
These tropical fish are about 1 3/4 inches long, made of hard plastic, and have hinged tails. They float upright, which is why they are so unusual among the plastic fish of the world, which usually float on their sides and appear to be dead. These look more "alive," and float upright, but with the top fin out of water. In the case of the seahorses, it's the top of their heads that are out of water. The fish move only as the water moves them; they are not automated in any way. I know from our customers that they can be used in a lava lamp, in which case the movement helps keep them under the surface so they curculate and in that case the tail may move from the movement inside the lamp. Since I don't have a lava lamp to test this out, I'd love it if someone can send me their photo and description! Once they are online, you'll be able to find them on our fish page.

Order from our online store

Crayfish, crawfish, crawdad

This crayfish (crawfish, crawdad) is the newest crustacean in Tapir and Friends Animal Store! It's about the size of a real crayfish, and it kinda-sorta approximates the color of a cooked one. Live crayfish tend to be the darker brown, or a little lighter than the brown showing here.

Plastic crawfish are very popular to use as table decor for cookouts barbecues (BBQs) and summer crawfish boils, bakes, or banquets. Of course, you can also use the crawfish to decorate a restaurant, or as part of a school project. Or just add it to your "zoo" of collectible or educational toy animals!

At this moment, the new crawdad is not on our web site, so please call toll-free to order: 888-325-3179. When we get it online, it will be on this page.

Our new e-mail list!!! (or, "How to sign up for e-mail updates from Tapir and Friends Animal Store")

What It's Not

Although this cool stuffed pelican can be purchased from Tapir and Friends Animal Store online, that's not what I'm here to talk about today.

Our New E-mail List!

I'VE INSTALLED A WIDGET THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO GET OUR BLOG POSTS SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS! YES!!!

Easy and Safe

Check it out at the top of the sidebar on the right. It's easy to sign up, and you have complete control of opting out if you get tired of receiving the posts by e-mail. Each time you receive a post, there's a sign-off link on the bottom. You don't need to wait for anyone to take you off the list - or worse, you know what I mean - they NEVER take you off the list! This can't happen. You sign yourself on and off. Why am I harping on this? I hate spam as much as anyone, and having my e-mail address on blogs and web pages all over the Internet generates quite a lot of spam, too. I'd love to have you reading our blog posts, but only if you want them!

You Can Help

This brings me to the next point. Since the blog can now be used as a real e-mail list, the style may change a bit anyway. I'd like to begin to think of it more as a conversational medium, and include more about what we're up to and what we're doing. Please feel free to comment. Our business responds to what you want. That's what we're here for! That and saving tapirs.

Why We Did It

Thanks for bearing with me. I am so excited about this new blog capability. E-lists have been problematic for the last number of years. Either they cost money, or they get our e-mail account branded as spam (although we've only mailed to honest-to-got opt-in, it's just a hazard of e-lists since spammers came on the scene). Or you try to communicate through ugly free bulk mail, or Google or Yahoo groups, which are also not pretty. They're really best for discussion groups. If your e-mail program uses HTML, you'll get the post in lovely formatting with the photos, and you can also click through to the original blog post. If your e-mail is not HTML-compatible, you'll get it in text. You don't need to know that when you sign up, the system will figure it out.

Find Us on Facebook

Lately we've been using our Facebook Page, which I'll continue to update, but let's "face" it, everyone does not want to sign up for Facebook, or if they do, only a small percentage of us wants to log in every day. Anyway, I'm seeing this new subscription widget as having tremendous potential. I hope I'm right!

Sign on up or let me know what you think!

The pelican . . .

Oh, yes, why did I co-opt our stuffed pelican today to talk about e-mail? It occurred to me that he would like to know he's earned a rest. He doesn't have to carry our letters in his beak anymore! The blogosphere has given us a much-needed new mailing option! Yeah!!!

Orange housecat Peeper Keepers

This orange cat Peeper Keeper is among the several animal types we still have available! Once these adorable carved wood animal eyeglass holders are gone, they are gone for good. Sadly, they've been discontinued by the manufacturer.

Made of carved and painted wood, this functional sculpture is about 6 1/4 inches tall to the tips of it's ears.

What a classy way to keep your reading or sunglasses from getting lost on your coffee table, bedside table, hall shelf, etc. You can also use this painted wood sculpture to display business cards with pizazz and pride! Try holding recipe cards in the kitchen, too.

"Peeper Keepers" are fun and practical, and come in over 40 different animal types. See our other Peeper Keeper animals here. If we don't have an animal you're looking for on our web site, please ask! Be sure to look over our other house cat toys and gifts.

Toy Mammoth Skeleton

Do you need a model mammoth skeleton? You can buy this educational toy (model, replica) along with dinosaur bone replicas right here online at Tapir and Friends Animal Store!

Our Woolly Mammoth Skeleton Model

This realistic-looking woolly mammoth skeleton model is made of strong plastic and is sturdy when assembled. It is 10 inches long and 6 1/2 inches tall. There are about 16 separate pieces, some large, with easy to follow assembly instructions and a diagram. The bones look weathered and connect with one another through pegs or joint sockets. Although most pieces hold together well, it may help to use a little super glue. This miniature woolly mammoth skeleton replica makes a nice display, a gift, or toy for children or adults and could work well for school show-and-tell or as a school science project. Check out our other dinosaur model toys and gifts.

About Woolly Mammoths

The woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) first roamed the earth 150,000 years ago. The mammoth migrated from Africa northward into Europe, east through the Steppes of Asia, and then into the Arctic. During the Pleistocene Era (Ice Age), when temperatures were so much colder, the woolly mammoth developed thick shaggy hair, special glands to secrete fat to insulate the skin from the cold, and smaller ears and special teeth to grind tundra. The woolly mammoth developed huge curved tusks up to 15 feet long to shovel snow in order to reach tundra and grass below. The woolly mammoth is the most common mammal fossil. Some have been found in Siberia almost completely intact including tissue remnants. It is breathtaking to see the mammoth's skeleton on display in the museum.

Did you ever see such a colorful crab?

Crabs come in many shapes and colors, and we were very excited to find this plastic Sally Lightfoot crab to put in our online store. Getting the crab in stock also gave us an excuse to learn something about real Sally Lightfoof crabs:

This engaging, realistic-looking plastic Sally Lightfoot crab replica is made of hard flexible plastic. It is 7 inches wide across the legs and the carapace (shell) is 2 3/4 inches wide. It does not float. Our Sally Lightfoot crab miniature has a kindly expression and promises not to pinch. This Sally Lightfoot crab replica makes a nice pet, a gift or fits into a diorama for a school project. See our other crab toys and gifts.

The Sally Lightfoot crab (Percnon gibbesi) is one of the most common crabs along the coast of South America. It is especially prevalent along the rocky shores of the Galapagos Islands. The crab derives its name from the fact that it scuttles along on its tiptoes, thereby appearing light-footed. It has large eyes and remarkable vision. It runs very quickly, is incredibly hard to sneak up on and catch and, even as a group, changes directions almost instantly. It eats algae and almost any kind of organic refuse. The Sally lightfoot crab is a prolific breeder and fortunately is not endangered like many other animals in this region. If you think the colors in our plastic crab are exaggerated, take a look at this photo of a real Sally Lightfoot crab! They must be among nature's most colorful animals!

Audubon Birds Series ~ Stuffed Birds

We absolutely love this series of lifelike stuffed birds, and we know you do, too! Wild Republic's plush Audubon Birds are both cute and realistic-looking at the same time. They are also priced affordably, so you can collect them all or collect the ones that most appeal to the bird-lover in your life.

Audubon birds make great toys or collectibles - also teaching aids and stuffed animal friends. The first bird shown here is the pink flamingo. Just above is the Atlantic Puffin. Audubon Birds have pressure points that activate a sound box so you can hear the recorded call of the real bird!

Oops! This isn't a bird at all, it's a red squirrel munching on an acorn! Our red squirrel is actually part of the Audubon Birds Series, and it comes with a squirrel sound recorded from real squirrels.

This wonderful seagull has been our most popular of the Audubon Birds Series so far.

The California condor has long, soft wings, and makes the strangest noise you've ever heard!

Wavy the Crocodile Stage Puppet is HOT!

"Wavy" the Crocodile is hot! Everyone seems to love Wavy! In a short time, he's become a big favorite and a best-seller. He is in stock today and ready to ship! Check out the details, and check out those teeth!

"Wavy," Our Crocodile Stage Puppet

Our stuffed crocodile stage puppet (or hand puppet) by Folkmanis is the same one you've seen on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" as host of the 1000th episode of the show. Wavy is extremely well made and features an easily animated mouth and operable arms. This puppet is very well made. Design details include soft sculpted plush with molded claws and teeth. Wavy's mouth is lots of fun to SNAP! The teeth are hollow soft plastic and do not have any sharp edges. The color of the body is a lusciuos dark green - very realistic for a crocodile, and beautiful to look at! A soft padded spine and soft pink felt inside Wavy's mouth make him extra fun to hold and use. The jaws have a flexible gentle stiffener inside so the mouth keeps its crocodilian look. The wavy jaws and shiny green eye make this puppet just the thing for your stage puppet play or for playing around with every day. Wavy the Crocodile Puppet could also make a wonderful item for show-and-tell to demonstrate crocodiles for your school project. What if you let WAVY talk to the class about crocodiles while you work his mouth and hands? What a fun production! Check out our other crocodile toys and gifts.

About Crocodiles

There are numerous kinds of crocodiles. Some live in fresh water, and some in salt water. Crocodiles have long, narrow snouts, and the 4th tooth of the lower jaw is outside when the mouth is closed. Their scales have modified to form thick tough skin. All crocodiles have eyes and nostrils are on the top part of the head so that they can lie in the water almost completely hidden from view. Crocodiles have very strong jaws. They do not chew their food. They swallow it in large chunks. In the stomach the food is broken down. They feed on a large variety of prey such as small mammals, birds and even cattle. Crocodiles grab their prey and move to deep water, where they roll over to drown the animal. They can leap high out of the water to reach their prey if necessary.