Rtas' main collection

They made 5 Rtas! Don't forget the amazing African reed frog[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

By the way no zoo or aquarium have leatherbacks as they adapt poorly to captivity as like the benthic ocean regions.

Interesting figures, pictures and informations. I will study your frog identifications. I still need a leatherback sea turtle.

IV Birds and reptiles

A) Reptiles

1) Turtles

b) Tortoises

Species : Aldabra giant tortoise, Galápagos giant tortoise (unspecified species), Russian tortoise
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Figures on this picture (from left to right) :
- Schleich 14601 Giant Turtle (2009-2020)
- Schleich 14824 Giant Tortoise (2020-still in production)
- Schleich 14404 Tortoise (2002-2016)

Fun facts :
- The Galápagos giant tortoise is my second favourite Schleich figure from 2020, after the dromedary mare.
- I wanted to have a tortoise as a pet a few years ago, and the Russian tortoise was one of my favourite species. I eventually gave up the idea because I realised what I expected from a pet could only be given to me by a dog.
- The Galápagos tortoise was a gift from my mother. I bought the Seychelles one in my favourite Schleich shop and I found the Russian one in a small village's garden centre during one of my figure "scavenger hunts".
- I have seen Aldabra, Galápagos and Russian tortoises in zoos and reptile centres. In my childhood, there was a Galápagos specimen in the "Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes", one of Paris' zoos and the second oldest zoo in Europe, who was almost 200 years old. I don't know if it is still alive today.

Update :
- Schleich 42506 Tortoise Home was added to the collection. For further information, please check the addition topics.
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I didn't put the new tortoise on my wish list but now I am contemplating. Should I?

Thank you Saarloos, Adam and Roger !

Advicot wrote:

They made 5 Rtas! Don't forget the amazing African reed frog

Indeed, I missed this one unfortunately !

Advicot wrote:

By the way no zoo or aquarium have leatherbacks as they adapt poorly to captivity as like the benthic ocean regions.

Yes, I did not doubt that !

Roger wrote:

Interesting figures, pictures and informations. I will study your frog identifications. I still need a leatherback sea turtle.

If you already have the other two, I recommend you the Papo rather than the CollectA which would be too small in comparison.

Advicot wrote:

I didn't put the new tortoise on my wish list but now I am contemplating. Should I?

Well, I like it a lot, it depends if you already have a Galápagos tortoise from Papo, Mojo or CollectA ?

Hmm interesting thoughts about your frogs
I think both figurines have to appear on my wishlist, cause your identification seems to fit.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
I´m waiting your studies
As I wanted to buy a batch figurines, I become more and more unsure about the different frog species as many of them aren´t identified on TAI.
Here are more to study: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

the new tortoise looks much improved from the previous one in this picture and somehow bigger. Is it?

I did not think my frogs would get so much interest !

spacelab wrote:

the new tortoise looks much improved from the previous one in this picture and somehow bigger. Is it?

It is a bit higher indeed, not as long though, and they are still in the same scale. It is also more detailed but TAI did not identify them as the same species.

Advicot wrote:

By the way no zoo or aquarium have leatherbacks as they adapt poorly to captivity as like the benthic ocean regions.

Overall is because no aquarium can provide them with enough quantity of their specialized daily diet of jellyfishes. The Cheloniidae turtles can be fed with fishes and seaweeds but leatherbacks are a different family that can't be fed in captivity!

RtasVadumee wrote:

In my childhood, there was a Galápagos specimen in the "Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes", one of Paris' zoos and the second oldest zoo in Europe, who was almost 200 years old. I don't know if it is still alive today.

When I visited this place in 2009 it only holded Aldabra giant tortoises but no Galapagos ones, so I guess that the specimen died long ago.

It goes back a long way but I am pretty sure it was a Galapagos one so yes, it must have died before your visit.

Unleash the lizards and the snakes!

Yes sir !

IV Birds and reptiles

A) Reptiles

2) Squamates

a) Lizards

Species : Chameleon (which species ? ), Komodo dragon, central bearded dragon, green iguana
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Figures on this picture (from left to right) :
- Schleich 42242 Chameleon set (2016-still in production)
- Schleich 14826 Komodo dragon (2019-still in production)
- Schleich 14675 Pogona Lizard (2012-2016)
- Schleich 14172 Iguana (2000-2005)

Fun facts :
- I was part of a terrariophilia club in my childhood and used to take care of lizards. We had a pair of Pogona vitticeps, the most common species in this hobby and the easiest to keep/breed. They were very friendly.
- The Komodo dragon was the first 2019 Schleich figure I bought. I had a crush on it when I saw it in the shop although I didn't like it on promo pics. I favoured the Schleich version over the Papo because I felt like the colour looked more natural. I am planning to get the Mojo and the new CollectA models to complete my dragon herd.
- I bought the chameleon and the Komodo dragon in my favourite Schleich shop, I have the iguana from my childhood and I found the bearded dragon during one of my figure hunts.
- I have looked after bearded dragons and chameleons in my childhood, I have seen green iguanas in zoos and reptile centres and I have only seen a Komodo dragon in London zoo.

Update :
- Southlands Replicas 00018 Perentie (2018-still in production) was added to the collection. For further information, please check the addition topics.
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The chameleon is a panther in my opinion. I have it as a baby for the Papo figure, which is identified as that species.

I am not sure it is, the Schleich one does not look exactly like a panther I think

IV Birds and reptiles

A) Reptiles

2) Squamates

b) Snakes

Species : Western diamondback rattlesnake, green anaconda, boa constrictor, black mamba, Indian cobra
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Figures on this picture (from left to right) :
- Schleich 14740 Rattlesnake (2015-2020)
- Schleich 14778 Green Anaconda (2017-still in production)
- Schleich 14739 Boa Constrictor (2015-still in production)
- Schleich 42322 Black Mamba nest (2016-still in production)
- Schleich 14733 Cobra (2015-still in production)

Fun facts :
- I bought all these snakes in my favourite Schleich shop.
- I have seen every species on this picture and three of them only in one particular and quite unique place. I am talking about the western diamondback rattlesnake, the black mamba and the indian cobra which are very venomous snakes most French zoos are not allowed to keep. I was lucky to see them in a very small reptile centre known to look after reptiles seized by the police from illegal trade. The guy who is running this place is authorized to take care of venomous, deadly snakes and as a consequence, he keeps very rare and interesting species. In addition to western diamondback rattlesnakes, black mambas and indian cobras, I also saw puff adders and South American rattlesnakes there. That's probably one of the best places in France for vipers and elapids lovers. Another great place to see venomous snakes is London zoo, where I saw a king cobra, green and black mambas.

Very interesting reptile figures! Thanks also for your suggestion about the leatherback sea turtle, I tried to find it locally but no luck. I have the Papo Caouane but not the Schleich.

RtasVadumee wrote:

- The Komodo dragon was the first 2019 Schleich figure I bought. I had a crush on it when I saw it in the shop although I didn't like it on promo pics. I favoured the Schleich version over the Papo because I felt like the colour looked more natural.

The coloring and shading of this model is one of Schleich's latest victories. The exact opposite of the lynx. Obviously different artists curate these..

Very nice snakes Benjamin and I too own all these figures. For my green anacondas I am getting the Papo one to go with my other two, and I recently got the Bullyland mamba to go with the Schleich.

Thanks for your comments !

Adam, I would like very much to see this Bullyland black mamba ! I know almost nothing about Bullyland, the only figures I saw in shop (this brand is available in France) made me believe it was not at the same level than the four other brands.

IV Birds and reptiles

A) Reptiles

3) Crocodilians

a) Alligators

Species : American alligator
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Figures on this picture (from left to right) :
- Schleich 14728 Alligator Young (2015-2018)
- Schleich 14727 Alligator (2015-still in production)
- Papo 50254 Alligator (2019-still in production)

Fun facts :
- The alligators from Schleich and Papo fit amazingly well together like if they were made for each other ! They are one of my proudest marriage between brands in my collection. I decided that the Schleich one would be a male while the Papo would be a female.
- The three figures were bought in local shops.
- My Papo alligator comes from the same exact shop as Roger's
- I have seen American alligators in zoos and reptile centres.