Safari Cape buffalo grass and birds, what do you think?

I am really impressed with the Safari African Water Buffalo but I am now not likely the birds (oxpeckers) set on its back when I put all the brands' buffalos in a herd. Does anyone feel the same? Does it help to show the relationship between the two species? Anyways, what I am getting at is has anyone tried to remove them, and if so, how? The grass in the mouth is very easy to remove if desired.

Thanks, Shawn

Shawn, I also like to see my figures free of extra things. But on the other hand I think in this case the extras give a special touch to this figure.we are lucky enough to have many cape buffalos in the market. Papo, schleich, Mojo and CollectA. Oxpeckers are birds that fed themselves from parasites that they found in the body of the large mammals. Safari was competent enough to make the birds roughly looking like the correct species we usually see in the back of buffalos . :)

I like those little birds on my Safari cape buffalo. The paint could be better, but it's fine. :)

Shawn, I agree with Roger and Gabe. The chewing Cape buffalo has got a lot of personality and the birds are "picturesque" even if they could be better painted. This model has something like a sharp in my Cape buffalo collection

I likes the bird resting on the Water Buffalo and have no problem with the chewing grass too!

I am sure I have seen the buffalo where the birds were removed , here in the forum somewhere, but I can`t find it now

So you are not alone in your opinion

you can remove them with a pair of nailclippers or mannicure scissors - or for that matter any pair of scissors or knife that you feel comfortable using. The grass is easily removed with nail clippers. I cannot for the life of me remember if you'll need to touch up the paint where the birds used to sit or if the figure is molded in the body color, but it's easy enough to add a "mud coat" with paint or to even match the color of the body if desired. But the birds can be removed with any sharp cutting instrument.

sphyrna18 wrote:

you can remove them with a pair of nailclippers or mannicure scissors - or for that matter any pair of scissors or knife that you feel comfortable using. The grass is easily removed with nail clippers. I cannot for the life of me remember if you'll need to touch up the paint where the birds used to sit or if the figure is molded in the body color, but it's easy enough to add a "mud coat" with paint or to even match the color of the body if desired. But the birds can be removed with any sharp cutting instrument.

I took your advice and they look great. The nail clippers worked perfectly. I did not do it to all but most...they look very aggressive now...that is how I want them to come accross....and a little light coat of black did the trick.

Shawn, I'd love to see pictures of the result. (But only if you want to, of course.)

Finally, here are the photos of the Water Buffalo minus the grass and birds. I understand some of you like the additional features, so I did leave two with some birds on their back. But I did get rid of all the grass. The recustomized backs of the bulls look bluer in the photos than in peson; not sure why. Sorry for the not-so-great photos. I am really satisfied with the results. I also had to add in my new addition who I think is fantastic--Safari's new white rhino. This lone bull will go well with his cousins..Schleich's black rhinos. Let me know your thoughts.

-Shawn

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Thanks for the pictures Shawn! I like the Buffalo without the birds and grass better. And the White Rhino is fantastic!

Shawn, the buffalo without birds and grass looks also great! Actually the best option is to have both!
The white rhino is a very interesting figure. Fortunately is not easy to find bad figures among recent releases. Brands in general are improving and sometimes is more a question of taste or needing that determines which one we love more. I have the retired Papo, I think the Safari is better, maybe a little better than CollectA although I don't like too much the neck of the Safari figure.I'm eager to see the Mojo's in my hands! Congrats!

Roger wrote:

Shawn, the buffalo without birds and grass looks also great! Actually the best option is to have both!
The white rhino is a very interesting figure. Fortunately is not easy to find bad figures among recent releases. Brands in general are improving and sometimes is more a question of taste or needing that determines which one we love more. I have the retired Papo, I think the Safari is better, maybe a little better than CollectA although I don't like too much the neck of the Safari figure.I'm eager to see the Mojo's in my hands! Congrats!

I like that the Rhino looks to be in motion or grazing...as most know I like my animals to look like they are in some type of motion. The former Safari White Rhino was an odd color and just standing there. However, even though the Mojo Rhino also looks to be standing still, he is very well detailed.

I have debating about whether to get the CollectA white rhino. I like the pose actually (maybe not as much as the Safari, but they are different and complement each other.) However, after seeing some pictures of the CollectA rhino on this forum -- better pictures than the company's stock photos -- the texture strikes me as odd and possibly unappealing. Has anyone else found this to be the case? (I'm kind of hoping someone will convince me that I am wrong about this and that the CollectA Rhino is worth getting. But I mostly want to hear honest opinions.)

In any case, I agree with you both (Roger and Shawn) that the Safari figure is very fine. I have that figure and love it. I am also really looking forward to the Mojo Rhino figure.

Shawn I understand your option, I also like figures in motion. But as white rhinos are much calmer than black rhinos I think my option will be a charging black rhino (Papo) and a standing white rhino (maybe Mojo?]. I like the personality of an animal in its sculpting. :)

Scott, I'm not a big enthusiast of CollectA white rhino. That's a good figure but not nice enough to make me buy it although I can find here and easily. If you want 3 white rhinos I believe the CollectA is in top 3 of these common brands. There's something in the coloring that I don't like as well the massive back, a little shaped like a domestic pig, maybe back legs are too long I cannot explain. Anyway a good figure as I told before. I'm sure when Mojo arrives we will see some comparison treads.

Great job on removing the birds!

They look good with and without the birds and now you are lucky enough to have them both ways. Great job on them.