Did You Ever Think You Were Alone In This Hobby?

Yes, I can so relate. While most teens my age are into legos, gi joe, and that type of stuff, I only seem to obsess about animal toys. I always get nervous when I pay for my toys, and the clerk looks at me with that "That's one unusual kid" look on their face. Or sometimes, I feel so outdated with the newest action hero movies, toys, video games, etc, because I dedicate my collecting ambitions towards animals instead. I honestly don't care what people think of me, though I prefer not to show off my collection to anyone but other animal toy enthusiasts, to avoid getting hurt feelings, and feeling left out and such. All I can say, I feel happy to be an exceptional young teen who likes animal toys, and is not like everyone else

I am in the fortunate position that I have small kids, so I can always say I am collecting for them!
And indeed they do enjoy them a lot, and we play with them together, and they very early learned the names of hundreds of different animals thanks to our Schleich collection. So I have never gotten any negative comments about collecting, but I haven´t really talked to people about it either. But the vitrine is right in my living room, so anyone entering my house see them right away - so it´s no secret! But since the rest of the house is also filled with my kids toys, they don´t stand out that much.

People know me as an elephant collector - I have been collecting elephants of every kind (wooden, stone, porselain, glass, anything) so my living room is filled with those, too, so I don´t think anybody is surpriseed by seeing my figurine collection.

Mikael wrote:

I am in the fortunate position that I have small kids, so I can always say I am collecting for them! .....

Sounds like you have a wonderful home

SUSANNE wrote:

Mikael wrote:

I am in the fortunate position that I have small kids, so I can always say I am collecting for them! .....

Sounds like you have a wonderful home

Thank you, Susanne, I was actually just thinking the same about your house just now!

Komodo Dragon wrote:

Yes, I can so relate. While most teens my age are into legos, gi joe, and that type of stuff, I only seem to obsess about animal toys. I always get nervous when I pay for my toys, and the clerk looks at me with that "That's one unusual kid" look on their face. Or sometimes, I feel so outdated with the newest action hero movies, toys, video games, etc, because I dedicate my collecting ambitions towards animals instead. I honestly don't care what people think of me, though I prefer not to show off my collection to anyone but other animal toy enthusiasts, to avoid getting hurt feelings, and feeling left out and such. All I can say, I feel happy to be an exceptional young teen who likes animal toys, and is not like everyone else

The clerk probably just thinks you're a generous person and is amazed at your finds. :)

Yes, I thought I was alone in this hobby as an adult. As a child, I didn't care, I played with them and all was good. But after the 'puberty' ages, things where complicated. I had one small shelf when I was 14 years old. I had a break then and began collecting again when I was 18/19 years. I recognize myself in Komodos story about the clerk looking strange at you. Especially when you buy almost every 3 weeks or so. You can't use a birthday from someone else as a excuse anymore XD I met my BF around that time and I remember the day when I told him about my 'weird' hobby. I was so nervous, ohmygoodness XD But, I found my true love as he didn't mind me having up to 100 toy animals as a hobby and encourage me to collect even more! He also loves animals and found some appealing too ^.^ He even made a little space for my growing collection when I lived with him on his attic. When people came to visit us, I became all red and mumbling about my collection when they asked about it. A few years after that, living in our own house. I started to get more prouder about my collection. And then I found STS, my world expended as did my collection. I was not alone! XD And now I have over 600 animals and my collection is my pride and joy!

I, alas, had the advantage of having kids.  And am old enough people might think I'm buying for nieces and nephews.  Plus, online stores.

I started collecting after my friend invited us over and we played with her toys. I convinced my husband we should get a few...then I joined the forum while looking up some and... Yeah. Not too much time being alone...

Educational value and an art reference. :)

If I'd started even three years before I probably would have felt rather alone though.

First of all, this is my very first post here. :) Indeed, I too, felt very lonely with this hobby. And not only that, but during a time, I actually felt... well... embarassed. I just worried about how would the clerks react to a grown young man buying things that are associated with kids. When I look back, I realize how stupid this was, but that´s truly how I felt. The fact that I didn´t knew about this forum or any other collectors in my country didn´t help.

Eventually, however, I stopped caring about what others may think. It´s my money, I do whatever I want with it. Give me strange looks, make fun of me in your lunch hour, I don´t care!

Some time later, I found this forum and realized that so many people have this as their hobby... it makes me feel even better! I just love collecting. Even when I was a kid, I bought these kind of toys more for collecting than playing with. It is a fun hobby, and beats spending your money on stuff like smoking or drinking. It´s healthier too.

Welcome here

Roger is from Portugal too You're definitely not alone!

Hello, and a warm wellcome here

Iuri97 wrote:

......
Eventually, however, I stopped caring about what others may think. It´s my money, I do whatever I want with it. Give me strange looks, make fun of me in your lunch hour, I don´t care! .....

Thank you, LeeAnn and SUSANNE!

Iuri97 wrote:

First of all, this is my very first post here. :) Indeed, I too, felt very lonely with this hobby. And not only that, but during a time, I actually felt... well... embarassed. I just worried about how would the clerks react to a grown young man buying things that are associated with kids. When I look back, I realize how stupid this was, but that´s truly how I felt. The fact that I didn´t knew about this forum or any other collectors in my country didn´t help.

Eventually, however, I stopped caring about what others may think. It´s my money, I do whatever I want with it. Give me strange looks, make fun of me in your lunch hour, I don´t care!

Some time later, I found this forum and realized that so many people have this as their hobby... it makes me feel even better! I just love collecting. Even when I was a kid, I bought these kind of toys more for collecting than playing with. It is a fun hobby, and beats spending your money on stuff like smoking or drinking. It´s healthier too.

Yuri, I started collecting these figures with twice your age. So, this hobby could never be a thing for kids. Actually before I get my first figure, I bought several to my niece when she was very young. Only after it, I started also collecting. I don't mind about what others think about it, I even use to show some of my figures to some people around. It is also much easier to manage with it when we are 40 that when we are 18 but I am sure that you have a strong personality and nobody will discourage you from collecting your figures.

Roger wrote:

Yuri, I started collecting these figures with twice your age. So, this hobby could never be a thing for kids. Actually before I get my first figure, I bought several to my niece when she was very young. Only after it, I started also collecting. I don't mind about what others think about it, I even use to show some of my figures to some people around. It is also much easier to manage with it when we are 40 that when we are 18 but I am sure that you have a strong personality and nobody will discourage you from collecting your figures.

Thank you, Roger! And believe me, I have most definitely "grown" out of that! Now, I do not care about the opinion of other people. If they find it strange, deal with it! It´s my hobby and I sure am not giving it up because one or two random people I don´t even know find it odd!

It has helped that I have recently met a store clerk that told me about the many people that come by the store (it´s an Imaginarium, by the way) and buy figures for themselves. Definitely not alone, I just don´t see them buying at the same time that I do.

It is a common feeling of mine to be a dodo among rock doves. I mean, being a total alien. So, have I ever felt I was the only one to collect animals? YES. And not only that. Here are other things that made me feel like a circus phenomenon:

1- Have I ever felt that I was the only one, as a teenager, to be in love with Alec John Such (former Bon Jovi bass player) and to feel totally indifferent about Jon Bon Jovi? Answer: YES.

2- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a little girl, to be the only one to prefer dragons, dinosaurs and wild animals to princesses and fairies? Answer: YES.

3- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a college student, to see objective truths in astrology while everyone else thought it was just crap? Answer: YES.

4- Have I ever felt I was the only one, in 1990, to still prefer Def Leppard while New Kids On the Block was (supposed to be) the big thing that year? Answer: YES.

5- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a yong girl and an adult, to never feel the need to weir make-up except for on Halloween? Answer: YES.

6- Have I ever felt to be the only one who was unable to weir high-heel shoes because my feet were too big and too uncomfortable in those? Answer: YES.

7- Have I ever felt to be the only one to prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate? Answer: YES.

8- Have I ever felt to be the only woman who does not dye her hair? Answer: YES.

9- Have I ever felt to be the only woman who never weirs pants, but always dresses and skirts? Answer: YES.

10- Have I ever felt I was the only woman to weir a swimsuit just for the sake of swimming? Answer: YES.

And I could go on and on like this...

I constantly feel like I am the only one in so many things.

Bowhead Whale wrote:

It is a common feeling of mine to be a dodo among rock doves. I mean, being a total alien. So, have I ever felt I was the only one to collect animals? YES. And not only that. Here are other things that made me feel like a circus phenomenon:

1- Have I ever felt that I was the only one, as a teenager, to be in love with Alec John Such (former Bon Jovi bass player) and to feel totally indifferent about Jon Bon Jovi? Answer: YES.

2- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a little girl, to be the only one to prefer dragons, dinosaurs and wild animals to princesses and fairies? Answer: YES.

3- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a college student, to see objective truths in astrology while everyone else thought it was just crap? Answer: YES.

4- Have I ever felt I was the only one, in 1990, to still prefer Def Leppard while New Kids On the Block was (supposed to be) the big thing that year? Answer: YES.

5- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a yong girl and an adult, to never feel the need to weir make-up except for on Halloween? Answer: YES.

6- Have I ever felt to be the only one who was unable to weir high-heel shoes because my feet were too big and too uncomfortable in those? Answer: YES.

7- Have I ever felt to be the only one to prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate? Answer: YES.

8- Have I ever felt to be the only woman who does not dye her hair? Answer: YES.

9- Have I ever felt to be the only woman who never weirs pants, but always dresses and skirts? Answer: YES.

10- Have I ever felt I was the only woman to weir a swimsuit just for the sake of swimming? Answer: YES.

And I could go on and on like this...

Loved to read your coment, lots of things in common with me... and I am not talking about make-up, high-heel shoes or things like that but the fact of not needing to have the same tastes of others to feel like a dove among city pigeons.

Perhaps that is how most interesting people feel ?

SUSANNE wrote:

Perhaps that is how most interesting people feel ?  

True!

Bowhead Whale wrote:

It is a common feeling of mine to be a dodo among rock doves. I mean, being a total alien. So, have I ever felt I was the only one to collect animals? YES. And not only that. Here are other things that made me feel like a circus phenomenon:

1- Have I ever felt that I was the only one, as a teenager, to be in love with Alec John Such (former Bon Jovi bass player) and to feel totally indifferent about Jon Bon Jovi? Answer: YES.

2- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a little girl, to be the only one to prefer dragons, dinosaurs and wild animals to princesses and fairies? Answer: YES.

3- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a college student, to see objective truths in astrology while everyone else thought it was just crap? Answer: YES.

4- Have I ever felt I was the only one, in 1990, to still prefer Def Leppard while New Kids On the Block was (supposed to be) the big thing that year? Answer: YES.

5- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a yong girl and an adult, to never feel the need to weir make-up except for on Halloween? Answer: YES.

6- Have I ever felt to be the only one who was unable to weir high-heel shoes because my feet were too big and too uncomfortable in those? Answer: YES.

7- Have I ever felt to be the only one to prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate? Answer: YES.

8- Have I ever felt to be the only woman who does not dye her hair? Answer: YES.

9- Have I ever felt to be the only woman who never weirs pants, but always dresses and skirts? Answer: YES.

10- Have I ever felt I was the only woman to weir a swimsuit just for the sake of swimming? Answer: YES.

And I could go on and on like this...

That all means that you have the courage to be yourself!

Ana wrote:

Bowhead Whale wrote:

It is a common feeling of mine to be a dodo among rock doves. I mean, being a total alien. So, have I ever felt I was the only one to collect animals? YES. And not only that. Here are other things that made me feel like a circus phenomenon:

1- Have I ever felt that I was the only one, as a teenager, to be in love with Alec John Such (former Bon Jovi bass player) and to feel totally indifferent about Jon Bon Jovi? Answer: YES.

2- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a little girl, to be the only one to prefer dragons, dinosaurs and wild animals to princesses and fairies? Answer: YES.

3- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a college student, to see objective truths in astrology while everyone else thought it was just crap? Answer: YES.

4- Have I ever felt I was the only one, in 1990, to still prefer Def Leppard while New Kids On the Block was (supposed to be) the big thing that year? Answer: YES.

5- Have I ever felt I was the only one, as a yong girl and an adult, to never feel the need to weir make-up except for on Halloween? Answer: YES.

6- Have I ever felt to be the only one who was unable to weir high-heel shoes because my feet were too big and too uncomfortable in those? Answer: YES.

7- Have I ever felt to be the only one to prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate? Answer: YES.

8- Have I ever felt to be the only woman who does not dye her hair? Answer: YES.

9- Have I ever felt to be the only woman who never weirs pants, but always dresses and skirts? Answer: YES.

10- Have I ever felt I was the only woman to weir a swimsuit just for the sake of swimming? Answer: YES.

And I could go on and on like this...

That all means that you have the courage to be yourself!

Thank you. That is comforting to read.

Sort of, and sort of not. Collecting has always been a niche thing, but maybe we can help expand it, as I would recommend animal figures to any animal lover out there. These animal toys are excellent. Good and educational for kids, and collectable for adults. It can also be educational for adults as well. It is a great hobby.

Well said BossLion.
* high five *

When I was younger (4-6) everyone at my school would play with animals, but when I was aged seven nobody was interested any more. I don't know a single person whom goes to my school and collects animal figures. When I did know someone they became uninterested so they gave their whole collection of over 150 retired Schleich to me which I was very happy about.

Now I'm alone in the collecting world with everyone I know, but at least their are great communities like this with people who are like me!