Here's a unique set of animals from the Mediterranean and African region.
When I first spotted these, I knew I had to pick up a set or two. Perhaps it's the animal lover in me that motivated me to do it, as I really haven't decided where to use them yet.
(I have quite a few items in the stash that fall into this category-- buy now while available, unknown need!)
I have to say these animals are small, but rather well detailed for their size, and careful painting will certainly enhance them.
So what exotic animals do you get for your 12 Euros?
In the package you will find:
• 2 Meerkats
• 1 Hamster, 1 Gerbil, and 1 lizard
• 1 Desert Fox and 1 Turtle (looks like a small land tortoise to me!)
• 2 Monkeys
SUMMARY
Highs: Unique and unusual subject matter.Lows: I don't think including 2 of each animal would have broke the bank. Verdict: If you like animals, and want an interesting vignette/diorama additional detail to add, try a set.
About Dave O'Meara (Grumpyoldman) FROM: FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
I'm rewriting this in a much more humoristic way, to help over inflate my ego, and place my self on a pedestal, because I don't have a life, and plastic models are the only thing I live for. I plead guilty as charged to excessive babble, light hearted humor, and continued encouragement to youngsters...
Dave-
Thanks for a great review and nice pics. Where did you order these from? When I looked, only the Italian vendor had them but they wanted 50 bucks to ship via slowboat.
Cheers!
Rick
I ordered directly from Mantis, I ordered two sets, and with shipping it didn't come to $50.00 I paid with Paypal. He has no shopping cart, it was done via emails.
I should have included a coin or something for size comparison. The gerbil and hamster are really small, but maybe a bit over scale. Perhaps wild gerbils and hamsters grow larger than the pet shop type.
The gerbil could be a Moroccan Jird, which is larger than the Mongolia gerbils found in pet shops. They all seem to look alike, and size seems to be a deciding factor in telling what type it is. (5 minutes research on Wikipedia)
As for the hamster, again it's probably not the pet shop type we are use to seeing, again form Wikipedia:
"The species of genus Phodopus are the smallest, with bodies 5.5 to 10.5 cm (about 2 to 4 inches) long; the largest is the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus), measuring up to 34 cm (about 13.5 inches) long, not including a short tail of up to 6 cm (2-1/4 inches). The Angora hamster, also known as the long-haired or Teddy Bear hamster, which is a type of the Syrian Hamster is the second largest hamster breed, measuring up to 18 cm (about 7 inches) long."
I would say both the gerbil, and hamster fit into the larger types, than the smaller pet shop types.
Thanks for the looky-see, Dave.
The bigger "monkey" looks interesting - I wonder what it is, it seems more ape than monkey (apparently there's a difference) . The Meerkats are an interesting addition, since they're only indigenous to Southern Africa - would be great little onlookers for a Bush War scene, or maybe even to a pre-20th century (historical) vignette.
Thanks again. Looks like a great little set - can't wait to see what Mantis do next
Rudi
Thanks for the review, Dave . I have actually used some of the animals in my vignette "No beer For You !" (see Diorama section of the forum). I personally think they're a great addition to your modelling stash and will liven up any scene when used . Cheers !
Kenneth .
I knew I seen them used somewhere, just couldn't remember where, damn it sucks getting old.
I've always liked these little critters, ever since I first saw them on a National Geographic show. ( they are part of the mongoose family)
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