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Gift Guide
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Use the suggestions below to lighten up your load this holiday season. This list is based off of either Items I own or have purchased for my children, and also suggestions based on surveying some of our Animal obsessed amigos. Click on pictures or links included to purchase from Amazon.
Wildlife Posters and Prints
North American Snakes
This laminated Poster catches the eye from across the room. I have it hanging in my stairwell going down to our reptile room.
The vintage wildlife guidebook look is awesome. It is not all inclusive, but depicts some of the favorites along with some snakes many never knew about. It is also informative, as each species is described in detail.
Venomous snakes are separated at the bottom in red!
Overall dimensions are 24 x 36.
Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins
(not laminated)
Our shelled reptile bros get their own poster in this illustrated educational piece.
Represented are those from the sea, the pond, the forest, the tropical regious, and the deserts of earth.
This poster boasts 66 of Earth's approximately 350 species in one well designed poster.
Overall dimensions are 24" x 36"
Vintage Reptile Print 11" x 14"
This is my favorite pieces of wall decor in my home.
This French "Old Fashioned" illustration includes reptiles and amphibians, in what I feel is a stunning arrangement that has that vintage look and feel.
Frame this piece for an excellent gift for any reptile lover. Adds a retro authentic vibe, but its still vibrant because they are freshly printed.
Great for a kid's room, office, family room, study, play room, or hang it near your pet reptile.
Frogs and Toads of the World
This colorful poster depicts many unique and iconic frogs and toads that exist on our planet.
This is a laminated poster, so no need for a frame. If you want to frame it, you can choose this option on Amazon which is less expensive.
Great for a kid's room, office, family room, study, play room, or hang it near your pet reptile.
Poster dimensions 24 x 36
Toys, Games, and Kits
Steve Irwin Funko POP
Name an animal lover that doesn't admire this absolute legend. Nature nerds young and old alike will appreciate the details and charm of this awesome collectible.
This is classic Steve with Crocodile.
Funko Pop figures are recognized as awesome collectibles and their popularity resonates with big kids too.
Blue Gel ANT FARMS
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Navadeal Blue Gel Ant Farm has to be one of the coolest i've seen. This habitat and its blue gel bring ant farming into the future.
This STEM approved item is a great way to have children of any age fascinated by the intricacies of the ants that burrow and roam its tubes and the ones they create before your eyes.
The gel is even plant based.
Ants For Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Queens, Drones, and the Hidden World of Ants
Authored by Beverly Gurdhman
For reading ages 6- 9.
This book had over 180 perfect reviews on Google, and for good reason. At 72 pags, there is plenty of interesting subject matter to go through while you polish up your Ant Skills.
TRIOPS Living Creature Kit
Do you remember Sea Monkeys?
My son and I had a great time hatching the eggs and raising these little prehistoric invertebrate monsters.
If you look up some additional directions online, you can have them lay eggs of their own, and learn how to dry them out, so you can have Triops forever instead of ordering new eggs!
Complete Veterinarin Set with Pets and Tools!
by Melissa and Doug
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Help your future Veterinarian development their medical skills and bedside manner with this awesome veterinarian set up. The set includes several familiar tools, as well as a dog and cat stuffed animal for practice examinations.
Set Includes 20 pieces, with a bag for containment.
12 piece realistic bug figurine set
These hyper realistic figurine toys help children build understanding, raise awareness, and destigmatize the bugs that make up the backbone of the animal world.
Superbly detailed, and durable, TOMANY toys do a great job. Each of these represents a specific species of insect or arachnid that exist around us.
This set is a no brainer for anyone fascinated about bugs, regardless of age!
16 piece TAMANY Toys realisic bug set Metamorphisis
Tomany makes these realistic toys in sets. This box contains 4 sets, each depicting one species of insect though 4 different life stages. There is one toy for each life stage.
Children can learn how some animals go thorugh very drastic changes throughout their lives.
These toys are so cool, and my kids still treasure their sets.
12 piece 2.5" turtle figurine collection
These turtle toys are detailed, sharp looking, and made out of durable materials. They do not necessarily represent exact species, but they are the perfect price at just under a dollar per piece.
The listing suggests using them as party giveaways and that is exactly when we did.
Bearded Dragon Plush toys by Adore
Awesome 21" Bearded Dragon stuffed toys.... a fraction of the cost of the real thing.
If your kid has been bugging you for a Bearded Dragon pet, and you don't want to deal with it, this lifelike substitute will buy you some time, and maybe even do the trick.
Features: Does not eat bugs... Can't escape. No exotic veterinarian needed, minimal caging requirements, and never poops.
If there is a bearded dragon fan in your life, they will appreciate having a toy they can snuggle with in bed at night.
These 21 inch toys are under $25 each, and are sold separately.
Animal Plush by Adore: Our Favorites
Adore makes quality stuffed plush toys in the likeness of some of our favorite pets, as well as some obscure animals as well. They are all in the 21 inch range, and cost around $25. These are quality toys that are both unique and iconic.
Individual pictures are linked directly to the corresponding toy's Amazon page. Also, while there, check out Adore's store for their entire selection. Each animal has a pet name like the Bearded Dragons above. Therese are hard NOT to start a collection of.
Animal Plush by Wild Republic
Wild Republic is another company making awesome life like stuffed animals. They are an excellent representation of the species they depict. I personally own the tarantula and my 10 year old son owns the Komodo Dragon!.
Great gift for any animal fan, as they are so well made and most represent a single species, which certainly increases their appeal to older children, and to niche interests of teens and adults as well. The spotted turtle and Sulcata tortoise are on my own christmas list this year!
Melissa & Dough 14 ft long Plush Boa
Lifelike stuffed animals are really cool and this one takes home the prize for the largest, measuring in at over 14 feet!
Inspire your child with this toy reptile. Do you want them to remember this holiday season? This should stick in their mind for the rest of their life.
Melissa & Dough make quality toys, and they aced this one with both design, materials, and durability.
Books
Wild About Us!
by Janet Stevens
WILD About US!
by Janet Stevens Illustrated by Karen Beaumont
This is a great short story that teaches children the value of diversity.
As Warty Warthog admires the attributes of his zoomates, he realizes everyone is different, and becomes aware of how dull the world would be if everyone looked the same!
Pre School - Grade 3
National Geographic Kids Sticker Activity Books
National Geographic hit an affordable home run with their Sticky Activity Book Series. Here are four that were my kids favorites. Each book is sold separately, comes with 1,000 stickers, and is loaded with activities. With so many animal stickers, they couldn't even fight over them.
There are a ton more of these books to choose from, and they range from animals, to space, dinosaurs, and more. Click on a title to the left to see more on Amazon.com
by Chris Mattison
Snake: The Essential Visual Guide
If you need a gift for someone who is snake obsessssssed, this listing has you covered.
This book is an amazing collection featuring hundreds of species of snake from around the world.
Stunning pictures and describing snake biology, classification, defense, reproduction, and habitat distribution, this will be sure to fascinate armchair and amaterur herpetelogists for hours at a time, and make a great reference for years to come.
192 pages Ages 8 and up https://amzn.to/3EHKPUv
Everything you need to know about SNAKES
This is another family favorite at our house.
This book actually explores more than just snakes as other reptiles are included.
Learn about fangs, surviving snake bites, and even about the Titanoboa in this fantastic hardcorer. Lizards, crocodiles, tortoises, and turtles also are touched upon.
And just like other Smithsonian books, the images are stunning in and of themeself.s. This book includes games and quizzes, plus facts on anatomy, diet, and behavior.
80 pages 7-10 years old
Photo Ark Wonders
by Joel Satore
Written by Joel Satore, Photographs by Joel Satore. One of the most respected and renowned wildlife photographers of our era.
The collection of animal photographs featured in this book time to represent the amazing diversity of earth's species.
Mr. Satore compares the similarities of unrelated animals throughout the book, and delves into details about his experiences on his expeditions while capturing the photographs.
Check out Joel's Instagram for a peek into his work. Amazing.
400 pages
Everything You Need to Know About Bugs
Many items on this list are about our creepy crawly invertebrate friends, and this is for good reason. Children are often fascinated by "bugs", and as they mature, many opportunities arise where we learn to vilify and even revile insects.
This is to the detriment of the health of our ecosystem, because these tiny creatures are the backbone of the food chains humans rely on to survive ourselves.
80 pages - Grade Level 2-5 - https://amzn.to/3yfax0c
Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to The World's Wildlife
This book is 632 pages of amazing. I have an earlier addition, and I was amazed that that it existed when I first got my hands on it.
It is the combined effort of over 70 specialists to lay out the over 2,000 of the worlds animals, and what makes them related to others. It is arranged in such a way as to structure one's understanding of the biodiversity on our planet.
Reptiels, Birds, Mammals, Amphinians, Fish, and Invertabrates are all hashed out, in detail, along with some of the best photography available. This is a must have reference at a great price.
Wild Side Zoo is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.