Has anyone had their pet freeze dried? What led you to make this decision? My cat passed away and I am considering this option

Hey guys, Does anyone know how long will it take for them to send your refund if you don’t respond to the 12C letter ? I missed the deadline to return the information they needed and I know they will adjust my refund, I just want to know how long it will take them to send it

Where are good places to look for completed mounts of small mammals, if there are any? I haven't noticed any that I can remember in antique stores and I've never been to a flea market. I would love to find things like squirrels, mink, opossum, skunk, raccoons, etc, for decor in my Adirondack home.

Let’s say you have a pet rabbit or bunny or hair, and it passes on, can you taxidermy just the foot to keep as a lucky rabbits foot?

Any answer would help and will be greatly appreciated!

My boss wants to purchase a turkey vulture taxidermy, one with the wings spread out. Does anyone know where I could find something like this?

Stop bleaching skulls and bones! Bleach dries out the organic matter in bones, which breaks down some of the proteins and leaves behind calcium. Your skulls will turn dusty and flaky. I have had people stop by the shop with a skull they did themselves and bleached the life out of it asking if I can fix it. It’s irreversible damage. They most asked questions on here are about “bleaching”, please don’t.

i was wondering how to preserve a dead mouse specimen.

my flat has a small mouse issue, and one died in the kitchen like three days ago. i was hoping to keep it in a wet specimen jar.

however, i dont know how to go about this and everywhere online is quite discouraging as "materials are carcinogenic and dangerous". (i live in UK). i tried contacting taxidermy experts but they dont work with wet specimens due to this.

if anyone has any advice on how to go about this it would be greatly appreciated. the mouse died due to poison... would that have an effect?

i have also read that i should freeze it as soon as possible, but given that it has been a few days i dont know if its still viable. do i just triple vaccuum bag it and stick it in the freezer?

im very new to this sort of thing haha forgive my questions

Hey Reddit,

I've never cleaned a skull before, so this is my first time doing it. I have a septic system, so I can't use bleach or any harsh chemicals. But to start, I got a pig skull from a local butcher shop, just because I thought it would be a neat novelty and I was interested in trying a taxidermy project, since I've never done it. When I got the skull, it was dry already, but had a ton of grease on it still (didn't look like the butcher really did much). I've been macerating the skull for maybe a week now? And it's still got cartilage and bits of tissue on the inside of it. None of the teeth have really released yet either. It doesn't feel super greasy, but I'm curious of a few things.

First, should I macerate it longer? How long is too long for a pig skull? Currently, I'm just letting it soak in the other room inside a giant metal pressure cooker pot so I can seal the lid off. It's soaking in Ajax Degreasing Dishsoap.

Second, should I be occasionally letting it dry? Like should I let it dry out a couple hours and then let it soak more?

Hello! So I've recently scavenged some skulls from a farm, and I washed them how I was instructed to do, water, detergent and very small amount of sanitary water. But for some reason, they have a really weird smell, not like anything I have smelled before(definitely not rotten flesh). Any advice?

I have a beautiful reindeer pelt which I need to display on the wall as I don't have a big enough flat surface. I also don't want it to be permamently stuck to the wall or altered in anyway. I was wondering if clips such as these https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1453907665/heavy-duty-rug-clips-tapestry-hangers?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_au_en_au_eall&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjw_qexBhCoARIsAFgBletu0CkNZnmNvm3fkcx3MhF7L_wj_kCQmZSWaqBPK5geUs7J3OlAdDgaAmgHEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_21084403354_160210754832_692871796006_aud-2080357863802:pla-293946777986_c__1453907665enau_102845289&utm_custom2=21084403354&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_qexBhCoARIsAFgBletu0CkNZnmNvm3fkcx3MhF7L_wj_kCQmZSWaqBPK5geUs7J3OlAdDgaAmgHEALw_wcB would be suitable to hold it to the wall without damaging it severely, though I understand that it will probably cause a bit of damage exactly where it is clipped. This is still preferable to me than nailing it or sewing on velcro or anything like that. If anyone has any advice on this or a different type of clip which may work better, it would be greatly appreciated.

what it says on the tin, really. got a fantastic Caracal rug off an estate sale that lost its ears completely, and a mount that's just missing the iconic fur tufts up-top.

(reddit only lets you do text posts on mobile anymore, so no pictures at the moment)

I know probably the best option (besides an actual extra caracal pelt dropping from the ether into my lap) would be dyeing and/or chopping up some lynx faces since they have similar ears, but I don't have access to any, and I'm not looking to cannibalize the one pelt I do have.

mostly looking for suggestions. at this point I'm kinda just taking shots in the dark. boar fur? dye up some donkey mane? coyote tail tufts? I have plenty of scraps lying around but most of it is like. mink and rabbit pelts people keep dumping on me, which aren't exactly a good match.

I'm not on here much but I'd really appreciate any help y'all can offer!

Hello all,

I'm writing a research documentary paper on taxidermy. For those who actively practice taxidermy, could you possibly answer some of the questions I have? Thanks in advance to those who participate.

​

Questions: (Not all need to be answered, but would be appreciated)

• Can you tell me about your background and experience as a taxidermist?
• What initially attracted you to the art and science of taxidermy?
• How long have you been practicing taxidermy, and what led you to pursue it as a career or hobby?
• Can you walk me through the taxidermy process from start to finish?
• What materials and tools are commonly used in taxidermy, and how do you use them?
• Are there specific techniques or innovations in taxidermy that you find particularly interesting or challenging?
• How do you ensure that the specimens you work with are ethically sourced and obtained?
• What are some ethical considerations in taxidermy, particularly concerning the treatment of animals and the preservation of species?
• Do you believe taxidermy has a role in conservation or education? If so, how?
• How do you approach the artistic aspects of taxidermy, such as posing and expression?
• Can you describe a particularly memorable or challenging project you've worked on, and what made it unique?
• How do you balance artistic expression with the anatomical accuracy required in taxidermy?
• Are there any organizations or communities for taxidermists that you are involved with?
• Do you participate in or conduct workshops, classes, or educational programs to teach others about taxidermy?
• How do you see the future of taxidermy evolving, particularly in terms of education and outreach?
• What do you find most rewarding about practicing taxidermy?
• Have you encountered any misconceptions or stereotypes about taxidermy, and how do you address them?
• How has your perspective on taxidermy evolved over time, and what lessons have you learned from your experiences?

Hi! So I’m actually an artist who works with animal remains, not a full-on taxidermist (I’m a college student and I don’t think my roommate would love a full on taxidermist setup lol) yet. I make a lot of art beading tail keychains. I buy mostly from Glacierwear, but there are a lot of really beautiful fox tail variations I love that they, and seemingly nowhere else, sells. I was wondering how I should go about trying to find more interesting and specific tail and coat variations? Do I ask tanneries? Are there databases? Any help appreciated!!

EDIT: FYI, I will NEVER buy from Amazon, SHEIN, etc. large farms are a no for me. I only buy tails as scrap.

I have a bleached javelina skull and the jaw is separate. I was thinking to glue it and then hang it from a nail. Any recommendations on the best method and glue to use??

I'm finding it really difficult to find resources that give me a good overview of what I need to taxidermy small mammals and birds (especially with regard to tanning). There aren't really any taxidermy courses in my country. Would anyone be able to point me in right direction?

What would be the best way to wet preserve pig skin in a jar? Complete newbie so tips appreciated. The skin would be tattooed so preferably nothing that would interfere with the ink.

Would dry preserving it be possible too?

TIA

Hey all pretty new to this but have two treated skins / tans of birds - packed in salt now after skinning and washing with L5 and a coat of L1 bird tanning liquid , I’m using them for an art piece that I just want them as the skins not a mount - can I just go ahead and brush the salt off? Are these “done” for lack of a better way of putting it ? Or am I going to be looking at a decaying mess lol

does anyone have expirience cleaning bones of an animal with metabolic bone disease ? i have 2 of my rescue MBD leopard geckos that passed away in my freezer and was thinking of cleaning their bones but idk if that’d go well since they had MBD.

My husband gifted me a taxidermied raccoon which is beautiful, but it reeks of formalin. I can't really air it out indoors even next to an open window as it stinks up the place. I currently have it in a plastic tub. I've tried putting white vinegar and baking soda near it to absorb the VOCs to no avail. What can I do? If I air it out outside are bugs going to take an interest or is the smell enough to keep them away?

Is there anyone out there who can help me identifying this ram? My husbands uncle is the owner, and he is currently in hospice care due to brain cancer. Long story short, his family is having to go through his home. He is a high class hoarder- meaning he has a TON of paintings, coins, watches, taxidermy, etc that has never been touched. He was not the best record keeper, so we have yet to organize his documents.

We know it is a rare sheep/ram? and he paid really good money for this back in the 90s, but that is all we know. I don't have posting permissions on taxidermy.n e t , so I figured I would try my fave place Reddit.

https://preview.redd.it/uhpyno25ebwc1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c778dbf65918d9662e535ed649edd0b4fcf88b4