Taxidermy discussion

So here it is 🙂
Since I’m obsessed with animals and the great outdoors, I decided to turn my place into a little kingdom of departed creatures LOL (sounds weird, I know—but just bear with me)...
The technical term for this in English is taxidermy 🙂
Go ahead and scroll through the photos and let me know what you think 🙂
http://cabinetcuriosities.deviantart.com/
*Just a heads up, this DeviantArt profile isn't mine—it actually belongs to a super lovely person living in Germany...
Since this "hobby" involves scavenging for dead animals and old furs...
Basically, anything dead found by the side of the road that can be salvaged is more than welcome...
I mean, birds, rodents, various cats or dogs—it's all fine, as long as we aren't beating them to death to get them 😢 (which would obviously be against our laws here in the US)
Take a look at the pictures and maybe do a little research before you start coming for me like I'm some kind of monster...
What I really need to know is where to pick up some tools and fur oils...
And I'm also curious about how to make a Squishmallow...
In the taxidermy world, a Squishmallow is basically a term for a preserved animal that has a custom insert for the head (and whatever else you want for the body) so it feels more like a toy...
It's soft, stuffed, and isn't meant to be used as a trophy or a collar...
If anyone knows their stuff, please help me out—specifically, how do I bleach skulls? 🙂
Also, does anyone know where I can buy glass eyes for my "animals"...
*Look, if this sounds twisted to you, that's fine, but please don't try to attack or insult me—any comments attacking my "hobby" will be reported directly to the site admins... I love animals; I have two dogs and a cat, and I would never dream of hurting them...
I just love nature, and doing this makes it easier for me to study different species up close...
And for the record, I don't kill animals. I just find carcasses. If an animal is injured, I provide actual help (which includes trips to the vet and everything)...
If any of you have a similar hobby, please speak up and be generous with your advice LOL

Maybe try reaching out to one of those local hunting clubs? They should at least know how to bleach a skull properly and where to score some eyes. 😬

Amy Cook29 said:So, basically... 🙂
Since I’m obsessed with animals and nature, I decided to turn my house into a little kingdom for dead animals LOL (yeah, sounds weird, but just keep reading)...

Honestly, thank God you added that part about keeping on reading, because that seriously sounded super creepy 😁, almost like you were 🤣
about to start a cult or something.

It’s not even weird. Like, what’s actually strange about wanting to take a cat carcass, stuff it with some soft filling, and then... I don't know, just hang out with it? 😕

😬

LMAO usually us taxidermists get weirdly attached to our very first Squishmallow or skull or whatever
It’s almost like having a little pet hanging around
I know, I know, sounds totally bizarre
But honestly? It's true LOL 🙂

I only collect skulls... As for bleaching, I assume people use peroxide, though I personally avoid it because it makes them look fake and too bright. If I find an uncleaned skull, I boil it (fair warning: it smells disgusting—do this outside or in the garage), clear out the tissue, and let it sit in the sun for a few weeks.
Anyway, you can find tons of stuff on eBay, but I prefer scavenging in nature. Just make sure you aren't buying endangered species.
Go for it.

Keith Wilson said:I only collect skulls... regarding bleaching, I think people use peroxide, though I don't bother with it because it makes them look way too fake and bright for my taste. If I find an uncleaned head, I just boil it (fair warning—it smells absolutely revolting, so you have to do this outside or in the garage), clean off the tissue, and let it sit out in the sun for a few weeks.
Anyway, you can find a ton of stuff like that on eBay, but personally, I prefer scavenging in nature. Just make sure you aren't buying anything from an endangered species.
Go for it!

Wow 😁 I guess we could call you a fellow taxidermist LOL
🙂 I know it has to be done outside and that it stinks LOL
Can you use bugs too? 🙂 You just have to make sure the dog or something doesn't run off with it LOL 😂
Thanks for the tip 🙂
Though I wouldn't really go out looking for skulls specifically—like you said, I'd much rather just find things in the wild 🙂
I might bleach a few skulls here and there, though... maybe I'll give one to my old biology teacher as a gift 🙂

Actually, I'm looking into furs now too, and since fox hunting season starts up in November, they should be super cheap (unprocessed ones, anyway) ☕
No, foxes aren't endangered—I mean, the hunting season is literally open... plus, the population is regulated so they don't overpopulate. And honestly, most of those pelts probably end up thrown away if they aren't sold or preserved 🤷
I'm going to try and grab as many as I can...
And there's plenty of carrion to scavenge too...
Whatever I find, I find...
Also, does anyone know where you can actually get eyes for this kind of stuff?
Plus, I'll check the flea markets ☕ to see if I can find any deer antlers or something like that...

Elizabeth Davis said:It’s not weird at all—what's so strange about wanting to scoop up a dead cat, stuff it with soft filling, and then—I don't know—play around with it? 😕

😬

Seriously—you wouldn't believe the stuff people post on this Reddit... 🤣 🤣 😵 🙂 😬

Amy Cook29 said:*This might sound sick to you, but if you don't like it, please don't attack or insult me—because any replies insulting my "hobby" will be reported to the site admins... I love animals, I have two dogs and a cat, and I would never hurt them...
I just love nature and want to do this because it makes it easier for me to study various animals...

No laughing allowed! 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szWKICHqyEk 🤣

Lisa Hernandez95 said:Man, seriously—you can find just about anything on this Reddit... 🤣 🤣 😵 🙂 😬

Laughter is strictly prohibited! 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szWKICHqyEk 🤣

LOL Wut? LMAO
It’s not like laughter is banned, it’s just about not being all judgmental about it LOL
I mean, really, you see everything on here...
Not that I'm planning on getting involved in any of that drama though—just putting it out there LOL🙄

I mean, what’s the point if you aren't actually going to play with it? Like, for real? I get having a Squishmallow sitting there as "decor" or whatever, but why bother getting something soft if it's not meant for playing (and you literally said it wasn't even for carrying around) 😕

Elizabeth Davis said:I mean, what are you actually going to do with them if you aren't planning to play with them? Like, for anything serious? I get having a firm-stuffed animal as a "decoration," but what’s the point of a soft one if it isn't for playing (and you specifically said they aren't for carrying around) 😕

It's just for studying and decoration—but who said I wouldn't have hard-stuffed animals too? LOL
Just look at these, please 🙂

http://cabinetcuriosities.deviantart.com/
http://deerfishtaxidermy.deviantart.com/
http://soft-mount-taxidermy.deviantart.com/
http://fossilizedmouse.deviantart.com/
http://foxycreations.deviantart.com/
http://autumncreektaxidermy.deviantart.com/
Hopefully you can find a bit more info here :P
Besides, we could always just make our own little blankets, collars, whatever...
But most of these animals are basically just decor :P 😁:klap:

Look, sorry, but I think those decorations are just ugly. Honestly, those hunting "trophies" are pretty hideous too—I’m tossing my grandad's stuff out the second I get the chance...
but hey, to each their own 🙂

Look, I get it—to a lot of people, this stuff looks ugly 🙂 but we aren't just talking about random trophies here; there are actual animals preserved in formaldehyde in the mix too, LOL
Some folks find the whole thing totally gross, while others think it’s actually pretty cool—it really just depends on the person, I guess :P
At the end of the day, we all have our own weird little hobbies, right? LMAO

No, I’m actually done laughing at this. What’s in those links is honestly gross. I have zero clue what you think you're "studying" here—I mean, you study living animals, right? Either in the wild, in a lab setting, or dead via dissection and microscopy...
What exactly can you learn from a dead taxidermied animal sitting in someone's house? 😕 Unless you're trying to master human pathology, maybe? ☕

An ornament!? 😲 An ornament (if we're being generous) is a living creature—like a dog or a cat in your home. This sounds like someone claiming they can call their deceased relative an "ornament" and just display them in the living room. But hey, to each their own... 🙄

Lisa Hernandez95 said:No, I’m honestly not laughing anymore. What’s in those links is just plain gross. I really don't get what you mean by "studying" here—I mean, seriously? You study living animals—either out in the wild or as part of an actual scientific experiment—or you study them when they're dead through dissection or microscopy... this isn't that.
What can you actually study when someone’s passed away? It’s one of those things that sounds straightforward until you really start digging into the specifics—there are so many different angles to take. I'm just sitting here thinking about how everything feels so... pre-packaged lately—you know? Like, you go to buy something simple, and instead, you get this overly processed, "ready-made" version of reality that’s been smoothed over by some corporate marketing department before it even hits the shelf. It’s all so curated. Everything is prepared for us before we even realize we wanted it, which honestly feels a little suffocating if I'm being real. Sometimes I miss when things felt raw—just unpolished and actually genuine. So, I was just sitting here thinking—is having a pet in the house actually worth it? Like, really? It’s one of those things people just assume is a given, but when you actually stop to weigh the chaos against the companionship, it gets complicated. On one hand, you have the whole "unconditional love" thing—which is great, obviously—but then there's the reality of hair everywhere, the random midnight zoomies, and the constant feeling that you’re living in someone else's house. Honestly, sometimes I feel like my own living room belongs more to the pets than me. It's a lot of work, a lot of cleaning, and a lot of "why did I agree to this?" moments... but then they look at you a certain way and you're right back at square one. What do you guys think? Is it a net positive or just organized madness? 😕 Unless we’re talking about human pathology, maybe? ☕

Decoration!? 😲 Decorations (if you can even call them that) are supposed to be living things—like a dog or a cat running around the house. To me, this feels like someone deciding to classify their taxidermied relative as a "piece of decor" and just setting them up in the living room. But hey, to each their own, I guess... 🙄

🙂 Well, honestly... this is pretty much exactly what I expected. 🙂
It’s pretty simple—the animal is already gone, I'm just keeping it around...
Good grief. 🙂
I mean, I don't know... this whole thing actually kind of interests me.
So... what now?
Did I say I thought it was funny? -,-
And seriously—can we please stop bringing up dead people immediately? Like, just give it a rest already.
Honestly, whenever someone brings that up to me, I just feel like turning them into a ghost. Seriously.
Honestly, when I finally head out across the country with my brother and start hunting animals like this... I probably won't be considered sane.
I mean, like I said before—if we’re talking about something that would actually be alive, there is just no way in hell I could even lift a finger...
Maybe on a fox or a badger, but honestly—that's only if they actually attack, which is incredibly rare...
And I did say right at the start that this was going to be weird...
Even if it felt awkward—and man, it really did—at least I finally spoke up...
It’s honestly just one of those things—some people look at photos and think they look terrible, while others think they look amazing, and then you’ve got that whole other crowd convinced we’re just awful people... it's wild how everyone sees things so differently.
I mean, if it’s already dead, what’s the harm in just doing it?
We all have our own little ways to pass the time... different hobbies, different obsessions—it’s just how we're wired, I guess. Some people spend their weekends hiking through the Rockies, others are deep into vintage collecting on eBay, and then there's me—just drifting from one thing to the next without much direction. It's kind of funny when you think about it—how we all find these specific niches to call our own. One minute you're obsessed with a certain niche community on Reddit, and the next, you've completely pivoted to something else entirely. Honestly, it's a bit exhausting trying to keep up with everything, but hey, that's life, right?
It’s just going to be one of those things that certain people will always find a reason to hate... honestly.
I mean, look—if you’re actually planning on becoming a pathologist or a vet like I am, you really can't afford to be squeamish. There's just no room for being grossed out when this is the career path you choose... honestly.
I mean, if we’re actually going to draw comparisons to how people handle things... it's kind of like embalming. Just—sort of a weird, clinical way to preserve something, I guess? It's just my two cents.
Well, that’s just your opinion...
I guess I’m almost used to hearing stuff like that by now... honestly.
It’s always the same thing—first I get dragged for being a Furry and a therian, and then it shifts to people calling me a terrible person just because I actually use my brain and refuse to be some mindless drone for my peers... honestly, it never ends.
I was always the one everyone leaned on—you know, that designated shoulder to cry on whenever things went south. But then, when I actually needed someone to catch me, my "friends" weren't exactly there to hold the umbrella. It’s funny, in a really messed up way—how you can be the rock for everyone else and then suddenly realize you're just standing there alone in the rain. Honestly, it kind of sucks.
When my dad passed away...
For the most part, I’d say I’m a pretty normal guy—nothing too crazy about me—but I have this thing where I just love nature. I've always felt this pull to bring a little bit of the great outdoors inside, even if my way of doing it is a bit... unconventional, let's call it. It's like, why wait for a hike when you can try to recreate that vibe right in your own living room? Even if it ends up looking a little weird sometimes.

this honestly feels a little childish to me. please tell me you aren't under 18 🙂

Elizabeth Davis said:this honestly sounds like you’re a kid—please tell me you aren’t under 18 🙂

Look, I get how young that might come across, but I’m talking about back when I was just a little kid 🙄
I wouldn't say I had a huge circle of friends, even though I was pretty outgoing and never really the type to be "too much" or clingy...
but I never truly fit in with the crowd...
Because ever since I was tiny, people have just labeled me an animal freak, and honestly, nothing has really changed since then...

Amy Cook29 said:🙂 Honestly, this is pretty much what I expected 🙂
The animal is already dead—I'm just preserving it...
Good grief 🙂
If you think this is interesting...
So what...
And did I say I found it funny? -,-
And seriously, stop bringing up dead people immediately.
Because when someone brings that up to me, I feel like making them a corpse too...
Besides, when I go out with my brother and we end up having to kill animals out in the world, I probably won't be "normal"...
Because like I said, if it were actually alive, I couldn't lift a finger against it.
Maybe against a fox or a badger, but only if they attack—which is super rare...
And yeah, I said at the start that it would be weird...
It was weird, sure, but at least I warned you...
Basically, some people find it gross in photos, some think it's cool, and others think we're terrible people...
But if it's already dead, why not?
Everyone has different hobbies...
And there will always be people who think they're gross...
Anyway, if you're planning to be a pathologist or a vet like me, there's no room for being squeamish...
Plus, if we're comparing it to humans, it's basically like embalming...
But hey, that's just your opinion...
And I'm pretty much used to opinions like that by now...
From all the criticism about being a Furry therian, to people calling me a bitch because I use my own brain and don't want to be a slave to my peers...
I was the shoulder to cry on even when my friends weren't there for me...
When my dad passed away...
And honestly, I'm a pretty normal person who loves nature and just wants to have a little bit of nature in my house in a unique way...

Are you really trying to threaten people with the admins while writing like this? 🙄

Just read through all the nonsense you rambled out—it’s totally headless, tailless, and makes zero sense—it's hard to even understand what you're trying to say.

The only thing I've realized now, which puts your hobby in a new light, is that you want to be a vet or a pathologist. But you should have put that in the intro post, which should have been written properly instead of just throwing a pile of disconnected sentences and associations at us. 🤷

Lisa Hernandez95 said:So, you’re out here trying to act all tough and threatening people by pulling the "admin" card, but then this is how you actually write? Seriously? 🙄

And seriously, just read back everything you wrote—it’s all over the place, totally lacking any logic or flow, and honestly? It doesn't even make sense. I'm having a really hard time following what you're actually trying to say here.

The only thing I’ve really wrapped my head around now—which actually puts your whole hobby in a completely different light—is that you’re aiming to become a vet or a pathologist. But honestly? You really should have mentioned that in your intro post. You know, like, written a proper introduction instead of just dumping a pile of random, disconnected sentences and half-baked associations all over the place. 🤷

Goddammit...
Well, I guess... 🙂
I’ve never been much of an explainer, honestly—just not my thing. 🙄
My main keyboard is acting up and eating half my letters—I’m basically just cobbling sentences together at this point because I’m stuck in the middle of some massive rush... ☕
🙂
And I still haven't found a way to actually get the goat applied... ugh. 🙂
I've searched every single corner of this city looking for where I could find the stuff—every nook and cranny—and honestly? Nothing. Zilch. Zero. 🤷

Have you tried searching for hunting sites?
Maybe they'll have some glue, since hunters usually need it for taxidermy anyway.