# Taxidermy. Taxidermist



## tyrs4u (Apr 21, 2013)

So what are people's feelings on saving their pets? I wondered about saving the carapace but it seems creepy. Your thoughts?


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## wellington (Apr 21, 2013)

I have never been able to wrap my head around keeping a pet as stuffed statue. I think it would be too hard.


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## tortadise (Apr 21, 2013)

Many people do this. Preservation of the shell for one. I have lots of kids and tours so I do have some remains of deceased tortoises. Dont have a collection or anything, but I do have some for educational purposes.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 21, 2013)

Emotionally, too hard ... I mean that was a beloved pet ... and did it die because of age, or failure, or negligence? But I will admit when you see specimens to be educated, you really are.


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Apr 21, 2013)

Taxidermy is fine for museums and the like, although I'm not fond of trophies. But taxidermy for a pet? No way, not me. Too sad. I could never taxidermy an animal I had an emotional bond with.


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## Weda737 (Apr 21, 2013)

Cremation has been the easiest option for me. I can't bear the thought of their bodies rotting in the ground and pet taxidermy just seems kind of twisted to me.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Apr 22, 2013)

Circle of life for me. Once it's dead, the spirit (or whatever it is o bne chooses to believe animals have) is gone. I had a snake die once when I was younger. I decided to perform an ad hoc necropsy to see what happened. Turned out it got impacted from the type of bedding I was using. I wasn't being morbid or anything; animal anatomy and physiology fascinates me and it was a learning experience in more ways than one.

But I totally understand everyone doesn't have the emotional fortitude to do something like that.


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## Tom (Apr 22, 2013)

StudentoftheReptile said:


> Circle of life for me. Once it's dead, the spirit (or whatever it is o bne chooses to believe animals have) is gone. I had a snake die once when I was younger. I decided to perform an ad hoc necropsy to see what happened. Turned out it got impacted from the type of bedding I was using. I wasn't being morbid or anything; animal anatomy and physiology fascinates me and it was a learning experience in more ways than one.
> 
> But I totally understand everyone doesn't have the emotional fortitude to do something like that.



Ditto for me.


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## AustinASU (Apr 22, 2013)

For me I find it fascinating, when the spirit is gone for me that is what i remember. I believe that certain specimens should be buried and others should be displayed in a museum. After all some of these large torts are 100+ yrs old just as ancient and majestic even after death. But here is my dilemma, these tortoises that go on display after death should not be of any money value period.....when we place value on the dead you place a shorter life span for living...thus why we have poachers. Not everyone will want to preserve there pet, but if it's been in the family for generations, I think it would be acceptable to preserve your tortoise of legend.


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Apr 22, 2013)

StudentoftheReptile said:


> Circle of life for me. Once it's dead, the spirit (or whatever it is o bne chooses to believe animals have) is gone. I had a snake die once when I was younger. I decided to perform an ad hoc necropsy to see what happened. Turned out it got impacted from the type of bedding I was using. I wasn't being morbid or anything; animal anatomy and physiology fascinates me and it was a learning experience in more ways than one.
> 
> But I totally understand everyone doesn't have the emotional fortitude to do something like that.



Yeah, I've dissected aquarium fish and frogs that had died. The reasons were old age, infection, or bad water quality. I've dissected lots of other animals in the lab, too .... however, I'm not sure I would do that with a pet turtle. Hmm.


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## pinkspore (Apr 23, 2013)

I have been gifted an empty shell that is instrumental in explaining why turtles can't come out of their shells. It's one thing to explain to the children in my program that the spine is fused to the shell, it's quite another lesson to actually hand them a shell so they can see the inside. I also have a variety of prepared bones and skulls to help illustrate other animal lessons. That said, none of those bones came from my own pets.

I certainly wouldn't be keeping parts of my departed animals around for sentimental reasons, but I could see preserving them for educational purposes.


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## ScottishFish (Apr 23, 2013)

I think it differs on the type of animal in question, personally I couldn't stuff my black labrador when he passes. 

But I think I could have my tort preserved, afterall hopefully I will be able to care for my hermanns for decades. So when it passes my grandkids will be able to have him, or even just the shell knowing that their grandfather cared for him for decades.

Which is kinda a long way off since I have just turned 21


_'Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white, then melts forever'
*~Robert Burns - Tam O' Shanter*_

0.0.1 Testudo hermanni boettgeri


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## GBtortoises (Apr 23, 2013)

No problem with it whatsoever. I have saved shells over the years, actually used to have some rare ones that I got from other sources. As far as other taxidermy animals it's not something I'm interested in but it doesn't bother me either. They're common around here.


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## CourtneyG (Apr 23, 2013)

I do not taxidermy, I get formaldehyde and put them on glass mounts in glass containers and preserve them that way.


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