Select Taxidermy Products | Life Size Forms (2025)

FAQs

What are taxidermy forms made of? ›

Epoxy resin is laminated in layers upon these segments to strengthen the mould. Once cured, the mould is cleaned and polished, and then bolted back together. Thereafter, liquid polyurethane foam is poured into to the mould to create a cast copy of the sculpture. This is called a mannikin or a taxidermy form.

For instance, a re-creation eagle could be constructed using turkey feathers, or a cow hide could be used to simulate African game". A famous example of a re-creation mount is a giant panda created by taxidermist Ken Walker that he constructed out of dyed and bleached black bear fur.

You must have good manual dexterity, an eye for detail, knowledge of animal anatomy, and training in the taxidermy processes. Taxidermists who operate their own business must have good business management, finance, and marketing skills. Clear communication skills are also important for interacting with customers.

Taxidermy is a way of preparing, stuffing and/or mounting an animal for display or study. It usually involves arranging an animal's real skin over a fake body to make the animal look alive! It is a way of preserving the body so that scientists or Museum visitors can see what the animal was like when it was alive.

Different Types of Taxidermy

A conventional skin mount is when you use the skin of an animal to put on a mannequin. A reproduction uses fiberglass or plastic to reproduce the animal. You will see this with many fish mounts that are painted. The freeze-dry method is when you freeze dry the whole animal.

State of the art techniques in specimen creation involve the use of innovative silicone and urethane rubbers, plastics, foams, and pigments to create reproductions of fish, reptiles, waterfowl and game.

A Federal Taxidermy permit is required to perform taxidermy services on migratory birds or their parts, nests, or eggs for someone other than yourself. Taxidermy permits authorize you to receive and temporarily possess legally acquired, properly tagged migratory birds for mounting or other preparation.

Taxidermy Booklets

An inexpensive way to get a start in learning taxidermy is with a beginner's home study course. The Serious Sportsman Taxidermy for Beginner's Course contains fully illustrated instruction for everything you need to know to get started in taxidermy. Seven booklets take you through 29 lessons.

Snakes. Snakes are very difficult to preserve because they have complex musculature. When tanning the snakeskin, it loses its color and pigmentation. Taxidermists must meticulously paint each scale by hand to make the preserved snake look authentic.

Is taxidermy hard to do? ›

Fair warning: it will take a lot of hard work, time, and patience. This is a difficult art form and just like any art, you need a lot of practice to get better. Taxidermy is an endurance sport and you have to build and train your muscles.

What are taxidermy animals stuffed with? Taxidermy animals aren't really 'stuffed' with anything. Traditionally, after the animal is skinned and measurements are taken from the carcass, a sturdy structure is made to replicate the carcass which is constructed out of bound woodwool and wire.

An experienced taxidermist utilizes certain techniques to ensure a lasting tribute during the preservation process. One such method is dermestid beetle cleaning, removing the flesh from the animal's remains. This helps prevent decomposition as beetles consume any remaining flesh before the mounting process begins.

Large mammals, such as elephants, antelopes and giraffes, offer extreme engineering challenges, due to their size. Meanwhile, very small animals test a taxidermist's ability to sculpt on a miniature scale, "like modeling an eyelid that's the size of a hair," she added.