Preserving Your Specimens- How do YOU do it and why?

I kept scorpions a while back, and was sorely disappointed at my inability to preserve their bodies afterwards (mostly not having experience doing so). With plans to get back into arachnids, and moving into tarantulas, i wanted to know if the preservations of dry specimens was a common practice on the forum, and ask you guys how you do it! I've heard everything from pinning to resin to even "pickling" the spiders. What do you do, and why is that your favorite way?

being as its so late im sure youl get better replies within a few hours but i do know quite a few people are into this i myself am interested as well as i know how to do the typical wet specimen/ who doesnt. but a dried/ freeze tried has also cought my attention.

Yeah I'm interested as to why people do it too.

Ashton said:

Yeah I'm interested as to why people do it too.

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personally i think its because if i just raised a male for 2-3 yrs or i had a fem iv had say 8 yrs.. you want to remember her a little bit. plus nothing wrong with keeping molts and the T to teach people as well.

I frame and mount peoples dead inverts in shadow boxes and other sorts of setups.

I was always tempted to try resin casting myself. I used to work with resin plastics, but never tried clear resin. I know that people don't like taking risks with the fumes in their own houses and garages, but I've always had an open area for craft. I just think it'd be cool to have armies of resin cubed spiders that you raised yourself!

I'd like to know how a person goes about preserving as well - there was a post recently involving freezing before pinning/mounting it, which is simple enough. Resin casting would be awesome if you had the materials & know-how. I have a small taxidermy collection, but I've only built the shadow boxes to fit. It'd be interesting to add a couple Ts to the mix when the time comes.

I'm a small mammal taxidermist and started incorporating invert preservation into my work. I have developed a process for it. pm me for details if you really want to know or I can immortalize your pets for you in various scenes, domes, or shadowboxes! You can see my work here: www.preciouscreature.com

I do it because I love the art and aesthetic of taxidermy. I feel it is a shame to just bury something so beautiful that could otherwise be treated and preserved for years to come. Also, as far as pets go, preserving them is a unique and touching way to keep your memories of them. I only preserve my inverts though. I couldn't do my own pet rats. Not sure exactly why.

---------- Post added 07-23-2014 at 08:27 PM ----------

PS- YES always freeze your animals as soon as they pass or as soon as you have noticed. It will keep decomposition at bay. Otherwise, you could end up with a squishy, horribly smelly, unworkable specimen.

laurenkane you create very beautiful work.

sugarsandz said:

laurenkane you create very beautiful work.

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Thanks a bunch!

I found a cool tutorial with resin casting on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Wp9CmSKFY

But it doesnt specify that the specimen has to be COMPLETELY DRY (because he's working with coins, and not spooders )
Shadowbox people, how do you dry your specimens?