Taxidermy Care

## **Introduction**

In the lab, we have various taxidermy specimens. It is very important to take care of these specimens to preserve the beauty of the animal. Anybody can do basic taxidermy care with just a little bit of knowledge. Here, I will outline how to help keep our taxidermy beautiful (and most importantly, pest free!)

## Cleaning

Keeping the specimens clean is a relatively easy task. They should be dusted with a paper towel and a very LIGHT amount of alcohol roughly once every 2 or so months. The taxidermy that is exposed and not inside of cupboards should be dusted more often; perhaps once a month.

* DO NOT USE ALCOHOL ON ANYTHING BUT THE FUR. This is very important. Alcohol strips paint, and will strip if off any painted skin areas on the mount. Do not let any alcohol touch anything that is not fur.
* Clean the eyes of the animals with a cotton swab dipped in water; not alcohol. Many of the animals have painting around the eyes, so it is not safe to use alcohol. The porcupine and duck have painted eyes, so alcohol must never go near the eyes of those two especially.
* Never soak the mounts. If there are any deep stains that you just can't get out, please ask Sam to deal with it. Getting a mount too wet in an inproper manner can cause it to rot or lose feathers/fur, or may even cause the leather to fall apart.
* The turtle can be cleaned with alcohol as well. The same rule applies; do not soak it!
* ***Always wear a mask and gloves when cleaning all taxidermy***. Not only do they let off a lot of dust, but they are old and we do not know what they are preserved with, so it is better to be safe. They are also laced with Borax.
* Dust the bases with whatever method you choose. Plain water works very well for this. Take note of any sawdust-like material on the bases; this can be a sign of bugs eating the mount.
* Take note of any holes or lose parts while you clean and let Sam know so it can be fixed. Don't dispose of any large feathers that come out; they can be re-attached.
* Always be as gentle as possible with the mounts. They can be quite fragile.
* ***\*If you are unsure of anything that you are doing, please ask Sam about it first. Don't risk damaging the mounts.\****

## Carpet Beetles

These cute little fellows are the number one enemy of taxidermy. They can cause extreme amounts of damage if left unchecked for periods of time, and it is best to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Here are some pictures of them to help you out in identifying them. Check for them every time you clean a mount.

   These pictures should help you identify what the little guys look like. The adult beetles are not as important as the larva; the larva is what damages the mounts. The adults are just signs that there are beetles present in the building. I will provide links to pictures of the adults as well.

If you see anything that looks like skin on a mount, inspect it more thoroughly. If it is a bird, bring it to Sam; birds are tough to inspect carefully without messing up the feather placement. Most of the time, skins mean it is too late; the bug is already gone from the mount. However, it is good to check just in case. If you find a live larva, this is a cause for concern. This should be immediately brought to Sam's attention, as it may indicate an infested mount. Sometimes there can be just one larva on a mount, but it is important to be careful with these little guys. Often, it will be hard to see skins, or live larva especially, because they eat at the base of the hairs on a mount and like to stay hidden from view. So, really be on the lookout!

Notes:

* There are several ways to get rid of these little buggers:

1. The most effective is long-term freezing (2 weeks minimum), and then freezing for 2 weeks minimum again a week later after thawing to kill any eggs that may have survived. This, of course, will not bug-proof the mount and will only kill what is on it at the time. However, acting quickly on getting a mount with a live bug on it in the freezer will likely save the mount.
2. There are special sprays you can purchase online to de-infest mounts. These sprays must be soaked in to the leather, so they can be somewhat risky for fragile mounts. There are also preventative sprays that work well and do not require complete soaking.
3. Borax and diatomaceous earth can kill the larva. Borax is most effect when placed directly on mounts, because it kills when the bugs eat it, while diatomaceous earth works best when placed in the area around the mounts because it kills on contact, but is slower to kill them. Note: do not try to put Borax on mounts yourself. It is done in a specific way to work most effectively.
4. All mounts are "bug-proofed" with Borax. This is not 100% effective because not all areas can be protected with it, so it is important to still check for insects when cleaning.

* If you see one, there are likely more. Beware!
* The little hairs on the bugs can make some people itchy. Wear gloves and a facemask always when handling mounts, again. This will help with that. It does take a lot of the hairs to make people itch, but it does happen!

Freeze-dried animals and birds are more prone to insect infestations, so always keep a watchful eye on them.

## Links and Further Info

If you find yourself wanting more information on taxidermy care after reading this, here are some more links for you to check out. Note that there are very few websites with information; much taxidermy care info, unfortunately, is gained by experience and word of mouth.

* Carpet Beetle Help
* Beetles (Adults; look at Varied Carpet Beetle, that's what is here)
* Taxidermy Care (Bird-specific)