Legality of preserving (taxidermy & cremation, etc.) licenced species?

[rum.pig]

OK the science guru's tell me you need ethanol to do this.
First find a jar that will hold your specimen and then fill with 100% ethanol. The ethanol will go murky as gunk from the specimen breaks down and comes away. You need to keep changing the ethanol until it stays clear. Once it is clear you only need 70% ethanol. If your container is not 100% air tight your ethanol will evaporate and will need toping up.
The hardest part will be sourcing 100% ethanol.
Hope this helps someone. I might even give it a go one day.
I have been told been told formaldehyde is the better if you can a hold it. Also museums will sometimes depending on there work load do it for you but you may need to pay to cover cost.

 

[LadyJ]

Actually I know someone that DIY preserved a children's python... not incredibly legit but it's maintained colour and everything perfect and they have no prior knowledge of preservation techniques. Shame things need to be done by a licenced taxidermist though, I wouldn't have mine done by anyone but me and I'm not too interested on getting a licence for that anytime soon.

Great you think it's "eww" Tassie97 but that's really not constructive or very thoughtful at all.

Snowman, they really do look great but certainly not what I'm after (I'd rather have any of my animals preserved in an artistic way [ie. traditional mounted, bone crafts]). But it's really not too hard, as mentioned, I know someone that did it here with no prior knowledge and the thing looks amazing.

I'm yet to have nightmares regarding my taxidermy and pelts Bel711, unless you count dreaming I made a massive mistake in mounting the head of my very special wolf pelt a nightmare!

 

[Snowman]

And wont last long if it is sitting in the light.

Not sure if this is true since some of the specimens were very old. There were a few specimens said to have been from the 1920's. They are from the Vienna museum and all have display lights on them as well as window lighting.

 

[kawasakirider]

I have a Keelback preserved in a bottle of metho. I assume I'm breaking the law? It was killed by my dog.

 

[waruikazi]

Not sure if this is true since some of the specimens were very old. There were a few specimens said to have been from the 1920's. They are from the Vienna museum and all have display lights on them as well as window lighting.

That's interesting, i have specimens from the 70's at my school and they look better than some younger preserved specimens because they have been stored out of the light. Perhaps they haven't been on display for very long or have been positioned so they don't get sunlight?

 

[Waterrat]

OK the science guru's tell me you need ethanol to do this.
First find a jar that will hold your specimen and then fill with 100% ethanol. The ethanol will go murky as gunk from the specimen breaks down and comes away. You need to keep changing the ethanol until it stays clear. Once it is clear you only need 70% ethanol. If your container is not 100% air tight your ethanol will evaporate and will need toping up.
The hardest part will be sourcing 100% ethanol.
Hope this helps someone. I might even give it a go one day.
I have been told been told formaldehyde is the better if you can a hold it. Also museums will sometimes depending on there work load do it for you but you may need to pay to cover cost.

I don't know who your science guru is but let me make some corrections if I may.

First, you need to "fix" the specimen in 70% ethanol which needs to be changed several times, depending on the size of the specimen. 100% ethanol should NEVER be used because it dehydrates the specimen too fast resulting in wrinkles.
Once the specimen is fixed, it's best to store / display / whatever, in 70% ethanol, 5% glycelor and 1% glacial acetic acid. This solution preserves colour (to a degree) and the the glycerol keeps the specimen pliable (to a degree).

Formaldehyde has been banned for years now for safety reasons but research institutions are still using it for preserving histological and parasitic material but it's certainly no good for preserving reptiles. They become brittle and shank.

 

[waruikazi]

Michael we're not allowed to have ehtanol out here. Is there anything else i can use?

 

[Waterrat]

Not really Gordo, not that I am aware of. Couldn't you school apply for a special consideration?

 

[kawasakirider]

Michael we're not allowed to have ehtanol out here. Is there anything else i can use?

At the risk of being ignored, why aren't you allowed to have ethanol in the NT?

 

[Waterrat]

It tastes alright diluted with coke.
.... dry community.

 

[kawasakirider]

It tastes alright diluted with coke.
.... dry community.

I spat my milk out when I read that (not that people drinking ethanol is funny, just the way you worded it).

I thought that would be the case, but wasn't sure if people would actually go to those lengths for a drink.

 

[rum.pig]

I don't know who your science guru is but let me make some corrections if I may.

First, you need to "fix" the specimen in 70% ethanol which needs to be changed several times, depending on the size of the specimen. 100% ethanol should NEVER be used because it dehydrates the specimen too fast resulting in wrinkles.
Once the specimen is fixed, it's best to store / display / whatever, in 70% ethanol, 5% glycelor and 1% glacial acetic acid. This solution preserves colour (to a degree) and the the glycerol keeps the specimen pliable (to a degree).

Formaldehyde has been banned for years now for safety reasons but research institutions are still using it for preserving histological and parasitic material but it's certainly no good for preserving reptiles. They become brittle and shank.

Thanks I will ask them about it. I did get the feeling that they have not done a lot as our museum will do it for you.

At the risk of being ignored, why aren't you allowed to have ethanol in the NT?

This is not an NT thing but just some communities have a ban on alcohol and ethanol would part of that. The ban is there to help the community to get over there addiction to alcohol and the trouble it causes.
If I'm wrong Gordo please correct me.
Sorry someone distracted me why typing I now see you answered this.

 

[Waterrat]

I spat my milk out when I read that (not that people drinking ethanol is funny, just the way you worded it).

I thought that would be the case, but wasn't sure if people would actually go to those lengths for a drink.

Why do you thing metho is now purple (it used to be clear).

 

[Snakewoman]

Not sure if this is true since some of the specimens were very old. There were a few specimens said to have been from the 1920's. They are from the Vienna museum and all have display lights on them as well as window lighting.

Waruikazi said that... Bit of a quote oops

Looks like the quote thing is playing up :shock:

 

[kawasakirider]

Why do you thing metho is now purple (it used to be clear).

I thought they were for different purposes. I can still buy clear metho. Obviously the fact that it is poisonous is highlighted by the purple dye.

 

[vampstorso]

I thought they were for different purposes. I can still buy clear metho. Obviously the fact that it is poisonous is highlighted by the purple dye.

Pretty sure its purple so it stains your lips if you drink it....

 

[kawasakirider]

Pretty sure its purple so it stains your lips if you drink it....

Really?

 

[waruikazi]

It tastes alright diluted with coke.
.... dry community.

As far as i'm aware it's not just communities that can't access 100% ethanol, a fella at the NT museum told me last week that you can only buy industrial purpose if you have a permit for it. Apparently formaldahyde isn't though and they offered me some to bring back with me but i declined because i couldn't transport it safely.

I assume it is restricted because it can be used to get drunk off.

 

[rum.pig]

Yep but a quick filter throw bread or toilet paper and your good to go. Do not ask.
We have to ask for it a wollies when we get to the check out and I love when they give it me to have a feel and then ask for a cold one. It gets them every time.

 

[Waterrat]

Gordo, what's commonly called "100% ethanol" is actually 98% ethanol and 2% methanol, which is perfectly suitable for preserving specimens. A true 100% ethanol is referred to as "analytical ethanol", which is quite expensive and possibly restricted (not sure). So, if you can, go for the industrial stuff.