What to do with dead T's?

[Biollantefan54]

Hey, just to let you know, my T is not dead and hopefully wont be anytime soon, I was wondering though, what do you all do with dead T's? I have kept a writing spider that died in a deep freezer for a while that way it doesn't rot or anything. I want to know what to do with dead T's (Or any spider/bug for that matter), I do not mean like put them in a case and hang them on a wall, (How do you even do that?) Is there a way I can make a like artificial "Amber" like substance and have a bug or spider inside it when it dies so it will be in like a rock like object or just a way to keep a T outside a freezer without it rotting? Thanks!

 

[Marijan2]

there should be people that do that process for you, though it shouldn't be cheap considering the tarantula sizes. you could easily spend as much money on it as it takes you to buy the same tarantula, even more.

 

[bugarella]

I use the fake water (clear acrylic) that you can buy at craft stores and use little latex molds my friend makes to custom fit my odd critters in. Its important to put a little of the acrylic down first, let it set up a bit, then put the dead critter in and cover it the rest of the way up. Once it dries you can use a clear spray adhesive to attach whatever color felt to the flat bottom. I dont have any pictures of the ones I have made, seeing as I sell/give them away promptly. I wouldn't say im cheap, but I like to do my own crafts and I would rather preserve my own tarantulas myself than send them off to someone I dont know.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Well I don't mean anything super professional but some way to store them in something like in a vial or liquid or something that dries clear and rock like?

 

[Travis K]

I have done this in the Past...

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I buried a couple Ts but perhaps but I don't know if this is a good idea, since they are spiders. nothing in bible about burying spiders::
Perhaps honor them??hotogenic:hotogenic:

 

[Levyon]

I did a funeral pyre for mine.

 

[MB623]

I want to bronze one after it dies. Just not sure if it's possible.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I want to bronze one after it dies. Just not sure if it's possible.

If I wasn't extremely broke carrying Ts on my debt I would try the same thing, any death just ends up me being more depressed.
losing a spider makes me even sadder than my current depression.

 

[cmcghee358]

Am I the only one that throws them in the trash?

It's quite unceremonious.

 

[Grin]

Am I the only one that throws them in the trash?

It's quite unceremonious.

I do as well to.

 

[grayzone]

ill 3rd the trash can. I would rather focus my "collecting" on LIVE spiders.

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

Am I the only one that throws them in the trash?

It's quite unceremonious.

I do as well.

 

[jarmst4]

Haha the trash. About a month ago I had a HUGE female p. Fasciata drop dead on me. I remember flinging her in the trash as I said quite a few nasty words. Other than that i have some in the freezer. Maybe that makes me some kind of weirdo. But it's my extra freezer in the garage. So maybe
Not so bad. .

 

[rob0t]

Yeah I just toss them in the trash.

 

[Biollantefan54]

I would like to keep my T's after they die (Still show them off/maybe prank someone ) but how did you make that display for the ones, I noticed it had a shriveled abdomen, did you put it in a solution of some sort and let it rot or how did you let it rot to get like that, all I want is for it to be rotted and no longer stinking if that is possible also.

 

[singaporesling]

Did you see the thread under the for sale listings. There's somebody there that does t taxidermy or Google some taxidermy techniques.

 

[Biollantefan54]

I found a good tutorial on taxidermy, I am just afraid I might mess it up, oh well. I guess it would apply to any spider you just would have to be a lot careful-er. I think it looks easy enough and if anyone has any other good techniques please tell me, if you want to see the tutorial, here is the link: http://amoredemori.com/blog/2012/06/tarantula-taxidermy-tutorial/

 

[Stan Schultz]

Hey, just to let you know, my T is not dead and hopefully wont be anytime soon, I was wondering though, what do you all do with dead T's? I have kept a writing spider that died in a deep freezer for a while that way it doesn't rot or anything. I want to know what to do with dead T's (Or any spider/bug for that matter), I do not mean like put them in a case and hang them on a wall, (How do you even do that?) Is there a way I can make a like artificial "Amber" like substance and have a bug or spider inside it when it dies so it will be in like a rock like object or just a way to keep a T outside a freezer without it rotting? Thanks!

Read:

Rhys A. Brigida's "Clear Liquid Plastic Casting Resin"

Where to buy resin.

Follow any internal links in those threads.

Then perform Internet searches for any of the terms that you might find in those links.

One of the major problems is that if you don't do something to completely dehydrate the specimen before encasing it in resin, it's likely to eventually rot inside the casting. Dehydrating biological specimens is a rather large and complicated subject so I won't go into details here beyond mentioning that the traditional method incorporated transferring the specimen to stronger and stronger ethyl alcohol solutions until all the water was replaced by alcohol. Now, big time operations (or small time operations with lots of chutzpah) are using freeze drying.

Another problem involves large amounts of air being trapped between the bristles, thus defacing the specimen. I've heard of some people wetting the dried specimen with pure acetone to flush out the air bubbles immediately before embedding.

Do not try any of this on your prize specimens at first! Getting it right is an arcane art comparable to sorcery or black magic, and your first tries are guaranteed to end in only partial success if not outright failure. Practice on 2 or 3 not-so-precious specimens first.

WARNING: Many of the chemicals and solutions used in this process are toxic. Some are carcinogenic. All are extremely flammable. Casting biological specimens in resin should not be done in your home or garage! Use a well ventilated space, rubber gloves, perhaps even a respirator of some sort, and remove or avoid any chance or possibility of a nearby spark or flame!

In the arachnoculture hobby it is considered very bad form to burn your home, your garage, your car, and your neighbor's (on both sides) to the ground while trying to make a paperweight of your dead tarantula!


Hope this helps. Best of luck. Enjoy your little 8-legged paperweight!