Tarantula Taxidermy

[Tessa Clifton]

Finally figured out a good way to taxidermy a tarantula. This Phormictopus Cancerides died in transport to me, so I decided to try and preserve her, without wet preserving. I don't think wet preserved specimens look the best, so I wanted to figure out how to do it dry. I ended up cutting the bottom of the abdomen open, stuffing it full of cotten, and supergluing it shut. I then pinned out the legs, spinnerets, and pedipalps in the position I wanted. After about a month of drying time, this is the final result. I'm pretty happy!

 

[Vanessa]

Yes, she does look good, but doesn't she smell? There is still soft tissue in the carapace that didn't get removed. Where did you dry her?

 

[FrDoc]

Stop handling your tarantulas! They can be injured. Oh...sorry.

 

[Tessa Clifton]

She actually doesn't smell at all. I keep her in a case so she doesn't get dusty, but I just left her in a closet for a month to dry her.

I didn't decide to take the meat out of the carapace because it was hard and wouldn't shrink when the meat dried up, but its kinda the same principle as drying out a butterfly or moth specimen with a large abdomen, if you leave them for a while in a place where bugs can't get them, then they usually don't smell or rot.

 

[Isaax Critterz]

Stop handling your tarantulas! They can be injured. Oh...sorry.

i got nothing wrong with handling tarantulas but you do what you want to do

 

[ThatsUnpossible]

That looks great!