How to Cleanse Your Taxidermy
“I know a lot of people think you’re weird,” my father told me, “but I need you to know that you’re just a bumpkin.” This comment came shortly after I sent him a photo of the latest addition to my taxidermy collection – a sedentary deer that my boyfriend gave me for my 32nd birthday.
This is my second riding deer. My first is a seven-pointed white-tailed deer named Jimothi, and it is one of my most valuable possessions. My dad shot (and ate) him in Mississippi when he was 17 and his head and upper torso hung in my grandparents hall until my grandfather passed away, at which point my grandmother thought she was tired of him (Jimoti ) of the company. …
My father then transferred Jimothi to his house, but had to leave him in his office, since Jimothy really did not “fit” with the rest of the house. I was in college at the time — and I had no setting to talk about — so I asked my father if I could give Jimothy a place of honor in my Gainesville apartment. Since then, he has been with me (and my sisters have been plotting to steal him for years).
In my opinion, Jimothi exists somewhere between pet and art, but that’s only because I’m a little weird. Taxidermy is an art and, like any other item, should be handled with care, regularly cleaned and hung in an environment that does not contribute to its destruction. Taxidermy care is pretty simple – you just need to know and follow a few simple rules that I (kindly) laid out for you in the video above. I demonstrate my methods using Jimothi and a chipmunk named Clyde, but the same basic principles apply to birds and fish with taxidermis. Just remember: when in doubt, dust or wipe with feathers, scales or fur (how you would stroke them if they weren’t dead) and do not use oil and almost all solvents (except a small amount of Windex). when cleaning eyes). Follow my advice and your little friends are more likely to outlive you.