This ad gives me chills

[Terry57]

Wanted: Exotic Birds, pheasants, Parrots - Lethbridge

I have no words...like people who have lost their beloved bird would do this. I notice he doesn't ask for dogs or cats, he must not consider the fact that we love our birds.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh my gosh, that sent chills down my spine.

 

[TessieB]

That is creepy.

 

[lquan]

These people buy dead birds or small animals to stuff them and prop them up in glass cases. I have seen a few of these stuffed bird in glass cases on Ebay. Who buys these creepy stuff? I used to work part-time in the biology lab during my college days. One of my jobs was to dust these stuffed dead animals (lots of birds) once a week. It gave me the creeps every time. But I love to feed and clean after the live animals tho. Thank goodness I was only there for one year until there was an opening for a lab assistant in the Physics department.

 

[ConureAZ]

Well, there are plently of people that do have no problem using their bird as a commodity when they are alive. I'm sure they jump at the chance to get something out of them once they die

 

[TessieB]

I can see preserving a specimen for museums or other teaching purposes, and now I'm wondering if there are laws governing this type of activity in certain parts of the world? In the US you have to have certification to have a feather of an Eagle in your house.

 

[Freespin]

I don't see the big deal? I'm sure there are people with aviary birds who would happily donate their bodies, after all they will only be burried anyway right..? A companion bird is a bit different. I know people who send their horses to the hounds because they like the idea of their horses bodies going to good use.

 

[Betrisher]

Taxidermy is a complicated and skilled profession - you don't just stuff a bird with polyfill, you have to understand its anatomy, physiology and behaviour in order to do a proper job. I, too, spent quite a while working in the Zoo lab at Uni and was great friends with the resident taxidermist. He taught us a lot about his art and explained why it's important to keep replica animals (ie. taxidermy specimens) which demonstrate the way an animal looks in nature.

For example, our Head of Department used to travel the world, visiting other institutions and swapping dead specimens of the 'rare and endangered red kangaroo' (yeah, right!) for specimens from elsewhere. In this way, he got a wonderful tiger's skull from India and the skin of a skunk from the US. I remember the day it (the skunk skin) arrived. Phew! It stunk! We had to soak it for days and days in stuff to get most of the smell out. Anyway, the taxidermist took ages researching skunks and their natural habits in order to do a good job in making a stuffed specimen. The finished product was brilliant, showing the animal in an aggressive pose with its back up (LOL!). The thing is, without the gift and preservation of that skin, most of us Aussie yokels would never clap eyes on a skunk, living or dead. The taxidermy allowed us to see the animal in a natural pose and get some idea of how a skunk skunks! (NB. It is nigh-on impossible for animals to be imported to this country without acres of red tape and cost. So no, there are no skunks in zoos.)

On another occasion, a popular performing Australian Fur Seal died at Sea World. The owners donated his body to our Uni and he became another stuffed specimen in our department with lots of photos showing him working as he had in life. The owners were stoked at the results of the taxidermy and very happy that Searle had ended up as a teaching tool in our Zoo department.

Smaller specimens of reptiles etc were freeze dried in the new freeze-drying machine and that had a few hilarious results. When there was an overabundance of bearded dragons one year, Glenn (the taxidermists) made a complete rock band with miniature guitars and drum kit. This was also put on display near the door of the museum.

As Glenn explained to me, it's one thing stuffing owls to stick in glass cases, but quite another to tackle a skunk or a fur seal! He was forever looking for new and exciting ways of working his art and took pride in making specimens that expressed the live animal well. The fact is, there are teaching institutions that require lifelike specimens. There are those who want to keep a loved pet's stuffed skin in their homes. There are those who think a stuffed pheasant is decorative. There are those who keep stuffed trophies of animals they have shot and killed. It's not my cup of tea, but it's grist for a taxidermist's mill. It's not a profession I would want to follow, but it has its place and is fascinating in its way.

 

[tab_xo]

My uncle is a taxidermist in England, he does an incredible job

Funny thing is..

Right at this moment i am wearing his taxidermy shirt he gave me when he visited from England a few years ago hahahaha


He always jokes that when Fargo dies he can stuff him for me (Always joking)



I agree with Trish, they have their place !


Of course i doubt anyone would want their companion bird or pet be stuffed, i always prefer just to bury with flowers planted over them!!

 

[Kinny]

I don't see a huge problem with it. What if you had an aviary bird who died of disease, but was still very beautiful? And what if you were renting a property? If you buried a non-pet, it may be dug up or who knows what else when you move.

I would be angry if this person was requesting dead PET birds, as they are very special. I had one of my pet parrots cremated and he sits in my bedroom surrounded by photos and flowers.

I would never do it for any of my aviary parrots, I have an attachment to all of them. If it were, say, one of my Japanese Quails, I'd give/sell them for Taxidermy. All they would do is rot in our compost heap.. and we are renting. However I myself could never do Taxidermy.

 

[SpotsandSally]

I have to agree with the others I don't see a problem. He stated he wanted dead exotics - and merely listed parrots as apart of it. Personally I love taxidermy, and want to taxidermy a few grouse.


IMO, parrots don't taxidermy well, but pheasants and other game birds tend to come out looking pretty nice.

Edit: so I've been looking at parrots taxidermied, and so far, macaws don't turn put very nice, amazons are the best, and 'toos look awful.

However, just looking at other exotics like toucans, turacos, they turn out a lot nicer.

If you go to 'Hansons Bird Taxidermy' you can see what I'm talking about. Some of it looks great, some is ok