FAQ | skinnedfawxtaxidermy

I'm constantly asked certain things on a regular basis, so here's a general FAQ of the ones I'm asked the most!

What is Taxidermy?

Taxidermy is the art of preparing and mounting the skins of animals for exhibition in a lifelike state. Taxi= moving/guiding Dermy=skin

A Taxidermist must know how to sew, sculpt, paint, design and must have a deep understanding of the live animal, its anatomy and how it acts and moves in nature.

What is a 'Soft' Mount? 'Traditional' Mount?

A Soft Mount is a soft, plush, poseable take on traditional taxidermy. It is basically like a taxidermy rug with the traditionally mounted head, but instead of laying open and flat, the body is sewn up and strategically stuffed with Poly-fil. It is not a 'toy' however. Like all taxidermy mounts, it must be handled with care and taken care of in order for it to last.

A Traditional Mount is like what you see in museums and such. The skin is mounted over a preposed, rigid foam mannikin. This is what you typically see when you look up Taxidermy. It is the 'standard'

How can I commission you?

Simply fill out the form via the Contact Page with your inquiry, and I will respond asap!

Where do you get your skins?

The skins I use come from a wide range of sources. ALL skins I purchase originate in the US. I do not buy from China or other sources.

My skins come from fellow Taxidermists, Hunters, Trappers, Breeders and from my Commissioners if they supply their own for their mounts!

Do you work on your queue in order of who commissions you first?

While I try to finish older commisisons first, I usually work on a few things at a time. I don't really have a 100% set working order. I'm the type of person that gets bored if I work on the same thing for an extended amount of time.

Can you mount my pelt?

Depends! Is your pelt Taxidermy Mountable?

A taxidermy mountable skin means it has been properly prepped for mounting. The lips, nose cartilage and eyelids will be split, and the ears turned.

Some taxidermists try to mount "Garment Quality" pelts, which have not been properly prepped for taxidermy. More times than not, the eyeholes are enlarged and there is no extra lip or eyelid skin for tucking into the form, and the ears, nose and feet will be shrunken. Sometimes the bones are even left in the feet!

Garment quality pelts, in my experience, turn out a rough looking product. Properly skinned and prepped pelts put out a superior product.

While I CAN mount a garment tanned pelt that has all 4 legs and jaw, I will charge extra for this for the extra work I will have to do to it, and may actually turn it down if it's in bad enough shape.