the O's are home - I just could not give them up

[little leaf]

The O's are home - as some of you know, Olive and Oliver passed away this summer - I know this is not everyone's "cup of tea" to do - but I just could not put them in the dirt - I had them mounted, and then I did all the finish work - when they first came back, they were as gray as the stick they were on , and the eyes were really bad, I made new eyes out of epoxy - I still miss them so much, and I was not sure how I was going to feel about seeing them mounted, but I really like seeing them back, I had asked he not do the detail or finish work,as I wanted to do that, I wanted to capture all the little details I knew he would not know, not knowing them in life - this was a one time thing, and I have no plans to mount any of the others - but I just could not put the crabby vine lump in the ground - and I wont be one bit surprised if she still somehow manages to raise some kind of hell, even from her stick
the pics are of how they came back, and when done - and the cost, was not as much as I thought it was going to be - I have spent much more at ONE vet visit

 

[MelissaB]

I love the way they turned out. You and the taxidermist did a fantastic job. I think it's a fitting tribute to the Olive the "crabby vine lump" and Oliver.

 

[repdog]

I couldn't do it but I think it would hurt more to see them there. If it helps you then that's all that counts. They look great and at first I couldn't tell they were not alive.

 

[SaintJimmy]

To be honest I kind of want to keep Monty in a jar when he passes. Or maybe get someone to mount his skeleton.

It is sort of morbid to keep a beloved pet as a stuffed decoration, but I like the idea. It may disturb some, but I couldn't bear keeping Monty in the dirt, just as you refuse to keep O's in the ground. This makes the memories of them last longer.

Anyway I didn't even know the O's passed. I must be very inactive on the forum now *sigh*

Sorry for your loss

 

[junglefries]

Your husband isn't afraid of his future? (I jest, of course.)

 

[ponders]

I think they look really lifelike. Oliver's tail looks so realistic, I bet a lot of people will think they are alive. You might even forget and try to feed them. Lol

 

[deerharvester]

I have absolutely no problem with this. To each his/her own. I think they turned out great! I also think more people would do this if they weren't worried about what others thought.

Congrats on getting your little ones back

Scott

 

[Lathis]

They turned out really lovely. I don't think it's strange at all. I think it's rather sweet. I would love to have a skull charm molded from my Ferdinand when his time comes.

 

[absolutbill]

I know how much the O's meant to you, and am glad to see you had done something like this. The finished project is beautiful, and much less creepy than I would have thought. What do they feel like? I'm not very familiar with taxidermy - in this case do they use their own skin, or do they use a synthetic product that you then paint?

 

[little leaf]

I know how much the O's meant to you, and am glad to see you had done something like this. The finished project is beautiful, and much less creepy than I would have thought. What do they feel like? I'm not very familiar with taxidermy - in this case do they use their own skin, or do they use a synthetic product that you then paint?

they feel like a fresh shed - I used acrylic to paint them , and epoxy for the eyes - they were done in freeze dry, so none of the weird smells like you got w/ the old mounts and they are not skinned either, so all of them is still here - and they really do look so life like= they already fooled my son- he saw them on the wall by my chair, a place I do have a fr set up - my son saw them and said " Mom, you know those guys are not going to stay on that , you have it to close to the curtain " - I told him " I think they will stat there " he was pretty surprised it was Olive and Oliver, he could not even tell they were mounted, he even went at far as to touch one - he thought I was kidding him - they did not look right until I sculpted new eyes - I am very happy how they turned out- eyes are not easy - LOL

 

[Sanababit]

To each his own, but i rather bury my animals and get a new one, then again. If it was a panda or a russian snow leopard or a white northern african rhino i'd say stuff it, lol

Sana

 

[Miss Lily]

Each to their own - at lest they look good, unlike some taxidermy examples I've seen on the 'net. I wouldn't be able to do it. I was so sad when I lost my Monty and as much as I loved that boy I wanted to remember him when he was well. His ashes now live in a special white box I found at a shop with a heart shaped cutout/frame on the front where I put my fave photo of him.