Restoring stuffed animals: a second life for special pieces

At "By Max Animal Hides and Taxidermy," we have a deep passion for the preservation and restoration of taxidermy. Each piece has its own story, its own history. But like everything else in life, taxidermy can show signs of wear and tear. Our mission is to give these special pieces a second life. In this blog, we dive deeper into the art of stuffed animal restoration.

The importance of restoration

Taxidermy are more than just decorative objects. They are often a reflection of the natural world, a snapshot of an animal's beauty in its best form. With time, however, decay and wear can occur. Discoloration, loss of fur or feathers, and damage can rob the piece of its original luster. This is where the art of restoration comes in.

The restoration process

At "By Max," we approach each piece as a unique project. The first step is always a thorough evaluation. We look at the overall condition, any damage and what materials are needed for restoration.

1. Cleaning: The piece is carefully cleaned to remove dirt and dust. This can be done with special brushes, soft cloths and, if necessary, special cleaners that do not damage the skin or feathers.

2. Repair: Any tears or holes in the skin are expertly repaired. In doing so, we use techniques that ensure the repairs are barely visible.

3. Replacement: If certain parts are too damaged, such as feathers or pieces of fur, they can be replaced. We strive to use materials as close to the original as possible.

4. Preservation: To ensure that the stuffed animal will last for many years to come, the piece is treated with preservatives. This helps to protect the animal from further wear and tear and external factors.

5. Finishing touch: Finally, the eyes are re-shined, the coat or feathers re-styled and the entire piece is inspected to ensure it meets our high standards.

The value of restoration

By restoring a stuffed animal, we not only restore the piece to its original beauty, but also honor the animal and its place in the natural world. It is a way of showing respect for nature and the art of taxidermy.

At "By Max Animal Hides and Taxidermy," we pride ourselves on our craftsmanship and the care we take with each piece we restore. When you choose restoration, you choose to preserve history, art and natural beauty.

Do you have a stuffed animal that needs some love and care? Then contact us and let's work together to bring that special piece back to life.

If you find a dead animal or you are a breeder, breeder or owner of an animal you can sell it. We are always looking for beautiful or special animal species. So if you are an owner of (for example) parrots, toucans, deer or other birds or mammals we might be interested. The most important thing is to let the animal cool down, then you can be sure it has died. When the animal has cooled down you should put it in a plastic bag and then put it in the freezer. Finally, you can contact us through the contact page or by phone, we will see if we can put your animal up.

Thus, the animal is given a second life.

If you have any other questions about a deceased animal please feel free to contact us.

Taxidermy is the stuffing of dead animals or other products from flora and fauna. This is not as pathetic as most people think. We only sell animals that have died by hunting or natural death and can be proven to be legal. Hunting does not mean poaching animals but shooting them due to nuisance/over population. In the Veluwe, for example, there is a large surplus of wild boar. These pigs cause a lot of nuisance and are dangerous to people. Because of this, hunters are allowed, with a permit, to shoot boars. The meat of these pigs is eaten and the skin is then waste. We make sure that this skin is not thrown away but is then used for a nice stuffed animal.

We also regularly have exotic animals such as a: Bald Eagle, Toucan, Lion, Wolf, Lynx and many more. These animals are not allowed to be shot, this is super well regulated. All these animals contain a Cites paper. This is a kind of passport of the animal, they have these for live and dead animals. The Cites regulation has been signed by 183 countries since 2016 and this is strictly enforced. Wild animals therefore do not get Cites papers, only animals from zoos or breeders get these papers. This means that poaching is not possible.

With all animals we sell you will receive an invoice and if necessary the Cites papers.