SUPPLIES & SUPPLIERS
Below is a suggested supply list, and list of my preferred suppliers.
Suggested Supply List
There are many tools one may consider when getting started in taxidermy, and it can be very overwhelming! My suggestion for beginners is to pick a common animal that intrigues you, (like Grey Squirrels, English Starlings, or Chickens) and build your kit around that. Everyone has a different opinion on what the best thing is, and there is really no right answer, do what works best for you! Taxidermy is an art form that is very much about improvisation, and sometimes tools for the job are homemade or repurposed. If you are an artist, you may already have some of these on hand. The tools listed below are based on working with birds and small mammals. I am a proud affiliate of Blick Art Supply, and appreciate their support for independent arts. I earn a small commission with their affiliate links.
Shop Blick at the link below
Skinning/Fleshing kit- take time to build a collection of scalpels, knives, and tools that will help with your intended specimen. I started with a #11 Excel knife, a #22 Excel knife, and an assortment of modeling tools to use as scrapers and picks, and to sanitize and use for sculpting. You can also purchase a specialized skinning kit like this one or big game skinning knives . If you prefer surgical scalpels, these are what I use (#11, #15, and #22).
Carving tools - a knife, rough sanding tools, sandpaper, fine files, and/or rasps
Hemp fiber (finer than wood wool, great wrapping and binding smaller bodies and body parts)
Cotton fiber and Cotton batting (great for wrapping small parts, or adding definition)
Wire brush set-great for fleshing and thinning small birds and mammals
Cotton twine, butcher twine, hemp twine, or coated poly or nylon thread (to bind wood wool and other fibers)
Balsa wood (great for carving bird bodies, glue multiple blocks together to get the size you need)
Air drying clay in small or large packs, or order Critter Clay directly from Aves Co. online)
2 part Epoxy clay like Apoxie Sculpt
14 gauge , 16 gauge, 18 gauge, 20 gauge, and 28 gauge wire (seems to be most used for small critters)
Toothbrushes for grooming
Soft makeup brushes for grooming
Paintbrushes-I recommend a starter set like this, and adding more as you grow
Pan Pastels - you can splurge on a big set, or purchase colors you need individually
Acrylic paints-I like this starter set
Matte medium, Gloss medium, Satin medium - depending on use
A blow dryer for grooming
Tweezers for grooming and detail work-I love this set
Pins-sewing pins will do for most hardy animals. For things with delicate skin, you can purchase specialty pins like euro pins and/or insect pins.
Rubbing alcohol or Denatured alcohol
Needle and thread to correspond to the type of hide you’re sewing. For thin skinned animals, I make do with a needle set like this one, thicker skinned animals would require glovers needles or pointed leather needles. I use extra long needles to help tighten wrapped bodies or groom and feather birds. The thread I use most is FireLine, though larger/thicker hides would require heavier threads.
Dawn dish soap, or other degreasing soaps
Chinchilla dust and/or Diatomaceous earth for drying small birds and mammals
Tanning kits-I mostly use Krowtann, Pro-1, or Trubond
Work surface or tray that can be disinfected and sterilized-this can be a dissection tray, baking tray, or even paper plates on a table covered with a tarp or trash bag
Nitrile gloves
Goggles and/or face shield
Respirator and/or masks for working with dusty materials or chemicals
Apron or smock
Cleaning supplies to disinfect your work surfaces - bleach and Lysol are what I use most
Dremel tool and assorted bits (a great investment for so many purposes from sculpting, thinning tanned skins, even cleaning marrow from bones)
Suppliers
These are suppliers I’ve had good experience with, and hope you will too!
Art Supplies
The Compleat Sculptor
Manhattan Wardrobe Supply
Smooth-On Mold Making Supplies (and tutorials too!)
Archival and Collectors
Talas
Gaylord
Eyes
Taxidermy.by
Eyeconic store
Tohickon Glass Eyes
Specialty Supply
Bioquip (insect pins and entomology supplies)
Carolina Biological
Nebraska Scientific
Van Dyke’s Taxidermy Supply
McKenzie’s Taxidermy Supply
Matuska Taxidermy Supply (they put candy in every box)
Research Mannikins
Shipping Supplies
Ecoenclose
The Boxery
Bags Unlimited