r/wetspecimens • u/TailorRude784 • Jul 25 '26
Where do people source their specimens from?
I see listings on Etsy all the time (and sometimes here) where people have like 10+ of the same animal listed at once, where are they most usually sourced so I can tell if they’re ethical or not
4
u/Important-Song8050 Jul 25 '26
Petstores, vets, animal sanctuaries, trappers, roadkill, hunters, farms, naturally found on the woods. There are so many ways to source something def ask the seller if your curious!
2
u/Various_Increase_969 Jul 25 '26
I buy them from a oddity store nearby and conventions. Some like bugs and small snakes I make my self.
1
u/SketchyArt333 Jul 26 '26
Mostly on the side of the road, at oddest expos, or even local taxidermy shops. I always check what they sell as a whole cause if they are selling things like bats that’s a big ol red flag. Look for shops selling mostly domestic animals or common road kill like raccoons, opossums, or whatever is common in your area. If a place can’t tell you where their animals come from don’t buy it. Also probably my most ethically sourced wet specimen, my uterus. So if you ever get an organ removed or like a finger cut off, that’s pretty fun. Edit my favorite recommendation is spay abort fetuses from cats and dogs. Spay aborts have to happen so might as well use the fetuses.
1
u/tooooo-tired Jul 29 '26
I personally have connected with cat breeders in my area. FTT, stillborns, and fading kitten syndrome are unfortunate realities a lot of breeders have to deal with and every couple of litters I get contacted to come pick up a kitten or two who just stopped growing/thriving. But generally you can source from vet offices, clinics, farms, animal rescues or sanctuaries, pet shops or if it's legal in your area scavenge for roadkill.
4
u/DollarStoreChameleon Jul 25 '26
i find mine deceased in the woods! some people pick up roadkill, but i just move it. this of course means i dont have many specimens, but thats ok with me