I want to preserve a crab and was wondering if anyone could please tell me what to use. thank you Jacqui?

Question

I want to keep its colors and put it on my wall for show . I was wondering how to get the meat out of the middle without breaking the shell and what to use to preserve the shell afterwards.
Thank you
Jacqui

Answer 1

You could preserve it in alcohol. Take it out and dry it.

Answer 2

if its on the wall it wont need its underbelly remove it then remove the meat put it in a safe place belly up in the sun for a few days the rest of the meat will dry out past the stink then wash it in cold soapy water with baking soda. normally I use bleach but if you want to keep the color don't. if needed use diluted bleach underside only! to finish cleaning it out the top Shell should still be in perfect condition.

Answer 3

I don't know if this will work for a Crab or not.


Taxidermy - How To Freeze Dry Large Animals
This taxidermy example is typical for freeze drying life-size mounts of large animals (mammals) such as the bear. The bear was shot by a hunter in Ontario, Canada and weighed approximately 165 pounds.

1. Natural head positioned on top of manikin to determine exact points of removal of foam head. Several other measurements were made also at this time. Manikin (Touchstone) was cut off at top of neck, behind jaw. Rest of manikin was left intact.
2. Brains were removed and an 8-gauge wire, coiled on the end for better holding, was inserted into the brain cavity. Corofoam ( Van Dyke) was mixed and poured into the cavity. Complete set up in approximately 20 minutes secured wire permanently. Wire was run down beck of manikin and secured in the body to hold head in place.
3. Size one black silk suture was used to sew up incisions. (No hidpaste was used. Hide was held in place by pins and staples until sewn.) Preparation for natural mouth consisted or propping up tongue and injecting Injectafil (Northstar) into lips and nose. Preparation for ears consisted of piercing small holes in ear with a needle and using screen wire to hold in position.
4. Are you sure this is going to fit? Finished mount was placed inside a 36x66 unit. tight fit! Bear stood 34" from floor to top of head with 1/2" clearance.
5. Completed specimen, along with a deer head (horns on) and miscellaneous turtles, inside freeze-dry unit ready for lypholization. Temperature was set at -5 degrees F to -10 degrees F for 4 weeks. total processing time: 10 weeks. ( As with other mounts this size, the ears were the last to completely freeze-dry.)
6. No shrinkage was reported on the finished mount and excellent retention of natural tongue and mouth..
http://www.freezedryco.com/taxidermy_large_animals.html