RUclips has been nagging me to watch this video for two years. I finally watched it just to stop the notifications. But now that I have, I finally understood why YT would think this would interest me. Very well explained and now I wish I'd had this when I ended up skinning the rattlesnake last summer. This would've been a much better option for the specimen. Very well done.
One addition you could make in your labeling format would be the type of preservative fluid that is in the container right now. This is helpful, if you give a specimen to researchers or other people, in case they need to fill up the liquid, so that a formaldehyde specimen is not accidentally tarnished by assuming that it's a ethanol or Kaiserling specimen.
is a 4% formaldehyde solution enough to store a larger animal like a deer calf? or does it has to be at least 8%? I'm so new to this! thank you for sharing!
In my experience 4% is used mostly for small, to medium "thin skinned" animals like amphibians, fishes, earthworms etc. For larger speecimens, its best to stick to 8-10% My apologies for late reply. Your comment somehow didnt show in my notifications
hey, thankyou for this video!! i wanted to know what silicone you use for the “glass” sheets. because my silicone dissolves when in contact to alcohol (and formaldhyde).
How do you safely dispose of the water after rinsing off excess formalin in it? I've read that formalin cannot be dumped in sinks and has to be taken to a waste disposal center, so would you dispose of the contaminated water the same way?
Could you maybe do a video in the future about fixing in alcohol? When each method would be most appropriate, maintenance, etc. Would vodka be an okay fixative? 🥴
sure. I have a handful of future video projects, using specimens from different groups of organisms as examples. Will try to incorporate a special video on alcohol preservation as well. Do stay tuned. And about the vodka, you need atleast 70% alcohol strength to properly preserve a specimen. Absolute Vodka is only about 40% alcohol. So its not recommended.
I use formalin to my puppy who already die for 25 day (day 1-2 after she suddenly passed away at puppycare - in my denial 9 hour after die I brought her to my home do Cpr, formula milk, and ice block; day 3 I not use cpr anymore just milk formula, and ice block changing underpad, day 4 I give her sunshine in morning,& kick flies who come then put ice, day 5 I surrender, day 6 I gv formula milk,& change bloody underpad, day 7 same like day 6 but plus organic preserver chitosin, around week after that (4 day ago) I change underpad, milk formula,& put her in water of drontal,& chitosin again, and today finally i use formalin, but today (after manual preservation for 25day) I realize maggot walking on the decease puppy, so i drown her at 37% formalin on tank A, but the maggot still alive I add handsanitizer + baygon + bayclin + vixal, and the maggot still F alive, then I change the decease - after all maggot pop out from her - into tank B with formalin 37% last I put at jar with same 37% formalin from tank b + cold mineral water + alcohol, will it be preserve??
First of all, im so sorry for your loss. Takes me back to when my dog passed away. Its hard to preserve an animal after it decays. You should have begun the preservation process soon after it died. Injections with 10% buffered formalin at various points with main emphasis on the abdominal cavity. Also, you cannot use 37% formaldehyde. As stated clearly in my video, 37% formaldehyde is 100% formalin. You should prepare a 10% formalin concentration by taking 10ml of the 37% formaldehyde and mixing with 90ml of water. I also do not understand why you mixed formalin with alcohol. Unless you are preparing FAA fixative (Formalin-Acetic acid-Alcohol). But thats a whole different thing again, mostly used to fix plant materials. Bottom line is, its a bit late to preserve your deceased pup, because it has already reached the maggot infestation stage of decay. If you still intend to preserve it, pliz prepare 10% formalin as previously described and then immerse the puppy in it. See what happens after 5-10 days. If it remains the same, without further decay, you can leave it in a tightly sealed container. Ofcourse you will have t put up with the smell. Formalin will not get rid of the smell at this point im afraid. Good luck
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy because I saw on youtube ppl use alcohol as substitute of formalin. So i thought how if i mix it. Do 100% formalin destroy my pup body:(? I hv formalin 37% that mix with bit of water but it not fresh since already been use on tank B (after all maggot dead on tank A i put to B) but it also add with handsanitizer, disinfectan of floor because yesterday the maggot doesn't die at 37% formalin so i thought the formalin fake, but after I smell it hurt bit my nose.. men i should buy another formalin, or can i use 99% alcohol as subs? But it easy to be burn i hear.. the smell now not so smelly like before btw.. hope to hear from you regards
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy 2) Also from cute puppy now like mummy/ zombie is hurt to see (I hv photos of her last day before passed, very chubby pinky cute but now no eyes, like only skin left / like paper?? (too much melt ice bfr?), from white to dark blood, blueish (but alcohol whitened it)... if only i know wet specimen from beginning). Difficult to get needle nor formalin here. My formalin actually already mix with half water too- but formalin seem more than 10 ml + alcohol from mouthwash/ listerine
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy So can the combination of formalin + water + listerine / mouthwash + bit of floor disinfectan (which i use before because at that time maggot still alive which make me think to use it to kill the maggot because I confuse whether the formalin fake or not at that time)= can atleast preserve my puppy? I buy another formalin, and needle to inject formalin inside (altho I realize it super late), confused now whether just let it be or not.
Hi. Contact your nearest municipal hazardous material disposal centre and either have them pick up formalin waste or drop in at their processing facility.
It bleeds throughout the fixation and even some time after preservation, thats why we have to channge the fixative and preservative a couple to several times during the process. And no they do not get swollen over time. Unless the preservation/fixation failed and specimen start rotting from the inside.
Yes it is, as long as You are using the required stenght in the final bath, so with alcohol the solution from the first stages will be too weak, but as he said here You can always re use it for other preparations if You store it in a closed container, with formalin i think it is possible but the reason for the cleaning is to avoid contamination of body liquids from the preparate which may discolor the solution and give it an unplesat color. However in the first preparation stage body fluids from the preparate may possibly make the proportions in solution inexact, so i would strongly recommend to make a fresh bath for the final solution and re use the first baths for other specimens for the best result. If You buy the solution in concentrate Yoiu just need to add distilled water to it and it does not need to be medical grade as long as it is relatively pure, regular fomralin solution will do if You follow the instructions for the concentrations shown here.
resin works for small insects and animals. (especially insects and other arthropods with an exoskeleton). and that too, only if theiy have been properly and thoroughly fixed and preserved prior. Wont work for something this big. High risk of resin explosion from within (internal putrefaction)
You made use iso for tiny things like insects, and other small animals. For anything larger than, say, a barn mice, i do not recommend iso. Either formalin or pure ethanol. Lab grade ethanol is costly. If you get chinese (changshu brand) ethanol in ur country, u can get it really cheap.
Amphibians can be injected in the abdomen and major muscles of both hindlimbs. Fixed and preserved in 8% formalin. Or 70-80% alcohol. Planning on making videos for each group of organisms. Stay tuned.
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy I have a cane toad I'd like to preserve. Should I pay any special attention to the poison glands that are either side of her head/neck? She is in a freezer at the moment and is my first attempt at a wet specimen. I have taken a horned frog and a squirrel down to its bare bones also. Any advice on the toad would be brilliant.
@@lynseylou7318 hi. Toads and frogs can be processed the same way. No need of special treatment for the poison glands. Injection at several points in abdomen and mahor muscle of limbs, mainly hind limbs would suffice. In case the specimen floats, gently massage the specimen to expel internal air
I as given two aborted kittens (one almost full term, one fetal) suspended in 91% isopropyl alcohol that were like that for two years. Do I still need to inject formalin or can I just have it be the suspension fluid? Do I need to do both or just the more formed one? Excellent video!!
2 years in an alcohol solution. Thats pretty much suffices. No need of starting from scratch. Formalin injection etc etc. Although i would highly recommend if u can transfer it into Ethanol not isopropyl.
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy Thank you for a very prompt and thoughtful response! I can order ethanol but I have 10% buffered formalin on hand at the moment. Would that work or would ethanol be better?
You probably can, but the ones i seen in museum collections will become very dark, almost black ower time for some reason. I leave the question open since i don't know for sure if there are any way to control that.
The calf died probably of extreme cold coupled with malnutrition after 1week of its birth. In any case, it was a natural death. I think i mentioned this clearly in the narration.
RUclips has been nagging me to watch this video for two years. I finally watched it just to stop the notifications. But now that I have, I finally understood why YT would think this would interest me. Very well explained and now I wish I'd had this when I ended up skinning the rattlesnake last summer. This would've been a much better option for the specimen. Very well done.
Amazing video and explanation. I really appreciate how thorough it was. I'll definitely check out your other videos.
wow! that container could probably hold me! great vid, thanks :)
Aww, the poor little thing, would of been a lovely calf…
Very interesting 🧐
How did he get the baby on the bottom shelf at 16:36? Grim but cool
Been thinking the same thing. But seems like no one notice.
I noticed it also. How ?!
One addition you could make in your labeling format would be the type of preservative fluid that is in the container right now. This is helpful, if you give a specimen to researchers or other people, in case they need to fill up the liquid, so that a formaldehyde specimen is not accidentally tarnished by assuming that it's a ethanol or Kaiserling specimen.
Its nice you brought that up. I do mention that vital piece of info under "Preservation method". As can be seen in the sample label shown in video
is a 4% formaldehyde solution enough to store a larger animal like a deer calf? or does it has to be at least 8%? I'm so new to this! thank you for sharing!
In my experience 4% is used mostly for small, to medium "thin skinned" animals like amphibians, fishes, earthworms etc. For larger speecimens, its best to stick to 8-10%
My apologies for late reply. Your comment somehow didnt show in my notifications
10% is best
Awesome this video is helpful. I do just want to keep just the head, I don't think there's enough skin to see can I just leave it as is?
This was very useful & well explained. Thank you for sharing.
hey, thankyou for this video!!
i wanted to know what silicone you use for the “glass” sheets. because my silicone dissolves when in contact to alcohol (and formaldhyde).
How do you safely dispose of the water after rinsing off excess formalin in it? I've read that formalin cannot be dumped in sinks and has to be taken to a waste disposal center, so would you dispose of the contaminated water the same way?
This is a great question. I hope you're able to find a safe answer
As already mentioned towards the end of the video, locate your nearest hazmat disposal centre that accepts formalin based waste. Hand over to them.
First 4 Amazon links are not working I want try this process, my pet had passed away.
1:21 that frog is almost as big as that piglet
Yes it is a huge indian bull frog i collected many years ago.
Hi! I do have a calf I am going to preserve. What tank do you suggest?
Lovely video! Very helpful!! Thank you for your help :)
Could you maybe do a video in the future about fixing in alcohol? When each method would be most appropriate, maintenance, etc. Would vodka be an okay fixative? 🥴
sure. I have a handful of future video projects, using specimens from different groups of organisms as examples. Will try to incorporate a special video on alcohol preservation as well. Do stay tuned. And about the vodka, you need atleast 70% alcohol strength to properly preserve a specimen. Absolute Vodka is only about 40% alcohol. So its not recommended.
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy what about moonshine lol
How can I store my dead fish without making it wet ?
you use normal silicone to make the pond, like aquariums?
Yes aquarium grade silicone
Thank You sire for an excellent tutorial!
How expensive is all that Formalin? I feel like using that much would get expensive 😂
you should do a tour of your collection
Tour of my home bio lab and tour of my specimen collection are two future video projects already in my list. Just gotta find time.
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy still waiting.
I use formalin to my puppy who already die for 25 day (day 1-2 after she suddenly passed away at puppycare - in my denial 9 hour after die I brought her to my home do Cpr, formula milk, and ice block; day 3 I not use cpr anymore just milk formula, and ice block changing underpad, day 4 I give her sunshine in morning,& kick flies who come then put ice, day 5 I surrender, day 6 I gv formula milk,& change bloody underpad, day 7 same like day 6 but plus organic preserver chitosin, around week after that (4 day ago) I change underpad, milk formula,& put her in water of drontal,& chitosin again, and today finally i use formalin, but today (after manual preservation for 25day) I realize maggot walking on the decease puppy, so i drown her at 37% formalin on tank A, but the maggot still alive I add handsanitizer + baygon + bayclin + vixal, and the maggot still F alive, then I change the decease - after all maggot pop out from her - into tank B with formalin 37% last I put at jar with same 37% formalin from tank b + cold mineral water + alcohol, will it be preserve??
First of all, im so sorry for your loss. Takes me back to when my dog passed away. Its hard to preserve an animal after it decays. You should have begun the preservation process soon after it died. Injections with 10% buffered formalin at various points with main emphasis on the abdominal cavity. Also, you cannot use 37% formaldehyde. As stated clearly in my video, 37% formaldehyde is 100% formalin. You should prepare a 10% formalin concentration by taking 10ml of the 37% formaldehyde and mixing with 90ml of water. I also do not understand why you mixed formalin with alcohol. Unless you are preparing FAA fixative (Formalin-Acetic acid-Alcohol). But thats a whole different thing again, mostly used to fix plant materials. Bottom line is, its a bit late to preserve your deceased pup, because it has already reached the maggot infestation stage of decay. If you still intend to preserve it, pliz prepare 10% formalin as previously described and then immerse the puppy in it. See what happens after 5-10 days. If it remains the same, without further decay, you can leave it in a tightly sealed container. Ofcourse you will have t put up with the smell. Formalin will not get rid of the smell at this point im afraid. Good luck
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy because I saw on youtube ppl use alcohol as substitute of formalin. So i thought how if i mix it. Do 100% formalin destroy my pup body:(? I hv formalin 37% that mix with bit of water but it not fresh since already been use on tank B (after all maggot dead on tank A i put to B) but it also add with handsanitizer, disinfectan of floor because yesterday the maggot doesn't die at 37% formalin so i thought the formalin fake, but after I smell it hurt bit my nose.. men i should buy another formalin, or can i use 99% alcohol as subs? But it easy to be burn i hear.. the smell now not so smelly like before btw.. hope to hear from you regards
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy 2) Also from cute puppy now like mummy/ zombie is hurt to see (I hv photos of her last day before passed, very chubby pinky cute but now no eyes, like only skin left / like paper?? (too much melt ice bfr?), from white to dark blood, blueish (but alcohol whitened it)... if only i know wet specimen from beginning). Difficult to get needle nor formalin here. My formalin actually already mix with half water too- but formalin seem more than 10 ml + alcohol from mouthwash/ listerine
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy So can the combination of formalin + water + listerine / mouthwash + bit of floor disinfectan (which i use before because at that time maggot still alive which make me think to use it to kill the maggot because I confuse whether the formalin fake or not at that time)= can atleast preserve my puppy? I buy another formalin, and needle to inject formalin inside (altho I realize it super late), confused now whether just let it be or not.
What happens if Formalin mixed up with Alcohol? Thanks for the video 🪶
Nothing discernible will happen as such. But highly advisable to completely rinse formalin off for atleast 24hrs before transferring to alcohol
How do you get rid of contaminated water used for rinsing or dirty formalin that's left behind?
Hi. Contact your nearest municipal hazardous material disposal centre and either have them pick up formalin waste or drop in at their processing facility.
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy thanks
Hello.why it's not bleeding.and do specimens preserved like this way swollen over time?
It bleeds throughout the fixation and even some time after preservation, thats why we have to channge the fixative and preservative a couple to several times during the process. And no they do not get swollen over time. Unless the preservation/fixation failed and specimen start rotting from the inside.
is it possible to store it in the same solution it was fixed in? or do I absolutely have to change it? thanks for sharing
Yes it is, as long as You are using the required stenght in the final bath, so with alcohol the solution from the first stages will be too weak, but as he said here You can always re use it for other preparations if You store it in a closed container, with formalin i think it is possible but the reason for the cleaning is to avoid contamination of body liquids from the preparate which may discolor the solution and give it an unplesat color. However in the first preparation stage body fluids from the preparate may possibly make the proportions in solution inexact, so i would strongly recommend to make a fresh bath for the final solution and re use the first baths for other specimens for the best result. If You buy the solution in concentrate Yoiu just need to add distilled water to it and it does not need to be medical grade as long as it is relatively pure, regular fomralin solution will do if You follow the instructions for the concentrations shown here.
hi, can one use resin for the preservation and display?
resin works for small insects and animals. (especially insects and other arthropods with an exoskeleton). and that too, only if theiy have been properly and thoroughly fixed and preserved prior. Wont work for something this big. High risk of resin explosion from within (internal putrefaction)
I live in West Bengal. If someday i go to Manipur... Is there any possibility i will be able to see your collection?
Sure always welcome
Hi there your videos are very interesting keep up the great work 👍
Can you preserve a large mammal in resin?
Can you use isopropyl instead of formalin?
You made use iso for tiny things like insects, and other small animals. For anything larger than, say, a barn mice, i do not recommend iso. Either formalin or pure ethanol. Lab grade ethanol is costly. If you get chinese (changshu brand) ethanol in ur country, u can get it really cheap.
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy Thanks for the reply!
Can this be done with a previously frozen specimen?
Yes
if the coat/fur/hair of the specimen is long, is it possible to shave it down before rinsing?
I see no reason why it shouldn't be possible. Although I have personally never encountered the need for such.
How long will this preserve the specimen for?
Indenfinitely. If stored in ambient temperature away from direct light.
The dark urge be like
EXCUSE ME IS THAT A WHILE FETUS AND HOW DID YOU GET IT? That’s so cool
he said at the beginning of the video
Do you have any tips on preserving amphibians, specifically frogs?
Amphibians can be injected in the abdomen and major muscles of both hindlimbs. Fixed and preserved in 8% formalin. Or 70-80% alcohol. Planning on making videos for each group of organisms. Stay tuned.
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy thank you so much!
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy I have a cane toad I'd like to preserve. Should I pay any special attention to the poison glands that are either side of her head/neck? She is in a freezer at the moment and is my first attempt at a wet specimen. I have taken a horned frog and a squirrel down to its bare bones also. Any advice on the toad would be brilliant.
@@lynseylou7318 hi. Toads and frogs can be processed the same way. No need of special treatment for the poison glands. Injection at several points in abdomen and mahor muscle of limbs, mainly hind limbs would suffice. In case the specimen floats, gently massage the specimen to expel internal air
wait do you own the pickled fetus??????
what is the name for these things?!
very informative thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dude you are amazing! Do you have instagram? can anybody purchase one of your specimens? I personally have only had problems while preserving birds!
I as given two aborted kittens (one almost full term, one fetal) suspended in 91% isopropyl alcohol that were like that for two years. Do I still need to inject formalin or can I just have it be the suspension fluid? Do I need to do both or just the more formed one? Excellent video!!
2 years in an alcohol solution. Thats pretty much suffices. No need of starting from scratch. Formalin injection etc etc. Although i would highly recommend if u can transfer it into Ethanol not isopropyl.
@@TheSingtangpaScienceGuy Thank you for a very prompt and thoughtful response! I can order ethanol but I have 10% buffered formalin on hand at the moment. Would that work or would ethanol be better?
Halo, can it be done after the specimen is soaked in formalin and then made into a dry specimen?
You probably can, but the ones i seen in museum collections will become very dark, almost black ower time for some reason. I leave the question open since i don't know for sure if there are any way to control that.
I always rince till the water runs clear😏
That’s actually creepy💀
hii bro , are you a teacher?
Pursuing PhD
💀
Can you do this with humans
Yeah
As we do with cadevars
Зачем
Stop killing animals please 😭
The calf died probably of extreme cold coupled with malnutrition after 1week of its birth. In any case, it was a natural death. I think i mentioned this clearly in the narration.
At the beginning he said it was donated by someone he knew's neighbor after it passed away due to natural causes on a cattle ranch