How do you mount (preserve) a crab??

[cswan]

I've seen some nice displays of crabs...shellaced...nice color...and mounted on various objects. Thought that I'd try that....but I can't even tell you what happened or how it turned out. :-( Not pretty at all. Anyone out there have a clue as to what the process is? Thanks.
Craig

[rj]

let a taxidermist do it 4 you
here is one but there are others
Simply Scales Taxidermy he is located in Baltimore. His contact info is: Harvey Williams 410-525-9363 0r 443-562-4725

[john pearce]

I dropped one off of 702 last weekend and she said to carefully wrap it in news paper, wet the

[dogbig]

I had an 8.5" crab die before I could cook it a few years ago. So I decided to mount the dead crab in a neat position. I then put it in my backyard shed. Needless to say, within a day it was covered with maggots, they ate everything from the inside out and the crab stunk up the back yard for a week. But within a month, the smell and maggots were gone. All that was left was a perfectly preserved hollow blue crab. Two years later, it is still sitting in my shed. Since the color faded, the only thing it needs is to be professionally painted (airbrushed). Maybe one day!!

db

[smellslikefish]

I used to work for a taxidermist and although we had never mounted a crab, I can give you a clue as to the way I would think it would be one. 1st, tamidermist have beetles(i forget where they come from, you can buy them mail order) that will eat flesh an not turn into maggots. My guy kept them in an enclosed fish tank.......the worst thing was getting common house flies in there because then you end up with maggots. I think you shoul be able to pull of the top shell without damaging the face of the crab......the apren can be glued back in place later. clean out as much meat as possible even if you have to remove some of the shell that will be hiden under the top shell. Then let the beetles do there job until the meat is gone.....they will clean the crab better than the best crab picker.....remember to put the crab in the position that you want the mount as the leggs will dry in that position. When the crab is clean, glue the top shell and the apron back on....paint....viola.

[Boseafish]

I'll second Simply Scales in Baltimore... He did two for me at a very good price. I believe he also does the displays for JO spice company.

[cswan]

Fellow crabbers....Thanks for all the advice. I'll definately look into it. Taxidermist....bettles...the whole thing. Now...going to have to go out and catch a few.

[rustyhook]

Ants do a good job.

[Capt.Nick]

Take a dead crab,Spread it out on a piece of card board or plywood in the position you want it in and hold the legs,backfins etc to the cardboard with wooden clothes pins.Now,keep micro waving it a minute or 2 at a time til it has very little weight to it because of dehydration.This could take 10-15min.altogether.Let cool a minute or 2 between heats.You can then leave it outside a few days to make sure it doesn't stink then spray w/clear varnish or shellac.It'll be a red crab.They are fragile so handle gently.