# How can I preserve a Snake I caught? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832 "2003-10-22T03:10:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LeeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ee7513/32.png) [@LeeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeJam)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832/1 "2003-10-22T03:10:17Z")
Hiya all. After finding a meter long [Dugite](http://members.iinet.net.au/~bush/dugite.html) in our chicken run this morning, and killing it. I now want to preserve it for “posteritiy’s sake” Is there any way I can do this without using dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde? Thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weak\_Force](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9dc877/32.png) [@The\_Weak\_Force](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weak_Force)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832/2 "2003-10-22T05:19:12Z")
Hey, wait a minute, you live in Australia? Doesn’t Australia have snakes coming out of its ears? Why bother preserving it at all? Just hang it on your wall or whatever, and when it rots away, go outside and grab the one that’s closest to your hand (but quickly, before the one at your feet bites you). Repeat. Preserve without dangerous chemicals? Have you considered [mummification](http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/mummies/home.html)? ---
**Author:** ![LeeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ee7513/32.png) [@LeeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeJam)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832/3 "2003-10-22T06:22:34Z")
Heh 😃 It’s not _that_ bad - although spring is the time for snakes. Anyway, can I use Methylated Spirits? I was basically planning on just filling up the container I have the snake in and leaving it like that 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832/4 "2003-10-22T10:49:50Z")
I was going to suggest not killing it, but you’ve already slaughtered the poor biblical malcontent. I dunno what “Methylated Spirits” is… Farley Mowat claims to have traded his formaldehyde for grain alcohol on a trip up north. Worked as well, and much more drinkable. If that’s what is, 2nd hand knowledge from a 1st class liar sez it should work ok. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832/5 "2003-10-22T12:04:58Z")
Preserve it in aspic. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832/6 "2003-10-22T12:11:18Z")
Get some tanning kit and a mannikin for him through [WASCO](http://www.taxidermy.com/cat/products.html) and try your hand. You could make a cool lamp with him then. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832/7 "2003-10-22T12:22:27Z")
For best results (at some cost), send it to a professional taxidermist and get it stuffed and framed. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-preserve-a-snake-i-caught/208832/8 "2003-10-22T14:05:51Z")
I had a couple turtles, a lizard, and several tropical fish in my freezer for years. Fun to leave them behind when you move, if you wanna freak out your landlord.