Announcement
November 2021 update: Black Bears on Bath Salts has returned! As many longtime customers may know, the shop was on hiatus since the start of the pandemic –– I have two small children who were home for much of last year (remote learning gang check in) as well as a full time job as a librarian, and the store had to take a backseat to the needs of my family. However, with vaccinations increasing and cases declining in our area, we are very happy to reopen our online doors. We appreciate the dedication of our longtime customers, and the forbearance of those who struggled to reach us during our absence. You will see a steady stream of new specimens (my freezer is FULL) and artifacts in the coming days!
Also, as you are no doubt aware, because greedy capitalists refuse to pay their workers a living wage, there are severe supply chain issues this year. As such, while every effort will be made to provide a container similar to that in the pictures for each listing, substitutions may be made if the jar type as depicted in the listing is not available. The substitution will be for a container of equal or better quality with a similar type of seal.
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Black Bears on Bath Salts provides the discerning shopper with a chance to enjoy a variety of biological specimens, taxidermy, and unsettling Americana –– all brought to you by a gang of black bears who just love getting fucked up on bath salts.
Payment plans accepted! Custom orders encouraged! Trades considered!
Please note: currently shipping on Friday mornings only, or other days if I can manage it. Likely, your order will be shipped on the closest Friday to your order estimate. In addition to all major holidays where the post is not in service, we are closed on Jewish holidays and Saturdays.
A small discount is available for teachers, firefighters, social workers, journalists, librarians, and healthcare professionals (not you, cops). Please inquire with proof of your occupation for a token discount code.
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Follow our Facebook or instagram at @blackbearsonbathsalts for updates and new items!
Recently featured on TV's American Horror Story (Coven and Freak Show), Sleepy Hollow, Oddities, and The Leftovers!
And don't forget to search "Bargain Bin" for HOTTTT DEAL$Z™
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NEW: ETSY NOW REQUIRES YOU TO ENABLE MATURE LISTINGS TO SEE WET SPECIMENS
*You may have noticed the blurry thumbnails –– because of complaints lodged by PETA or PETA-like individuals, Etsy has determined it politic to require that wet specimens be marked "mature" and their thumbnails obscured. Please understand that this does not in any way imply that there is actually something "mature" or restricted about wet specimens. All items presented for sale in my shop are 100% legal to sell and own, are nontoxic to possess or handle (though please do not eat them), and no animals were removed from the wild (or from life) for this purpose. For more information please see my About or Policies pages.*
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Featured items
Items
All Items
Reviews
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Kendra on Oct 18, 2022
5 out of 5 starsI love them so much!! Thank you for the gift and care instructions as well, I super appreciate it!!!
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Kato on Apr 25, 2022
5 out of 5 starsThere was a shipping issue with my order due to a postal service error. The owner was super helpful and easy to work with.
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Cait on Mar 30, 2022
5 out of 5 starsI saw this random ostrich blood was in so many carts, so I snatched it and put it by my vintage hemometer (blood tester) looks dope on display! Great part of the oddity shelf 😍
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Brenna on Feb 13, 2022
5 out of 5 starsI got it for my zoology teacher cus she techs about that and she really likes it
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lauranlindhome on Jan 10, 2022
5 out of 5 starsI love my mink, it’s exactly the type of specimen that is perfect for my collection of early gestation fetuses. Would buy from this seller again.
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karen on Jan 4, 2022
5 out of 5 starsI purchased a number of items, but I'm writing one review. This seller is AWESOME. Great products, great prices, and I'm really, really happy to see him back after a hiatus!
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Renée on Dec 20, 2021
5 out of 5 starsExcellent customer service and flexibility to create a small customization for me, which I really appreciate! Item arrived unexpectedly quick and was well wrapped. Would buy from again!
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About BlackBearBathSalts
Your Mom & Pop Dead Animals Shop
Shop members
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Ryan Biracree
Owner, Taxidermist
The person who preserves and mounts each of your critters by hand (and by chemical) and the voice at the other end of the convo, Ryan is the full-time proprietor and taxidermist of BBBS.
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Sarah Biracree
The Muscle, Lady About Town
Sarah is writer, editor, and ecommerce specialist, but also the unsung ginger heroine behind BBBS –– helping with product descriptions, hunts for weird crap across the globe, and as the smiling face behind the booth at our convention appearances.
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Tabitha
Witch
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Lettie
Goblin
Shop policies
Accepted payment methods
Returns & exchanges
More information
Frequently asked questions
Do specimens ship in alcohol?
Jars 16oz or smaller will ship with alcohol within the US unless otherwise noted (if the jar does not provide an adequate seal –– for instance if it is corked –– it will ship without liquid). Anything larger than 16oz will not ship with alcohol.
However, if you are purchasing more than one item, the jars will be drained of liquid prior to shipping. It would exceed permissible postal limits on liquid, and greatly amplifies the risk of damage in transit. Combined shipping prices will reflect this. I will send instructions for refilling the jar.
No liquid can be shipped internationally.
If you would like to save on shipping, I am happy to send any item without solution.
What do I need to refill the jars?
All you need to refill the jar is common 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, available at any pharmacy for about $2 a bottle. All of my specimens have already been preserved in formalin (liquid formaldehyde), preventing decay — so all they need is a sterile liquid environment to stay preserved indefinitely, which alcohol best provides.
For delicate specimens (like early fetuses), you may want to use 50% alcohol. In truth, any dilution from 50-70% will work perfectly well; do not, however, exceed this level, as high concentrations of alcohol can constrict tissue and cause shriveling.
My specimens will be shipped without liquid. Will they be okay?
There's almost zero chance that their condition will be affected in shipping. Their tissue has been entirely fixed in formalin, meaning that decay has been prevented. They will arrived sealed and wrapped in wadding soaked in alcohol –– it can last in this way for up to a year before it begins to dry out (as preservation has already been completed, all that's necessary is an alcohol-based holding solution to keep it sterile and hydrated. If left out of solution, it will only dry out, not decay). The only danger is if it is exposed to prolonged extreme heat or cold, which is unlikely during transit.
Where do your specimens come from? Is it all legal?
My animals come from pet breeder, zoo, or farm deaths; stillborns; things the stray cats I take care of kill; roadkill or hiking finds; scraps from taxidermists, butchers, and tanneries; antique scientific collections; etc. If anything met its end by any other than natural means, it was likely via euthanasia, predation, or automobiles, or in rare cases, as a nuisance animal. Nothing is removed from the wild –– or, simply, removed from life –– on my behalf.
I am a registered taxidermist in my state, and everything that appears here is legally collected and legal to sell and own. However, you may want to familiarize yourself with your local wildlife regulations. This excellent site has an breakdown by state: http://bit.ly/2s5K70x
Do I need to change the alcohol over time?
You do not need to refresh the solution –– the preservation is completed and the alcohol acts as a sterile, hydrating holding solution to keep the specimen from drying out or attracting mold. You can leave it in the same alcohol it came in for well beyond our lifetimes. However, alcohol, over time, does discolor –– the rate at which it does so will depend on things like exposure to light, temperature of the room, oils in the specimen's fur, etc. This doesn't affect preservation, but it does affect the aesthetics. Some people like the antique yellow look of older alcohol, and some people like it to be crystal clear all the time –– really, the choice of whether or not to swap out the liquid is all yours.
How are your specimens preserved? Will they last?
All our specimens are preserved according to the best practice guidelines for scientific and museum preservation set forth by the US Department of the Interior. After cleaning and positioning, specimens are fixed in fresh, never re-used formalin (liquid formaldehyde) at a very high ratio of tissue to fixative for two to six weeks in climate-controlled tanks, then acclimated to alcohol over a forty-eight hour period.
If properly cared for (and care is quite easy), your specimens will last for many hundreds of years. I guarantee all specimens I preserve myself, but cannot guarantee the lifespan of those preserved by others (i.e. vintage specimens; these will be noted as such).
I want to save on shipping. Can you help?
Of course! If you would like to save on shipping, I am happy to send any item without solution (they will hold up perfectly fine) or even without the jar. Usually this can save a few bucks. Just message me beforehand and let me know.
Combined shipping prices are automatically calculated at checkout. If you are placing a large order and would like an exact shipping quote before purchase, please message me and I can accommodate.
Combined shipping cannot be automatically done for international orders because of the quirks of the US postal system. Please message me for more information if you have questions about combining multiple international items.
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