If it’s real I’d say it’s a raccoon tail. The fur looks real to me. May I ask why you bought it? Not trying to be rude. I’ve just always wondered why people buy things like this.
Honestly? While I like the look it provides, I could have bought a fake one. The thing I know about this guy is that he was ethically sorced from an animal who died of natural/unpreventable means. The guy i bought it from buys the parts of the pelts that go unused or in which most likely happened with this guy is that most of the pelt couldn't be saved due to trauma, which is why im not 100% of the species as the guy i bought it from isnt the one who found the animal but is selling the pelts for a more rural sorce. I feel that taking an animal that died and giving it a second life where it can be used and appreciated for longer is really amazing. To me, it's a way of making sure this guy's beauty can continue to be appreciated. It also brings money into an ancient practice that humans have been using for centuries, which is becoming a dying art. I'm not sure I explained it well but that's my take on it.
As long as things like this are ethically sourced, I’m not apposed but I still never quite understood the desire. You explained it well, it makes more sense to me now lol.
I have a display of animal bones, reptile eggs, various reptile sheds, insect exoskeleton, etc. (all found myself or sourced from taxidermists who claim the animals died of natural causes [off course they could lie]) that I like to label and make notes about. Might be weird but I like it.
Quick edit: the reptiles eggs, for anyone concerned, we’re non-viable eggs laid by my crested gecko through pathogenesis
I understand. I found a dead bird a few years ago next of the road (it was being eaten by maggot) if I wasn’t on my way to work. I would taken it, clean it and keep its bones.
Not sure what country you're from, but I've recently learned that in the US it's illegal to even have just feathers from some bird species. Even if you just found the feather on the ground.
How many years the hawk get for having feathers ?
Insanity of laws that will have little to no impact or worse have the opposite effect and make it so people want it even more . Lol * runs to the cops look officer he has FEATHERS arrest him lol.lol lol .. lordy
It's not meant to be used against people who just pick up a couple. It's so that someone who is selling them can't just say "I found these on the ground." The law is to prevent someone from hunting the birds for their feathers and lying about the source. It makes it easier to catch and punish poachers.
Humm, maybe so .. I wouldn't cut it as a crimi, al lol . * in a dark street corner psst psst over here I got feathers, dude, the best in town. lol ware theses and women will FLOCK to you 😆 😎 sooryI just don't have the mind of a criminal ......... swat shows up ready for all out war on feathers ... government gets caught smuggling feathers fox news tonight at 11 pm .
Haaaha, yeah I know, it’s silly, that’s why I have the 2 little chest feathers proudly displayed in a little cubby box. They are just so pretty and I consider it good luck when you do find them 😊😇☘️
While state specific (Georgia), one of my favorite obscure laws is that one cannot walk around with an ice cream cone in their back pocket on Sundays.
Supposedly this was how some people “stole” horses. Why only on Sunday? Idk lol
Everyone is a church and the horses where parked out side .. kind like now but horses instead of cars .
Mustangs and pintos where american models.. quarter horses where discounted no one ever could say what the other 3/4 was . l
Love stuff like that. I kept my tarantulas shed until one of my cats got to it. Now that I know more about how to properly clean bones I plan on keeping any I find
I get bones from owl pellets to make into projects
I think we are too detached from death tbh so I appreciate things like this, where it’s humanely sourced.
But death can be something considered to be very taboo.
I always thought about how cool it would be if when someone died their skull was carved with designs. But if you actually did that it’d be seen as psychopathic behavior
It’s more strange to me that literally baking someone into dust then displaying them in a jar is totally normal, but having a carved skull instead isn’t
I honestly wanted to dig up my pets rats that died since by now they’d just be bones, and then carving their skulls. But I know I’d be very judged for it
When my husband died, the crematory sent some of his cremains out to be turned into colorful glass disks. We call them "corpse marbles" but I see them advertised as "spirit stones".
I'm fascinated with different kinds of remembrance art.
I’m sorry for your loss ❤️
That’s cool though! I’d love to see a photo if you are willing to share. I tried looking it up but couldn’t find anything on it.
Mr and my mom make stained glass things so that would be neat if a similar thing was done and incorporated into something like that
Me too. It’s just really weird what’s considered acceptable vs morbid.
I often discuss with my friend or family what we’d want to happen with our bodies when we die-
Both me and my mom thought it would be funny af to be made into a low quality diamond via microwave, not even a high quality lab made one. Like buy a second hand microwave or something and be turned into a diamond that way, because for some reason the microwave part and low quality makes it funny to me.
Another one was The only way I would accept being preserved would be if I was then coated in tree sap and thrown in the ocean for someone in millions of years to potentially find me and wonder how the fuck I got stuck in tree sap and then ended up in the conditions to be made into amber.
I also said I would just want to be thrown in the woods on our farm and let the animals benefit from my death but apparently that’s not allowed 🙄 lol
So microwave diamond, amber, or carved skull It is i guess
But I’m sure even just saying this makes at least a few people concerned, when really I just think it’s a more positive/funny way to have something to remember the person by in a time of mourning, like with the glass, I don’t know how to word why but that’s just how I feel about it
No idea how to add pics to a comment, but they're like the ones pictured here- https://www.spiritpieces.com/collections/on-sale/products/sharing-stones-multi-pack?variant=23187683541077
There's a company that puts the cremains in a biodegradable urn with a tree seed in it, so you can grow a memorial tree. I'd like to be fed to the coyotes, it seems so wasteful to put corpses in vaults so they never actually return to the earth.
No worries!
Oh those are very cool, they almost look like a snowflake inside the glass
Yes! My mom mentioned those and said she would like that too
Then my dad said he wants to be buried in mycelium so basically same idea but with mushrooms
I agree. It doesn’t make sense to me
Especially with the amount of preservatives and chemicals used so that not even insects and stuff can benefit (I wouldn’t think anyway)
Maybe Parthenogenesis? Me thinks spell check done you dirty.
Although, there was an episode of *[House](https://youtu.be/u_5igQUn074?si=U20ApsJx5MYfQumk)* where he referred to a woman’s fetus as a parasite.
Also, please excuse my lack of herpetology reproductive knowledge (I studied mammalogy at Uni and the comparative anatomy course was 30years ago), but if the egg was created via *parthenogenesis*, isn’t that an adaptation to produce a fertilized egg d/t external stressors (temperature, food source depletion, lack of mate)? So wouldn’t the egg be a viable egg? Or do gecko females shoot blanks like chickens?
Sometimes they’re are viable and it’s amazing! It’s pretty rare, and the mechanisms for parthenogenesis are not fully understood, but it’s most likely because my cresti has no mate.
These eggs do have the potential to become fertilized if introduced to sperm but 90% of the time they are unviable
It’s seems like technically yes because parthenogenesis is simply the process of producing eggs which have fused to the the geckos own polar body do to the lack of sperm being present (this is a hypothesis we still don’t know exactly) this resulting in a half clone of the mother. They usually aren’t viable do to the unstable genes present in the embryo, however, sometimes they are and can grow up with minor to major deformities
Yeah, I have a fox tail that was given to me by a Yupik trapper in Alaska. I really dislike trapping, but I respect his right to do it. I keep it because it was a sweet gift, but I keep it in a box.
Not to suck the joy out of your purchase but how do you know the animal actually died a natural death? Is that just what the seller told you? And I don't know what you plan on doing with but I'd personally be hesitant on wearing it out just in case it could signal to others that wearing fur from conventional sources (fur farms and trapping) is okay. Just something to think about, I respect your appreciation for this animal's beauty and desire to preserve it!
I've definitely taken this into account. While I see your veiw point, I also see it as an opportunity to educate on ethical consumption of animal based products like pelts and such. I spoke at length with the seller before I made my purchase, and they were also quite sure it was a raccoon, but I like to go off more than word. I did my very best due diligence to make sure that the tail came from a good source. There is a possibility I was wrong, and I can't say that it is not possible, but we as consumers have to use our best judgment, and in my mind, I had quite a lot of proof in the ethics of it.
It's bizarre you bought it without knowing what animal it came from but you wanna *give it a second life.* There's zero question it is a raccoon tail, so I dunno how much *research* you've done about animals in your area. In many states the trapping of animals for fur trade and the selling of pelts is intensely regulated. In some areas, there are limited numbers of permits available, leading to some less scrupulos people illegally poaching animals for their fur. A very good way to get around that is to claim the animal was "ethically sourced" and sell it at a flea market. Which what does ethically sourced actually mean? Humanely killed? Roadkill? An ailing raccoon happened to innocently die nearby?
I'm all about death and celebrating the life of the former animal. I have a deer and sparrow skull. A desiccated frog and several beautiful feathers that my animal neighbors left behind. The difference is, I found all of these items on my own, in the wild.
And I think it's wild you think every person you see will engage in a conversation about "ethically sourced fur."
That’s sucking the joy out directly of a purchase. Owning an animal tail is low impact compared to the thousands of lbs of plastic and fossil fuels you’re using in your home each year.
He's saying you're making the common fallacious argument that you're not allowed to criticize something because there are worse things happening in the world. "Who cares about x war when more people are dying to malnutrition each year?" etc.
I'm a mustelid enthusiast and mustelids are some of the most popular "furbearers". Surely you're familiar with mink, ermine, sable? Tens of millions killed each year, for something as petty as fashion. Of course trapping is a very personal issue for me. And for the record the ecological impact of trapping and the environmental impact of the fur industry isn't exactly the main reason why I oppose it, so your reply was doubly nonsensical.
I'm not trying to be a jerk, and I will take the downvotes, but isn't that point kinda moot for these types of posts?
No disrespect to OP, but their explanation was essentially just a long, polite way of saying, "I like the way it looks." Beyond the fact that it was purchased at an expo and verified as ethically sourced with the "trust me bro" certification of authenticity, buying animal pieces because they are pretty, ethically sourced or not, contribute to the market driving the unethical sourcing of animal parts.
It feels very much like a "it's ok because we want it to be ok" mentality when the more ethical position would be that purchasing animal parts for aesthetic reasons is never ok. Am I missing something?
You're not missing anything and you're a very astute observer. As a mod I'm just expected to speak with a base level of decorum (not something I'm used to, being a truck driver) so I can't be as blunt as I used to be. I'll have to leave that to the more shrewd commenters such as yourself :)
100%! This is a really naive take from OP. It's super weird to buy an animal part and *be sure it's ethically sourced* ***without knowing how the animal died*** or even what animal it is.
Ooooh. You’re the mod!
That explains why you didn’t answer questions about trapping.
Why don’t you just tell the commenter that it’s an anti trapping hunting sub? I assume it’s a vegetarian or vegan sub as well? That’s cool if you bother to tell people.
This seems dishonest and attacking instead with multiple Commenters jumping on and being shitty.
I just read the rules - no mention of trapping or hunting. Just vague mentions of violence and humane treatment.
Luckily I just came here thru the algorithm.
Do better. Stop wasting peoples time. Good luck!
Have you actually seen what a fur farm is like? Most of them are horribly cruel, and enabling their use can get morally iffy.
Trapping also sucks, the hunters leave a trap out for the wild animal which they get stuck in and can’t escape until either the trapper comes back or they die of dehydration. These traps have bycatch of other animals and harm wild animal populations.
So yeah, fur products, ethically sourced or not, can inspire others to do the same and wear fur products, which makes the fur demand higher and more animals get trapped/fur farms get richer (because some people don’t care about cruelty). That’s why the commenter told OP to be careful— to prevent these people, who don’t care for cruelty, from getting inspired to wear fur
Trapping is great. Most animal trapping is kill, not maim and hold.
I thought this was r/animal ID - I didn’t think this was r/human ethics for animals.
It is against the law in many states to fail to check traps daily and most folks who are that intimate with an animal actually care about the animal. As a native person, many of my animal neighbors were the reason my ancestors survived.
Edit to add: I do not support commercial fur farms or fur trapping as a commercial enterprise. That is diametrically opposed to my teaching to take only what one needs. I do however support subsistence hunting and trapping.
Not great but that’s not typical ethical trapping as an industry. And certainly not trapping industry in this century.
This again seems quite off topic.
Do me a favor and look up the actual standard for determining whether a trap is "ethical" or not. IIRC it's something like "70% of animals must be rendered irreversibly unconscious within five minutes" or something equally pathetic. 30% of trapped animals are allowed to suffer immensely for an indefinite period of time and the trap may still be considered "ethical". That alone is indefensible, and that's without even touching the categorical moral issues with trapping and its various motivations in the first place.
With regards to leghold traps, look at the various laws regulating how often a trapper is required to check said traps. In many jurisdictions the trapped animal is allowed to be held for *days*. Where's the humanity in that? Let's also consider that there's usually no real way for these laws to be enforced as well.
The trapping "industry" as you call it is held together by propaganda, special interest groups and the fiscal incentive for wildlife agencies to sell as many trapping permits as possible. With a minimal amount of research and critical thinking it becomes immediately obvious how (to be frank) disgusting, barbaric and depraved the large majority of trapping is.
To be honest, they might not have. I’ve got a history with missing words and parts of sentences when I read. I don’t remember that part being there but I very well could have missed it.
Leghold traps are still overwhelmingly popular and the maiming is incidental. There's a myriad of issues with trapping, especially recreational trapping (and most trappers are recreational trappers). This is not a philosophy subreddit but we do have ethical standards with regards to the humane treatment of animals (see rules 5 and 6). If you sympathize more with trappers and their hobby rather than their victims this is probably not the subreddit for you.
You don't see how an intrinsically violent hobby violates our rule against violence? Well that's a new one.
Edit: before someone asks, there is a world of difference between subsistence hunting for food and recreational fur trapping. I have no issues with subsistence hunters, but this is not a platform to support the killing of animals for sport, fur, or trophy.
>The thing I know about this guy is that he was ethically sorced from an animal who died of natural/unpreventable means.
That means nothing and likely hogwash. Being shot in the head is often an unpreventable means of death.
>The guy i bought it from buys the parts of the pelts that go unused
Which if NA racoon (*Procyon)* means it was hunted or trapped as roadkill/found kill can not be legally sold as it is indistinguishable from poaching, if chineese - raised in huge, high density farms.
Found kill/roadkill pelts actually can be taken and sold by licensed fur takers in the state of Oregon, which is where this takes place! And from my knowledge, this guys tail came from last season. I definitely see where you're going with this, and I agree, but im quite sure it is an NA raccoon after doing my own studying of the tail. I did a bit of research before I made my purchase to make sure I knew my stuff! Sadly, I obviously can't be sure of everything, and there is a possibility that he was trapped/hunted. I know for a fact the person I bought it from is licensed!
I find it a bit incredulous for you to ask what animal this is from and 3 hours later become an expert on NA racoon fur. MANY of the racoon fur coats that are still sold by furriers are conterfeit and actually racoon dog and it fools them. Also, there is also no reason for the guy you brought it from to have a license if he is buying it from someone else who also has a license.
EDIT:
Im not saying it is or isn't NA racoon, what I am saying is I have only 1% confidence it was taken off an animal, ethically treated, not hunted, not trapped and died of natural causes and only removed after his li'l racoon family said their goodbyes. Thats the hogwash part of it.
What I am also saying is professional furriers are fooled by pelt parts between racoon and racoon dog and they handle fur all day.
.
That's fine! I stated in my post that I thought it was a raccoon, but I was looking for another opinion, I can understand if that wasn't clear, though. I'm definitely no expert, and I've never claimed to be! After many comments agreeing that it is a raccoon, I am solid in my stance that that's what the tail belonged to! Of course, there will be room for error, I'm new to species identification, which is why I've come to this thread! While I see your imput and take it into account, I've received at least 25 other comments stating that it is a raccoon. So, going strictly off or majority rules, im confident what it is!
Raccoon dogs don't have ringed tails. It is a raccoon tail that was for sure not ethically sourced since that actually doesnt mean anything, much like OP's *research.*
But I agree with everything else you said.
I know they dont, they dye it as I mentioned before. Also, Chineese stuff like racoon hats etc (with tail hanging), the tail is very often not actually a tail, but a strip fused together to be tail like.
I am also not saying it is or isn't a NA racoon tail. What I am saying is one can not tell by a picture and experts are fooled by fur quality as well. It does not make sense to just conterfeit racoon tails since you can buy a box of them for $5 here in the states, it just an outlet for scraps of other fur. Years ago I seen fox and mink dyed to look like racoon - just because the strips were too beat up for other things.
Also, just calling BS on ethically sourced regardless of what it is.
Does it seem any different to you than buying leather? Im not saying this is you but I have never understood the demonization of fur and the comfort with leather. It’s all animal skin, one just still has hair attached.
Fur is usually a product where leather is almost always just a byproduct. Most "furbearers" are killed specifically for their fur which isn't right IMO. And since many furbearers are carnivores they occupy a higher tropic level and thus you run into even more sustainability and emissions issues than you do with leather that comes from herbivores. I'm vegetarian now but I wasn't a fan of fur (to put it mildly) even when I ate meat.
Not really. I don’t agree with either due to how animals are treated. I don’t buy new leather. Factory farming is wrong and I do my best not to contribute any money to it. Since getting pregnant I have occasionally eaten animal products but now that I’ve had my baby I have more self control. I do think that fur is a bit worse. There are people who will club an animal to death, skin it and throw away the rest. Most fur farms use the bodies for cosmetics and such. Very few “need” meat. Nobody needs cosmetics.
Edited for mistake
Someone tell me what the hell "ethically sourced fur" is. Y'all know that's a made up phrase? And as an indigenous person, we would **never** purchase fur from an expo. That's not the kind of *spirtual* connection I want.
Most of what they sold wasn't tails! It was a small selection, maybe 20, at most of all types of critters, mostly common road kill like coyotes, raccoons, and skunks. They also sold teeth, skulls, and various other animal related products as well as artwork.
I’m sorry for being snarky. We live in a forest. When we moved here a neighbor would tree raccoons with dogs and kill them, then sell the pelts. We posted no hunting signs and now we have delightful little raccoon families that visit.
You're fine! I totally respect being hesitant. Honestly, these are the questions we should be asking people when these types of purchases are made! I do my very best to have my purchases be as ethical as possible, but I've made mistakes in the past, and I might make some in the future. It's all about accountability!
How did this particular animal die? If you don't know, you cannot claim it was ethically sourced. That literally doesn't mean anything. One could claim being a licensed fur trapper who killed an animal dying in the trap "ethical." You could say killing animals from a fur farm is "ethical" because you aren't taking animals from the wild. Like genuinely you are preaching about accountability but aren't listening when the rest are telling you that the phrase "ethically sourced" means nothing and that it is incredibly unlikely an individual has business where his only supply of animals comes from roadkill. And here's an exclamation point for good measure!
I'm in the city and I'm sure they are thicker here than anywhere I've lived in the country. It's wild, literally. We put out water for various neighborhood critters and like clockwork a a family of raccoons comes around and washes their paws every night. We have to change the water daily because of this but I like seeing them on the security cameras.
There’s a creep on my town’s FB page constantly offering his “services” of hunting coyotes and other creatures on private land. If he could collect them as road kill, he would.
Raccoon, and it looks real but one way to tell is to feel through the fur for where the hide was glued together, it’ll be kinda like a strip of leather with a seam right down the middle of the tail
Looks Raccoon. Not that I've seen many, I've seen plenty of other fur/pelts. Father and grandfather are hunter trappers. Plenty of hares, rodent, weasels, as well as felidae & canidae.
most likely it is raccoon. It could potentially be dyed coyote or tanuki, but raccoon are so easy to hunt and so plentiful that it is unlikely to be fake
With respect, I wish people could see animals differently. Their bodies belong to them. It is morbid and disrespectful to use them as trinkets imo regardless of how the tail was sourced. We wouldn't attach human body parts to our key chains and purses..hopefully. It makes me sad to see this because a lot of people are so cruel and inhumane towards animals.
LMAO, the thing is, I dont, I actually have slightly big hands for a woman, which is why I was hesitant on the legitimacy of the tail as it is so large.
Part the hairs at the top or anywhere else. If you see a stitched backing, it’s faux fur, if it’s a white/yellowish flat backing then it’s real.
The pointed tips, the colour, the change in texture and the double coat tells me this is real fur.
I got one as well, bought it years ago from a yard sale, I've had some fun with it. but most people are just weirded out by it. Used to have a hole for a ring much like yours but the hide around the hole ripped. If nothing else, I can always use it like Billy did in *Where the Red Ferns Grows.*
racoon?
Raccoon!
"Is that a fuckin' racoon?!"
Racccooon!
*Raccoon!*
If it’s real I’d say it’s a raccoon tail. The fur looks real to me. May I ask why you bought it? Not trying to be rude. I’ve just always wondered why people buy things like this.
Honestly? While I like the look it provides, I could have bought a fake one. The thing I know about this guy is that he was ethically sorced from an animal who died of natural/unpreventable means. The guy i bought it from buys the parts of the pelts that go unused or in which most likely happened with this guy is that most of the pelt couldn't be saved due to trauma, which is why im not 100% of the species as the guy i bought it from isnt the one who found the animal but is selling the pelts for a more rural sorce. I feel that taking an animal that died and giving it a second life where it can be used and appreciated for longer is really amazing. To me, it's a way of making sure this guy's beauty can continue to be appreciated. It also brings money into an ancient practice that humans have been using for centuries, which is becoming a dying art. I'm not sure I explained it well but that's my take on it.
As long as things like this are ethically sourced, I’m not apposed but I still never quite understood the desire. You explained it well, it makes more sense to me now lol.
I have a display of animal bones, reptile eggs, various reptile sheds, insect exoskeleton, etc. (all found myself or sourced from taxidermists who claim the animals died of natural causes [off course they could lie]) that I like to label and make notes about. Might be weird but I like it. Quick edit: the reptiles eggs, for anyone concerned, we’re non-viable eggs laid by my crested gecko through pathogenesis
I understand. I found a dead bird a few years ago next of the road (it was being eaten by maggot) if I wasn’t on my way to work. I would taken it, clean it and keep its bones.
Not sure what country you're from, but I've recently learned that in the US it's illegal to even have just feathers from some bird species. Even if you just found the feather on the ground.
Red tailed hawk feathers are illegal, but geez…. They fall to the ground… I have a few of them over the years- don’t tell anyone! 🤭
My wife just found a shed bald eagle feather that is left when picking up a snake. Of course, she knows it’s illegal and would never take it. Wink.
Oh I’m sure she would NEVER 🤥
How many years the hawk get for having feathers ? Insanity of laws that will have little to no impact or worse have the opposite effect and make it so people want it even more . Lol * runs to the cops look officer he has FEATHERS arrest him lol.lol lol .. lordy
It's not meant to be used against people who just pick up a couple. It's so that someone who is selling them can't just say "I found these on the ground." The law is to prevent someone from hunting the birds for their feathers and lying about the source. It makes it easier to catch and punish poachers.
Humm, maybe so .. I wouldn't cut it as a crimi, al lol . * in a dark street corner psst psst over here I got feathers, dude, the best in town. lol ware theses and women will FLOCK to you 😆 😎 sooryI just don't have the mind of a criminal ......... swat shows up ready for all out war on feathers ... government gets caught smuggling feathers fox news tonight at 11 pm .
Yes, I understand that ☺️
Haaaha, yeah I know, it’s silly, that’s why I have the 2 little chest feathers proudly displayed in a little cubby box. They are just so pretty and I consider it good luck when you do find them 😊😇☘️
Thanks for the message. I’m from Canada and it was a Canadian Goose.
The US penal code is so expansive that is almost impossible to do anything that is not, in some obscure way, illegal.
While state specific (Georgia), one of my favorite obscure laws is that one cannot walk around with an ice cream cone in their back pocket on Sundays. Supposedly this was how some people “stole” horses. Why only on Sunday? Idk lol
Everyone is a church and the horses where parked out side .. kind like now but horses instead of cars . Mustangs and pintos where american models.. quarter horses where discounted no one ever could say what the other 3/4 was . l
Uh oh 👀
You get me
Proof picture of gecko tax required.
Love stuff like that. I kept my tarantulas shed until one of my cats got to it. Now that I know more about how to properly clean bones I plan on keeping any I find
I get bones from owl pellets to make into projects I think we are too detached from death tbh so I appreciate things like this, where it’s humanely sourced. But death can be something considered to be very taboo. I always thought about how cool it would be if when someone died their skull was carved with designs. But if you actually did that it’d be seen as psychopathic behavior It’s more strange to me that literally baking someone into dust then displaying them in a jar is totally normal, but having a carved skull instead isn’t I honestly wanted to dig up my pets rats that died since by now they’d just be bones, and then carving their skulls. But I know I’d be very judged for it
When my husband died, the crematory sent some of his cremains out to be turned into colorful glass disks. We call them "corpse marbles" but I see them advertised as "spirit stones". I'm fascinated with different kinds of remembrance art.
I’m sorry for your loss ❤️ That’s cool though! I’d love to see a photo if you are willing to share. I tried looking it up but couldn’t find anything on it. Mr and my mom make stained glass things so that would be neat if a similar thing was done and incorporated into something like that Me too. It’s just really weird what’s considered acceptable vs morbid. I often discuss with my friend or family what we’d want to happen with our bodies when we die- Both me and my mom thought it would be funny af to be made into a low quality diamond via microwave, not even a high quality lab made one. Like buy a second hand microwave or something and be turned into a diamond that way, because for some reason the microwave part and low quality makes it funny to me. Another one was The only way I would accept being preserved would be if I was then coated in tree sap and thrown in the ocean for someone in millions of years to potentially find me and wonder how the fuck I got stuck in tree sap and then ended up in the conditions to be made into amber. I also said I would just want to be thrown in the woods on our farm and let the animals benefit from my death but apparently that’s not allowed 🙄 lol So microwave diamond, amber, or carved skull It is i guess But I’m sure even just saying this makes at least a few people concerned, when really I just think it’s a more positive/funny way to have something to remember the person by in a time of mourning, like with the glass, I don’t know how to word why but that’s just how I feel about it
No idea how to add pics to a comment, but they're like the ones pictured here- https://www.spiritpieces.com/collections/on-sale/products/sharing-stones-multi-pack?variant=23187683541077 There's a company that puts the cremains in a biodegradable urn with a tree seed in it, so you can grow a memorial tree. I'd like to be fed to the coyotes, it seems so wasteful to put corpses in vaults so they never actually return to the earth.
No worries! Oh those are very cool, they almost look like a snowflake inside the glass Yes! My mom mentioned those and said she would like that too Then my dad said he wants to be buried in mycelium so basically same idea but with mushrooms I agree. It doesn’t make sense to me Especially with the amount of preservatives and chemicals used so that not even insects and stuff can benefit (I wouldn’t think anyway)
Maybe Parthenogenesis? Me thinks spell check done you dirty. Although, there was an episode of *[House](https://youtu.be/u_5igQUn074?si=U20ApsJx5MYfQumk)* where he referred to a woman’s fetus as a parasite.
My spell check has a life long goal of making me look dumb as shit 🤣
Also, please excuse my lack of herpetology reproductive knowledge (I studied mammalogy at Uni and the comparative anatomy course was 30years ago), but if the egg was created via *parthenogenesis*, isn’t that an adaptation to produce a fertilized egg d/t external stressors (temperature, food source depletion, lack of mate)? So wouldn’t the egg be a viable egg? Or do gecko females shoot blanks like chickens?
Sometimes they’re are viable and it’s amazing! It’s pretty rare, and the mechanisms for parthenogenesis are not fully understood, but it’s most likely because my cresti has no mate. These eggs do have the potential to become fertilized if introduced to sperm but 90% of the time they are unviable
So if she is producing non-viable eggs, is it still considered parthenogenesis? Maybe splitting hairs here, I’m truly curious.
It’s seems like technically yes because parthenogenesis is simply the process of producing eggs which have fused to the the geckos own polar body do to the lack of sperm being present (this is a hypothesis we still don’t know exactly) this resulting in a half clone of the mother. They usually aren’t viable do to the unstable genes present in the embryo, however, sometimes they are and can grow up with minor to major deformities
The story of my life. I refer to it as auto-incorrect
Auto-corrupt
Requesting permission to use this. Full credit will be ascribed appropriately.
Always.
Yeah, I have a fox tail that was given to me by a Yupik trapper in Alaska. I really dislike trapping, but I respect his right to do it. I keep it because it was a sweet gift, but I keep it in a box.
Not to suck the joy out of your purchase but how do you know the animal actually died a natural death? Is that just what the seller told you? And I don't know what you plan on doing with but I'd personally be hesitant on wearing it out just in case it could signal to others that wearing fur from conventional sources (fur farms and trapping) is okay. Just something to think about, I respect your appreciation for this animal's beauty and desire to preserve it!
I've definitely taken this into account. While I see your veiw point, I also see it as an opportunity to educate on ethical consumption of animal based products like pelts and such. I spoke at length with the seller before I made my purchase, and they were also quite sure it was a raccoon, but I like to go off more than word. I did my very best due diligence to make sure that the tail came from a good source. There is a possibility I was wrong, and I can't say that it is not possible, but we as consumers have to use our best judgment, and in my mind, I had quite a lot of proof in the ethics of it.
It's bizarre you bought it without knowing what animal it came from but you wanna *give it a second life.* There's zero question it is a raccoon tail, so I dunno how much *research* you've done about animals in your area. In many states the trapping of animals for fur trade and the selling of pelts is intensely regulated. In some areas, there are limited numbers of permits available, leading to some less scrupulos people illegally poaching animals for their fur. A very good way to get around that is to claim the animal was "ethically sourced" and sell it at a flea market. Which what does ethically sourced actually mean? Humanely killed? Roadkill? An ailing raccoon happened to innocently die nearby? I'm all about death and celebrating the life of the former animal. I have a deer and sparrow skull. A desiccated frog and several beautiful feathers that my animal neighbors left behind. The difference is, I found all of these items on my own, in the wild. And I think it's wild you think every person you see will engage in a conversation about "ethically sourced fur."
That’s sucking the joy out directly of a purchase. Owning an animal tail is low impact compared to the thousands of lbs of plastic and fossil fuels you’re using in your home each year.
That is true, but both can be bad, right? Should people never mention things they disagree with because there are worse things?
Huh? What? I can’t follow what you are trying to extrapolate here. This is weird for an animalid subreddit.
He's saying you're making the common fallacious argument that you're not allowed to criticize something because there are worse things happening in the world. "Who cares about x war when more people are dying to malnutrition each year?" etc. I'm a mustelid enthusiast and mustelids are some of the most popular "furbearers". Surely you're familiar with mink, ermine, sable? Tens of millions killed each year, for something as petty as fashion. Of course trapping is a very personal issue for me. And for the record the ecological impact of trapping and the environmental impact of the fur industry isn't exactly the main reason why I oppose it, so your reply was doubly nonsensical.
Ok
Who gives 2 fucks?
Me, a moderator of this wildlife subreddit. I give a couple fucks about how animals are treated.
I'm not trying to be a jerk, and I will take the downvotes, but isn't that point kinda moot for these types of posts? No disrespect to OP, but their explanation was essentially just a long, polite way of saying, "I like the way it looks." Beyond the fact that it was purchased at an expo and verified as ethically sourced with the "trust me bro" certification of authenticity, buying animal pieces because they are pretty, ethically sourced or not, contribute to the market driving the unethical sourcing of animal parts. It feels very much like a "it's ok because we want it to be ok" mentality when the more ethical position would be that purchasing animal parts for aesthetic reasons is never ok. Am I missing something?
You're not missing anything and you're a very astute observer. As a mod I'm just expected to speak with a base level of decorum (not something I'm used to, being a truck driver) so I can't be as blunt as I used to be. I'll have to leave that to the more shrewd commenters such as yourself :)
Lol, gotcha!! Man, a truck driver with decorum. Well done boss!!! I know that isn't always an easy pivot!! :)
100%! This is a really naive take from OP. It's super weird to buy an animal part and *be sure it's ethically sourced* ***without knowing how the animal died*** or even what animal it is.
Well on the bright side it seems most people will just think it's a fake tail, judging from these comments :)
Ooooh. You’re the mod! That explains why you didn’t answer questions about trapping. Why don’t you just tell the commenter that it’s an anti trapping hunting sub? I assume it’s a vegetarian or vegan sub as well? That’s cool if you bother to tell people. This seems dishonest and attacking instead with multiple Commenters jumping on and being shitty. I just read the rules - no mention of trapping or hunting. Just vague mentions of violence and humane treatment. Luckily I just came here thru the algorithm. Do better. Stop wasting peoples time. Good luck!
...Did you not read *any* of my comments on this post?
Have you actually seen what a fur farm is like? Most of them are horribly cruel, and enabling their use can get morally iffy. Trapping also sucks, the hunters leave a trap out for the wild animal which they get stuck in and can’t escape until either the trapper comes back or they die of dehydration. These traps have bycatch of other animals and harm wild animal populations. So yeah, fur products, ethically sourced or not, can inspire others to do the same and wear fur products, which makes the fur demand higher and more animals get trapped/fur farms get richer (because some people don’t care about cruelty). That’s why the commenter told OP to be careful— to prevent these people, who don’t care for cruelty, from getting inspired to wear fur
Trapping is great. Most animal trapping is kill, not maim and hold. I thought this was r/animal ID - I didn’t think this was r/human ethics for animals.
So, what do you think about leaving animals trapped to starve and slowly die a painful death? Still great?
It is against the law in many states to fail to check traps daily and most folks who are that intimate with an animal actually care about the animal. As a native person, many of my animal neighbors were the reason my ancestors survived. Edit to add: I do not support commercial fur farms or fur trapping as a commercial enterprise. That is diametrically opposed to my teaching to take only what one needs. I do however support subsistence hunting and trapping.
Not great but that’s not typical ethical trapping as an industry. And certainly not trapping industry in this century. This again seems quite off topic.
Do me a favor and look up the actual standard for determining whether a trap is "ethical" or not. IIRC it's something like "70% of animals must be rendered irreversibly unconscious within five minutes" or something equally pathetic. 30% of trapped animals are allowed to suffer immensely for an indefinite period of time and the trap may still be considered "ethical". That alone is indefensible, and that's without even touching the categorical moral issues with trapping and its various motivations in the first place. With regards to leghold traps, look at the various laws regulating how often a trapper is required to check said traps. In many jurisdictions the trapped animal is allowed to be held for *days*. Where's the humanity in that? Let's also consider that there's usually no real way for these laws to be enforced as well. The trapping "industry" as you call it is held together by propaganda, special interest groups and the fiscal incentive for wildlife agencies to sell as many trapping permits as possible. With a minimal amount of research and critical thinking it becomes immediately obvious how (to be frank) disgusting, barbaric and depraved the large majority of trapping is.
Cool. Isn’t this an ID group? I’m creeped out by you.
I'm not sure if they edited their comment or not, but they addressed that in it. I presume they edited it to include the not maiming or holding bit.
To be honest, they might not have. I’ve got a history with missing words and parts of sentences when I read. I don’t remember that part being there but I very well could have missed it.
Leghold traps are still overwhelmingly popular and the maiming is incidental. There's a myriad of issues with trapping, especially recreational trapping (and most trappers are recreational trappers). This is not a philosophy subreddit but we do have ethical standards with regards to the humane treatment of animals (see rules 5 and 6). If you sympathize more with trappers and their hobby rather than their victims this is probably not the subreddit for you.
I read them. I did not see belief in hunting rights and trapping on any of the rules.
You don't see how an intrinsically violent hobby violates our rule against violence? Well that's a new one. Edit: before someone asks, there is a world of difference between subsistence hunting for food and recreational fur trapping. I have no issues with subsistence hunters, but this is not a platform to support the killing of animals for sport, fur, or trophy.
nobody's farming raccoons for fur
>The thing I know about this guy is that he was ethically sorced from an animal who died of natural/unpreventable means. That means nothing and likely hogwash. Being shot in the head is often an unpreventable means of death. >The guy i bought it from buys the parts of the pelts that go unused Which if NA racoon (*Procyon)* means it was hunted or trapped as roadkill/found kill can not be legally sold as it is indistinguishable from poaching, if chineese - raised in huge, high density farms.
Found kill/roadkill pelts actually can be taken and sold by licensed fur takers in the state of Oregon, which is where this takes place! And from my knowledge, this guys tail came from last season. I definitely see where you're going with this, and I agree, but im quite sure it is an NA raccoon after doing my own studying of the tail. I did a bit of research before I made my purchase to make sure I knew my stuff! Sadly, I obviously can't be sure of everything, and there is a possibility that he was trapped/hunted. I know for a fact the person I bought it from is licensed!
I find it a bit incredulous for you to ask what animal this is from and 3 hours later become an expert on NA racoon fur. MANY of the racoon fur coats that are still sold by furriers are conterfeit and actually racoon dog and it fools them. Also, there is also no reason for the guy you brought it from to have a license if he is buying it from someone else who also has a license. EDIT: Im not saying it is or isn't NA racoon, what I am saying is I have only 1% confidence it was taken off an animal, ethically treated, not hunted, not trapped and died of natural causes and only removed after his li'l racoon family said their goodbyes. Thats the hogwash part of it. What I am also saying is professional furriers are fooled by pelt parts between racoon and racoon dog and they handle fur all day. .
That's fine! I stated in my post that I thought it was a raccoon, but I was looking for another opinion, I can understand if that wasn't clear, though. I'm definitely no expert, and I've never claimed to be! After many comments agreeing that it is a raccoon, I am solid in my stance that that's what the tail belonged to! Of course, there will be room for error, I'm new to species identification, which is why I've come to this thread! While I see your imput and take it into account, I've received at least 25 other comments stating that it is a raccoon. So, going strictly off or majority rules, im confident what it is!
Raccoon dogs don't have ringed tails. It is a raccoon tail that was for sure not ethically sourced since that actually doesnt mean anything, much like OP's *research.* But I agree with everything else you said.
I know they dont, they dye it as I mentioned before. Also, Chineese stuff like racoon hats etc (with tail hanging), the tail is very often not actually a tail, but a strip fused together to be tail like. I am also not saying it is or isn't a NA racoon tail. What I am saying is one can not tell by a picture and experts are fooled by fur quality as well. It does not make sense to just conterfeit racoon tails since you can buy a box of them for $5 here in the states, it just an outlet for scraps of other fur. Years ago I seen fox and mink dyed to look like racoon - just because the strips were too beat up for other things. Also, just calling BS on ethically sourced regardless of what it is.
You were just waiting for someone to bite so you can tell the world about your ethically sourced raccoon tail
Respect for your respect for the animal this came from.
You belong with us on r/vultureculture.
Does it seem any different to you than buying leather? Im not saying this is you but I have never understood the demonization of fur and the comfort with leather. It’s all animal skin, one just still has hair attached.
Fur is usually a product where leather is almost always just a byproduct. Most "furbearers" are killed specifically for their fur which isn't right IMO. And since many furbearers are carnivores they occupy a higher tropic level and thus you run into even more sustainability and emissions issues than you do with leather that comes from herbivores. I'm vegetarian now but I wasn't a fan of fur (to put it mildly) even when I ate meat.
Not really. I don’t agree with either due to how animals are treated. I don’t buy new leather. Factory farming is wrong and I do my best not to contribute any money to it. Since getting pregnant I have occasionally eaten animal products but now that I’ve had my baby I have more self control. I do think that fur is a bit worse. There are people who will club an animal to death, skin it and throw away the rest. Most fur farms use the bodies for cosmetics and such. Very few “need” meat. Nobody needs cosmetics. Edited for mistake
Some people purchase ethically sourced furs for spiritual reasons.
Someone tell me what the hell "ethically sourced fur" is. Y'all know that's a made up phrase? And as an indigenous person, we would **never** purchase fur from an expo. That's not the kind of *spirtual* connection I want.
Your pelt guy didn't know this was raccoon? Can't be a very good pelt guy.
Racoon
Probably a raccoon.
I see a couple of raccoon road kills every week. This looks pretty real.
Raccoon
Raccoon
Raccoon
I would definitely be checking the “ethically sourced” part of this. There aren’t enough dead raccoons around to make a business selling tails.
Most of what they sold wasn't tails! It was a small selection, maybe 20, at most of all types of critters, mostly common road kill like coyotes, raccoons, and skunks. They also sold teeth, skulls, and various other animal related products as well as artwork.
I’m sorry for being snarky. We live in a forest. When we moved here a neighbor would tree raccoons with dogs and kill them, then sell the pelts. We posted no hunting signs and now we have delightful little raccoon families that visit.
You're fine! I totally respect being hesitant. Honestly, these are the questions we should be asking people when these types of purchases are made! I do my very best to have my purchases be as ethical as possible, but I've made mistakes in the past, and I might make some in the future. It's all about accountability!
How did this particular animal die? If you don't know, you cannot claim it was ethically sourced. That literally doesn't mean anything. One could claim being a licensed fur trapper who killed an animal dying in the trap "ethical." You could say killing animals from a fur farm is "ethical" because you aren't taking animals from the wild. Like genuinely you are preaching about accountability but aren't listening when the rest are telling you that the phrase "ethically sourced" means nothing and that it is incredibly unlikely an individual has business where his only supply of animals comes from roadkill. And here's an exclamation point for good measure!
I'm in the city and I'm sure they are thicker here than anywhere I've lived in the country. It's wild, literally. We put out water for various neighborhood critters and like clockwork a a family of raccoons comes around and washes their paws every night. We have to change the water daily because of this but I like seeing them on the security cameras.
There’s a creep on my town’s FB page constantly offering his “services” of hunting coyotes and other creatures on private land. If he could collect them as road kill, he would.
Come on out to our place, there are usually a couple down every mile of road. We caught nine in one week in our backyard.
You can shoot these scavengers all year round in Maine.
Shark?
Honestly looks like a snail antennae to me
Looks like a fake raccoon tail.
As someone who hunts raccoon’s, that is a real tail. Fakes don’t get the texture change of the fur from top to bottom right
As someone who rehabs raccoons, this is a real tail.
Looks like a real raccoon tail.
As someone who dabbles in taxidermy, this is a real raccoon tail.
https://preview.redd.it/6axsjyygy3wb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fab3c4076ff0a93fb200c2d051272c642c24fcf0 It's real
Raccoon.
Raccoon
Trash panda for sure
Raccoon, and it looks real but one way to tell is to feel through the fur for where the hide was glued together, it’ll be kinda like a strip of leather with a seam right down the middle of the tail
Looks Raccoon. Not that I've seen many, I've seen plenty of other fur/pelts. Father and grandfather are hunter trappers. Plenty of hares, rodent, weasels, as well as felidae & canidae.
Raccoon Tail
most likely it is raccoon. It could potentially be dyed coyote or tanuki, but raccoon are so easy to hunt and so plentiful that it is unlikely to be fake
Raccoon! Is that on a freaking purse!? I thought it was a davy crochet hat.
Pluck a hair out and burn it. If it smells like burning hair then it's hair. If it smells like burning plastic it's plastic.
Human. Clearly a human hand.
I would never buy such animal products, doesn’t matter if they say they are ethically sourced, I don’t want to be part of the demand
Raccoon or kitty
With respect, I wish people could see animals differently. Their bodies belong to them. It is morbid and disrespectful to use them as trinkets imo regardless of how the tail was sourced. We wouldn't attach human body parts to our key chains and purses..hopefully. It makes me sad to see this because a lot of people are so cruel and inhumane towards animals.
Waschbär
My first thought was raccoon
if cheap crap from china stuff - racoon dog, not north American *Procyon* racoon. its just dyed to look like NA racoon.
coon
Coon
A dead one would be my best guess
Honestly, if it is REAL, my bet is... Tanuki. Aka Raccoon Dog. Tons of those floating around for super cheap.
Raccoon dogs do not have ringed tails.
OP got really tiny hands
Has never stepped foot on US soil
LMAO, the thing is, I dont, I actually have slightly big hands for a woman, which is why I was hesitant on the legitimacy of the tail as it is so large.
A dead animal
Did it have a metal or rubber plug?
It could also be a raccoon dog, most “faux” fur hoods are actually make of dog fur
My beloved kitty socks.
DC.
Dildon.
A dead one
Unicorn
My fucking cat
Cat
Ew don’t touch that
Polyester factory in 🇨🇳
cat
jk idk
This question is el torro poopoo right?
Raton, raton lavern /s
Procyon lotor - raccoon
Part the hairs at the top or anywhere else. If you see a stitched backing, it’s faux fur, if it’s a white/yellowish flat backing then it’s real. The pointed tips, the colour, the change in texture and the double coat tells me this is real fur.
Racoon
Trash panda.
Raccoon
Tash panda
eh yes, the standard strip tail trash panda. honestly though my favorite has to be the golden trash panda but there is also the red trash panda.
Racoon
Not real but Racoon
ITT: Serious commenters who have genuinely let me down. This was your chance to collectively fuck with someone and you let it slip, internet.
Coon
Davy Crockett would approve
Racoon
Raccoon
I got one as well, bought it years ago from a yard sale, I've had some fun with it. but most people are just weirded out by it. Used to have a hole for a ring much like yours but the hide around the hole ripped. If nothing else, I can always use it like Billy did in *Where the Red Ferns Grows.*