05/30/2026
all photos are either from real etsy listings, or real etsy reviews*
I scoured through a BUNCH of etsy shops and reviews to find actual picture evidence of the shoddy work being put out by these fly by night overseas "artists".
Red Flag # 1:
FLOATING SPECIMENS!
This almost always signals that the specimen has not been properly preserved and is starting to internally rot, causing gas to build up, and the specimen to float.
*certain exceptions can include bird specimens as air trapped in their feather shafts can cause floating. And turtle shell scutes can have air trapped under them, causing them to float*
Red Flag # 2
THE PICS DON'T MATCH THE PRODUCT!
This is where carefully reading the reviews is really important. All sellers are of course going to put their best pics of their products on their listings, but if the review pictures show that the actual product being shipped out is a drastically different quality, run!
Red Flag # 3
DARK MURKY LIQUID!
This is usually a clear giveaway that the specimen was not properly preserved and is actively starting to decompose. I will bet my reputation that if those containers are opened, you wouldn't smell isopropyl alcohol like you would with a properly preserved specimen, you would smell rot.
Red Flag # 4
DIRT CHEAP PRICES!
Proper presentation requires quality materials. The formalin, the PPE, the needles, the jars, the isopropyl, it all costs money. So be very wary of sellers who have tons of the exact same specimen for super low prices. Not only are they probably not preserved correctly, but I would seriously doubt they were ethically sourced.
I hope these tips help you choose wisely when buying wet specimens online. A good quality wet specimen that is properly preserved should last a lifetime!
