A man who is a self-proclaimed “bad taxidermist” has shared his shocking, yet popular, Christmas decorations – including dead chick baubles.
Jack Devaney often hits the headlines due to his bizarre taxidermy creations, including a rabbit toaster, chicken magnets and duckling skin mirrors.
He began the now full-time career six years ago after skinning and stuffing a mouse in his mums back garden to impress his girlfriend.
Since then, he’s sold hundreds of the designs and last year, he found his most popular to date – “faunaments” for Christmas made from the skin of frozen rodents.
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For this year’s festivities, he’s created a whole new selection of seasonal-inspired taxidermy, including “clawbles” made from dead chicks and “hairy danglers” made from combinations of rat skin, duckling, mouse, baby chickens and duckling parts.
“I buy dead rats, chicks and mice from pet shops, which are frozen for snake food, then defrost them ready to skin and sew up,” Jack, aged 29, who lives in Plymouth, told NeedToKnow.co.uk .
“I usually take an idea that’s been popular throughout the year, then chuck a Santa hat on it or red and white string, then call it festive.
“For example, festive sausage men, festive hairy danglers and as it’s such a daft time, I like to mess about a bit more and test out new ideas.
“I’ve made a new line of ‘faunaments’ called tufty heads, made from ceramic ornaments and tufts of duckling, which aren’t all that Christmassy – but could make a good gift for secret Santa.”
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Last year, he sold out of rat’s head baubles and a shooting star, made from a real starfish, along with a little man made from rat tails, perfect for hanging up on the tree.
Jack, who isn’t decorating his own home this Christmas, hopes to make people laugh with his creations – and enjoys seeing the reactions from potential punters.
He added: “It’s a mint feeling knowing that something you’ve done has made people laugh, that’s why I like taking my stuff to art markets and craft fairs.
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“Recently, I’ve been turned down a lot because people sometimes think it’s a bit weird and it freaks them out.
“It’d be nice to put some on my own Christmas tree, but we don’t have any kids, so don’t see the point in decorating.
“I have been saving some over the years for myself.
“It’ll be nice if I do have children one day to crack open a box of chocolates from years gone by and instead of there being a sewing kit or shards of baubles, there’ll be things made from dead rats.
“Probably not a great heirloom, but there you go.”
READ MORE: Chippy selling giant battered pigs in blankets for Christmas
