psychelapis
They can often come to you in dreams, that is the most common. Also, some come across by having a lot of coincidences in life. Like, mine is the tiger and I kept running into images and fake stuffed tigers untill I accepted that it was my animal totem.
You could also try to do a guided meditation where you relax, and just maybe imagine smoke or haze, then ask for your animal guide to step through the fog and reveil itself to you. It may not at first, if it isnt the time yet. And you have to be deep enough into meditation to not be like, worrying about what it will be or trying to alter what you will see.
I will actualy try that. I think my animal totem might be a wolf due to me taking alot after them, and somehow uniquley drawn and fascinated with those paritcular animals above others.
But one thing I must know, how do I draw the line between an animal spirit actualy being there and the work of my desperate imagination?