Small DP mounts will not dry, any suggestions??

[Amy]

Ok guys, here's whats going on.. I'm starting to get a little nervous..

Last week I mounted two rats (common brown rats). I've mounted very many mice and rats and I treated these the same way I always do. Although I am a die-hard tanner, rats and mice are one thing I dry preserve because it seems they often slip to pieces when submerged in water, even if fresh. It's just a good thing not to get them wet. So I flesh, borax them, and mount em up. Usually their thin skin is dry in a day or so.

These rats have been mounted over a week and the hides are really not dry at all, AND I have had them under a FAN, THE WHOLE WEEK. Everyone who does DP knows that the hair will go through a very loose stage, then tighten up when the hide dries. Well these rats have been in the "loose stage" all week. If the hair is tugged or even just brushed, it's coming out. This is typical (FOR A DAY OR SO) but they aren't drying at all. We've had somewhat high humidity here, but dang, the fan usually always dries it right up.

Any ideas as to what's going on, or what I could do to accellerate the drying? This is kinda a rush-job and I'm supposed to be shipping them out on Monday!! This would have been no problem had they dried at the rate they always do!

My fear at this point is not actually WHEN they will dry, but WILL they dry? I just dont understand it. It shouldn't have anything to do with the way they were prepared.. heck, even a raw skin would dry hard and turn to rawhide if placed in front of a fan.

 

[Taflinger]

Bake them at 350 in the oven for about 25 minutes . Just kidding. Maybe try and put them in front of a portable heater set on low heat.

[Becky P]

Is the humidity high? If so, that can really slow the drying down. Do you have a dehumidifier?

[Wayne R]

I keep a dehumidifier in a room downstairs. It isn't kept on a high setting, just a normal humidity setting. It usually just runs during the summer months, but the humidity through out the year is pretty much at the same level. I'm not too sure if this will help you right now, but it may be something to consider in the future. An air conditioner will also bring the humidity down, and keep the area cool as well if that becomes a concern.

[Amy]

No, I don't have a dehumidifier.. currently the humidity is pretty low (28%) but it may have been higher during the week - we had a lot of rain last weekend.

Also, my shop is not kept very warm. During the day I will warm it up to 65-70 for me to work but at night it is allowed to drop down into the 50's.

I guess it's silly to assume these mounts will never dry, I just have never had such thin skinned mounts take this long to dry, especially when placed in front of a fan. I think I will try to warm them up over the weekend and see if that will dry them out.

[John Bellucci]

Amy,

My best suggestion is to follow these instructions from an issue of Taxidermy Review.  It addresses this very issue.  It works!

John.

[snowhare]

I MOUNT A LOT OF THOOSE BUGGERS EVERY YEAR , AND NEVER LOST ONE SO FAR

HERE IS WHAT I DO WITH THOOSE BUGGERS, INJECT THEM WITH 70 PERCENT ALCOHOL , THE WHOLE BODY , BELLY , LEGS AND TOOS , WHAIT FOR A FIEW HOURS , AND SKIN THEM OUT

WHEN SKINNED I LET THEM SAOK IN ALCOHOL FOR AN OTHER FIEW HORS , THAN RINSE THEM OUT WITH COLD WATER AND SOAP

WORKS JUST GREAT WITH ME

GOOD LUCK THAN ON YOUR NEXT RODENT

PS MOUNT THEM WET ALWAYS NEVER DRY THEM BEFORE

[Amy]

Thanks for all the suggestions, you guys..

Perhaps I was a little mistaken.. these rats were not slipping when I was skinning and mounting them. They were shipped to me overnight with dry ice, arrived totally frozen and I remember thinking how tight the hair actually felt during skinning. I even blowed the mounts off with an air compressor shortly after mounting. Not a hair was loose.

This condition occurred a day or so later. I typically see this happen with all my rat mounts .. a day or two of loose hair, then the hide dries rock hard and "locks it in".

Alcohol came to mind, and I almost thought about dipping the whole mounts in it, but I don't know about that at this point ... might mess up the carved body beneath.

[lee, tees valley]

yeah snowhare. i do the same , defrost in alcohol,   , skin ,   soak in alcohol,  then  mount. i also use borax during mounting always comes through for me..

[oldboar]

Amy, I think you already know the answer to your question...

Your quote...."Also, my shop is not kept very warm. During the day I will warm it up to 65-70 for me to work but at night it is allowed to drop down into the 50's".

Thats too cool to dry very quickly... bring the temp up to a constant 70-75 degrees with a fan on them....and they'll be crispy dry in a couple days.

Jim

[joeym]

Amy...take them into your house, where the temperature does not vary that much, and the humidity is low.  Keep the fan on them, and they should set in a couple of days.