tanning chemicals - D.I.Y recipies??

[EmzEffect]

ive only really done birds before, and im trying some rats atm just to give it ago. ive just got to the point where ive salted the skin, so its quite nice and dry, and ive scraped all fat off etc. then i realised i might need something else for the skin, but im not really sure :S
are there any quick things i can make today for it if i need them?? im also poor XD so does any one know any hide paste or/and other cheap things i might need?
i was planning to use PVA glue or caulk for the hide paste(which is best? or is there something better?), ive done a quick bit of reading and i dont need to do soft tanning(?), so will i just be able to put the skin onto the form with some PVA glue??
can i leave out the pickling stage?

thanks for reading, hopefully some one has something

[GWebb]

Your best bet would be borax, buy some 20 Mule Team Laundry Booster from your local retail store, skin the animal, split, turn, flesh and then use the 20 Mule Team as a Dry Preservative on the skin, I would also recommend you using caulk as a hide paste over PVA glue. No need to salt the skin if your using DP.

Do a search and you will find more reading on this than you want to read. Also,  check out the Tutorial Section, more than likely you will find a post with pictures to help out, maybe not on a rat but another small mammal. Good Luck

[Redwolf]

For squirrels and smaller animals like rats a DP (Dry Preserve) works fine.
And like GWebb said on birds Borax works great.
For hide paste I use Michael P's recipe.

http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,45473.0.html

[EmzEffect]

Your best bet would be borax, buy some 20 Mule Team Laundry Booster from your local retail store, skin the animal, split, turn, flesh and then use the 20 Mule Team as a Dry Preservative on the skin, I would also recommend you using caulk as a hide paste over PVA glue. No need to salt the skin if your using DP.

Do a search and you will find more reading on this than you want to read. Also,  check out the Tutorial Section, more than likely you will find a post with pictures to help out, maybe not on a rat but another small mammal. Good Luck

thanks, i had a look in the tutorial section but got confused, haha
ok so borax and caulk, ive got both of those things so thats fine thank very much!

[EmzEffect]

For squirrels and smaller animals like rats a DP (Dry Preserve) works fine.
And like GWebb said on birds Borax works great.
For hide paste I use Michael P's recipe.

http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,45473.0.html

ah i read that, very interesting, and something i will try in the future, though i would rather use caulk if it works for now as ive got some and its cheap to get some more
thanks for your input

[Sage]

Newbie question here: what's the purpose of the hide paste after the borax is used on the hide? Thanks!

[GWebb]

It serves as a glue, glueing the hide to the form to avoid drumming, it also aids in adjusting the skin making it easier to move on the form to get everything in it's proper place.

[Sage]

ahaaah, that makes sense. Thanks!