I've already checked through archives, but can't find an answer,can i get the skin disease mange from critters brought in to be mounted, if so what can i do to protect myself. Thanks for your help.
Return to Beginners Category Menu
Mange is not actually a skin disease - it is the result of a mite in the order Arthopoda. There is a almost microscopic mite, somewhat circular in size and smaller than the a tenth of a Millimeter, that causes the disease. The animal infected with the Scabies Mite (I'm leaving the scientific name out) does react and scratches the area heavily, but mite also does elicit a skin response to grow abnormally. The hair either falls off or is scratched off. One of the main carriers of the scabies mite in Northern Pennsylvania is the Porcupine. As many as 10% of the porcupines in some areas have the condition, and the incidence is even higher in areas where porkies share denning areas, as opposed to those that primarily use station trees (see all the Shadle publications in the Journal of Mammalogy in the late 1940's to early 1950's.
I have always surmised the porcupines and their predators have a direct relationship. Mange outbreaks occur when there is a higher than usual population of predators. It would seem to me that when that occurs, then Foxes for example would have to use porkies as an alternate food source, which under most circumstances they avoid. Porkies actually die from mange in some numbers, I have found more than one occurrance of it. A porky, if infected with mange will actually split open when it hits the ground when it is shot out of a tree similar to a watermelon.
All the above was extraneous information, but perhaps interesting. The bottom line though is - Humans can contract the scabies mite, so use care. If the specimen must be prepared, I would perhaps soak the hide prior to skinning in 70% Ethanol, for a sufficient amount of time for the ethanol to permeate the infected area.
The Taxidermologist
I always figure that a fox or coyote coming to my shop thats showing signs of mange are usually beyond my preference for a mount or a tanned hide. By the time you can visually see that it has mange, it SHOWS! So its easy to decline the job, and tell the customer that you'd like him to take the carcass with him. Sarcoptic mites were the culprit as I was told once. Heck, I worry about my dog being near the shop just for that reason. I see those skinny tails or balding legs and ears (not mine, haha) and I dont let the guys come in! Of course, I say so nicely...:0)
Phylum- Arthropoda Not Order
Sorry, but I have a degree in biology and I can't help it.