I just read a post on rattlesnakes that said freeze-dry is a temporary type of thing that does not last because the meat is still there. Yet I see a lot of praise for Freeze-dried turkey heads. To a beginner this is very confusing. The reference was to stands selling rattlesnakes along the roads out west and was made in the reptiles section on May 18. I am considering having a flying squirrel freeze-dried, but am not so sure now. Any serious comments would be welcome. It is not my intent to get a big bickering session stared, I just want to know DO FREEZE DRY MOUNT LAST? I understand that flying squirrels are very thin skinned and thus extremely difficult to mount for a beginner. Thank you for your comments. Joe
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I have several "house cat" sized fox squirrels that are over a decade old and none the worse for wear.
No bugs, no shrinkage, no leakages, no odors.
They do have several things that my conventional squirrels never had though:
Blue ribbons.
Sorry, just had to poke that one in there. Your flying squirrel will be a fine FD specimen.
Joe,
Some misconceptions here. The freeze dried snakes (or squirrels) are done in total where the turkey heads are simply the skin pulled over a manniken, injected with water, frozen solid, and freeze dried. Then they are painted to seal in the skin and place a barrier between the meat and the bugs. Rattlesnakes are exposed to the elements and are susceptible to rehydration and bugs. You need to be ever vigilent to both. The bugs will leave FRASS (Stephen Rogers pretty word) which looks like termite sawdust. If you see it, bugs are not only present, they've set up housekeeping.
Now if you're like Cyclone and ribbons mean a great deal to you, let me know and I'll give you the number of our supplier who can print you one in any color and any organization you'd like.
Turkey heads are susceptable to rehydration and bugs as well....
The paint will do absolutely nothing to seal it and protect
it from bugs. I will agree with your comments on needing to be vigilent
with both freeze dried and conventional mounts, as both are targets
for dermistids. Joe, The life span of any mount depends on two things.
a competent taxidermists and a trophy owner who will take good care of
his investment. I assume you take care of your mounts since you are
asking before having the specimens done. It is up to you to talk with
some reputable taxidermists and find one you feel you can rely on.
With Perry about the heads. But turkey heads are not injected with water. It's a mix of glycerin, white glue and either formaldehyde or preserve-it. It is then frozen and if you don't have a freeze dryer you can just leave it in your freezer for anywhere from 3 1/2 to 6 months. It will do the same as a freeze dryer but it takes longer. This only works for turkey heads with an insert in them. You can also do it to fish as long as they are mounted on a body and left in there for the same amount of time.
You must be carefull about formaldehyde and/or Preserve-it. The formalyne (sp) in those solutions will cause the seals in the freeze-dryer to deteriorate.
I guess that you can get your ribbons that way. Mine came the hard way, competition.
You can continue to get yours printed, if thats the way you want it...
Try filling a turkey head with all that stuff you suggested, and let me know when it finally freezes. The whole concept of freeze drying is to get frozen, then transfer that moisture out. Those additives you guys spoke of would not allow it to freeze properly...
I've done my share of turkey heads and I've freeze-dried them whole.
As in all things, when done properly they will last and last and last.
I keep one on hand for a "go by" it has been painted, not sealed or
varnished (I do recommend sealing) and it's just been sorting floating
around the shop for years and has become a good dust collector but
other than that it has no bugs or rehydration at all.
Rich