Preserving Mammal Skins/Study Skins

Submitted by RJR on 12/16/2002. ( ) 209.213.94.22

Before anyone bites my head off...YES, I did check the archives. What I found was some parties stating that Borax was fine, others saying no, that it caused changes in color and wasn't a good long term preservative. Is there anyone out there using a newer product? Again, this would be for study skins, not mounted specimens. Thanks in advance.

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Contact the large institution that will....

This response submitted by The Taxidermologist on 12/16/2002. ( stephen.rogers@attbi.com ) 151.201.62.1

Ultimately get your collection. If indeed you are making bonified mammal study skins with complete data and intended to last centuries, it would be best to contact the institution that will get your collection in 20-50 years. Each institution will have its' recommended list of chemicals acceptable to be used in study skins, together with ideas on tanning, storing etc. Also, for the conservators pint of view, it would be best to document what is used for each series of field numbers in your collection, as techniques are constantly changing, or being interpreted differently.

The other method of getting current ideas on accepted practices is to pose the question on Mammal L at http://www.lsoft.com/scripts/wl.exe?SL1=MAMMAL-L&H=SIVM.SI.EDU or on NHCOLL -L at http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/nhcoll/ This is not to downplay the Taxidermists point of view, but Mammal Study Skin Preparation deals with different parameters than commercial taxidermy.


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