Hey there everyone!
New to taxidermy, and i need help!
My friend brought me a roadkill raccoon, and asked if I could help her get the ears preserved, so that she could stick 'em on her ballcap! I thought it was a hillarious idea, but we don't know where to start.... We don't have all those taxidermy supplies for tanning and such, so we wanted to know if there was another way to preserve it, or if we could just like stick in in a freezer, salt it, etc.?
Thanks a million!
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If it was a recent roadkill due to the summer heat. Assuming you do not live in an arctic climate. Anyhow as soon as an animal expires bacteria starts to work on the skin causing what we call slippage. Unless your friend watched the coon get killed and got to it as soon as possible and froze it, It will probably not be worth your time to try. But if you insist on trying it I would not recommend a dry preservative. Reason being is it will be on a ballcap and can be exposed to moisture from rain and or sweat. That leaves tanning being the best option. The ears will need to be skinned, turned and then depending on the type of tan used it such as a cream tan or a soak. It might need pickled in an acid bath or cream tan just rubbed on. But either way you will need to buy the chemicals to tan it. You are welcome to e-mail me if you have any further questions.
Todd B
Buck's Pro MOunt Taxidermy
todd@buckspromounttaxidermy.com
throw ears in there and leave a couple of weeks - should be ok - get at paint store
So what? I but some denatured alcohol, and throw the ears in there for like 2 weeks, then they'll be preserved and ready to sew on a hat?
Also, if I turn the ears, which i just found out how to do thanks to Todd, what else do i need to do to the ears? Pickle them? Tan them?
Im sorry I'm such a burden.. I'm just learning