I'm working on my first two squirrels, and somewhere on here i read that they can be tanned with a 50-50 mix of alcohol and turpentine, which they are currently soaking in. I just pulled them out, the skin feels like leather, and where it is grey or fleshy colored, when stretched, turns white. My question is this: how long should they soak? They've been there 3 days, someone said they need 7-10, is this too much? Also, they have shrunk quite a bit, can they be stretched back out to full size for mounting on a mannakin? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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I have used The alcohol but never in combination with turpentine. The alcohol will dehydrate the skin, not tan it. Once the alcohol evaporates you have a dry raw hide.
I have used this on squirrels before, soak the hide in the alcohol, overnight is enough. Then I rehydrateed it in a borax solution for about an hour(or less) before mounting and then mounted the animal. I am afraid the turpentine is going to leave a smell to the squirrel, but I doubt it did anything else.
Thats has surfaced only in the past 40 days here on the forums. I also have never heard of it, in all the years I have been doing tanning and taxidermy. Old fart has been in this longer than I have and its new to him too.
Not saying it will not work, but wondering where this information came from?
As you probably figured out on your own, I'm an amatuer and I get a lot of my information from here, which is where I heard about the turpentine/alcohol mixture. As for who started it, I couldn't tell ya. I guess i shouldn't believe everything i read....I'm glad these are squirrels and not mountain lions....
When you read a post look with search and see how many post on that subject has been done. Its a great help to see and use proven methods.
I hear you on that one, I'll be sure to do it.
SeaBAss
Any of you old timers remember a magazine called Taxidermy Review? Well in one issue Vol.VI No.6,May-June,1978,there was an article about using that formula for small mammal mounting.It was written by a museum taxidermist.In it, he used ethyl alcohol and turpentine in a 50-50 solution.The specimen in the article was a rabbit.He claimed this solution toughens delicate skins and prevents hair slippage.
I still don't see the purpose of the turpentine. I'm willing to listen any explainations of it's usefullness. I just don't like the smell of the stuff and don't know if any customer would be happy if their mount smelled like it.
Even old J.W. didn't mention that snake oil combination. I can see the ethyl acting to lock in the hair and MAYBE the turp was for degreasing purposes, but like O.F. said, that combo should really make the customers happy.