Finished my first mount (squirrel climbing up tree). As it being my first, it took me a lot longer than I'm sure experienced taxidermists take to finish it. I used DP (have read plenty of the arguments in the archives about DP vs Tan, don't need anymore..lol.) It seemed I had a lot of difficulty with the fleshing part. I used an x-acto knife blade (scalpel shaped) and tried scissors as well as a pocket knife. When I tried fleshing, the blade(s) just went over the flesh and really took nothing off. I ended up having to carefully lift the flesh with my fingers and basically "skinning" it. It took what seemed like forever and the more time I took, the more I was concerned about the fur (slippage). I didn't put any DP on the skin during the fleshing process. I'm not even sure I got it completely fleshed properly especially the lip splitting. I didn't split the whisker tracks because I wasn't exactly sure what and where to cut. When I got the manniken ready I don't think I got the lip slot wide enough, and per the instructions I put clay in the slots. Then I DP'd the skin. By the time I was ready to put the squirrel on the manniken, the clay in the lip slots hardened and I wasn't able to really tuck the lips so I pinned them. I also didn't get all or enough of the DP off the skin and now have a build up of dried DP around the eyes that I'll have to try and scrape off after it's done drying. The longer it took the more rushed I felt because I was afraid of the fur slipping. Along with some of the obvious "questions" above, how long do I have to work with a DP'd hide before I need to start worrying about slippage? All in all...it didn't turn out too bad. It took me about three hours.
Return to Lifesize Mammal Taxidermy Category Menu
Look it up in the catalogs--around $7 for knife and $6 for blades. Doesnt sound like you fleshed the face well enough. More than likely your eyes and lips will pull and the whiskers will look out of place when dried. I dont think the lip slot was the problem-- you didnt get the lips split and thinned. I dont put clay in the slot either, a little hide paste will do the trick.
In my opinion you rushed the job for no good reason. I would say you had about 8-10 hrs to work with the skin. Even then I wouldnt worry too much if you had DP on the skin. Use stop rot on the skin if your worried about slippage.
.......a wire wheel? I use my bird fleshing machine on some of the smaller critters, just be careful not to get the hide hot, which shouldn't be a problem. I can wheel one pretty quickly, but you'll still have to split and turn. I've yet to figure out how I can make the wheel accomplish that task, when I do I'll sell those results! Marc R
You have plenty time. Not days,now mind you, but 4 to 5 hours you should be OK. Remember, try not to get the skin warm and once you mount it, LEAVE IT ALONE. A lip slot on a DP squirrel should be no wider than a scalpel blade in my opinion and I don't use any clay except around the eyes, the nose and teeth area to hold them in place, and in the whisker tracts. I use small japan pins and I usually pin inside the mouth area behind the teeth with one or two of them.
before fleshing? before DP?
I brush it on the face and ears before skinning. After the animal is skinned I brush it on the hide side, flesh, tan or DP. You can inject it in freezer burnt ears as well. Use the orange button and type in stop rot. You really cant go wrong with the stuff.
Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking forward to starting my next project. I just want to tell you guys and anyone who contributes to this forum that I really appreciate the time you take to answer. Have a great Christmas
just use an old toothbrush. Wait for the mount to completely dry though.