I was working on a mink and marten today turning the ears using a scapel and fingnails I still ended up putting holes in the ears with still aways to go for complete turning. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on this. Thanks Bill
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I don't know what other Taxidermist use, but I use a pair of Iris Scissors to open up ears on smaller mammals. I think a scalpel is too sharp. The thing to do is to locate the "plane" between the skin and the ear cartilage. Place your scissors with the tips closed in this plane and open them. Don't open the scissors too punch as that might punch a little hole in the skin. This will open up your specimen's ears without any cutting. Just do this a little at a time. Some mammals are easier then others. Don't worry about holes in the ear skin; most of these can be fixed without sewing.
squirt water in from the needle, you can see the cartilage seperate as you do this so you doesn't blow it out.
yes its the easy way out but carding and taping them until they dry will give you an acceptable commercial quality ear in my opinion.
gary
I have had good luck with useing forced air. Just remember to turn down the PSI as the animal gets smaller. Deer are the fastest, a bobcat will take more time so on and so forth the smaller the animal. Hope this helps