Sunday I was turning a lips, eyes and ears on a fox I bought. Well the skin felt fine no significant loose hair and no freezer burn. On one of the ears as I was trying to turn the skin ripped almost all the way across. I did not think I was apply to much force, probably did though or it wouldn't have ripped. I messed with it a little more trying to turn it the rest of the way thinking I can sew it up after tanning. But I couldn't get it to restart. I placed it in the pickle as it is hoping to stabilize and plump it up a little. Do ya'll think it will be okay? Will I be able to turn it without any significant damage? I think the pickle should set the hair unturned since they are so thin. Thanks for responses and help in advance.
Return to Lifesize Mammal Taxidermy Category Menu
I did the exact same thing a few days ago but I put mine back in the freezer,sorry I dont have a solution to the problem hopefully someone will,but I know exactly what your talking about,trying to restart it was like trying to split a sheet of notebook paper.
Because of the fickleness of fox ears is exactly why I DP them. When I turn an ear, I sprinkle DP on the cartilage and use a heavy thumbnail pressure to more or less "peel" the ear free. I know Glen Conley's Stop Rot works well on them and the pickle should lock and plump the sucker up to some degree. Good luck.
The pickle will rehydrate the ears and you can then carefully work them open, but be careful yet still, a pickle doesn't mean the ears are stronger or anything, the ear skin will feel tighter yes, so you must be careful. When tanned, you can take a teeny needle and fine fishline and sew the hole up.
Since stop rot came out I have been applying it to all my fox ears while they were thawing out to skin.Since then I have had no trouble with the hair slipping and the ears turn a lot eaiser.I just finished a red fox and his ears turned out great.