Hello,
I am new. I have decided to learn to tan using mice.
I acquired, AVMA-recommended method euthanized, skinned, disinfected, rough fleshed, salted, and half-dried four domestic mice tonight.
I then ordered the Small Mammal Tanning Kit (Lutan-F) from WASCO.
The mice are cased and on stretching boards right now, -skin side up-.
This is how it went: I was working in a 65 degree area. I would euthanize a mouse, then immediately rinse it in cold water to remove some animal heat. Then I would skin immediately.
10 minutes later tops, I would spray the entire flesh side with a very thick coat of Lysol and let sit. Then I put the capes into non-iodized salt immediately
and rough-fleshed, working the salt in more and more as I progressed. As soon as rough fleshing on the stretching board was done, I would put the mouse cape/board
assembly into a container and completely cover with salt. I am allowing all 4 to dry this way for 24 hours, then I will take them out and shake loose salt off and re-submerge them.
I want the capes to be lifesize quality work .. so far I think I have handled them properly. They were NEVER overheated, nor bacterially invaded.
Each mouse was injected with antibiotic [penicillin/lincomycin] about 4 hrs. prior to death to help, too. =)
1) Is it okay to put them "dry" into the pickle or should I make a brine / rehydrator first?
2) When they finally DO get to the pickle, should they look like mice (fur side out) or look like hides (skin side out)?
3) What side should be out when they are in the tanning bath?
4) Is a degreaser needed at all? These are very small, thin skinned animals. I aprayed them with Lysol prior to salting and I could feel some fat removing.
5) How long should the mice stay in the pickle? In the tanning bath? All four will weigh .2 oz. TOPS when dry.
6) One cape is damaged; torn at the neck. Should I use a hide glue to repair or suture it?
If you are actually doing this to learn, then you should be doing it as if it were an actual fur. First, there is no need to rinse the specimen in cold water to remove heat, once skinned, the heat will disipate very quickly on its own and it is best to never get a fresh specimen wet or you may end up with a population explosion of bacteria. If cleaning blood or dirt, just spot clean with a damp towel. Next, loose the Lysol. Lysol is more of a soap than a bactericide and has a higher ph which can adversly affect the epidermis at this stage. If you feel you need to de-funk a critter, use a product made for this like the one from Rittel's.
In answer to your questions; 1. you should alway's rehydrate first. 2. It won't matter which side of the skin is out once in the pickle, just make sure you agitate the skin frequently for the first few hours. 3. Same as 2. 4. A degreaser is needed on fatty skins, the time to do this is after shaving on a normal skin. Do your shaving after one day in the pickle, degrease ( use a good degreaser made for tanning, NOT Lysol, good degreasers have a lower ph), and then return to the pickle for another 2 days. 5. Covered in #4. 6. Sew your cuts before mounting.
Thank you for the advice. Van Dyke's Taxidermy advocated using Lysol before a Lutan-F tan, thus my
use of the spray.
I did treat them as fur-bearers (I hope) because before I was going to sell the pelts for
mounting, I was going to make something like the 30's "four mink wrap", but it was going to be a "four
mouse wrap"! Or I was going to make little rugs, depending on if I could find the right fabric backing.
Even if the feet fall off and they end up un-mountable, I HOPE they come out nice enough to make into the
wrap or rugs!
Do you think I should leave MICE in a pickle for a whole day? I mean, their skin is tissue-paper thin. As thin, or
thinner, than ermine. (well at least the ermine I processed!) Also, how long do they stay in the tanning bath?
I will be making half-gallon mixes of pickle, tanning, etc .. solutions. What are the proper proportions to use (I am VERY bad at math!)
The little skins look GREAT on their stretchers right now.
Thanks ;)
ignore this nut. Perhaps he will go away!