Best products from r/Taxidermy

(Pretty sure some people will be wanting to punch me in the face for what I’m about to type down)
I used the blade from a pencil sharpener...
It’s not what I’d recommend, but if you’re the precise type and have a firm hand, it will work pretty damn fine.

I have actual scalpels I got for this purpose, but they turned out to be really dull, I’ve got a blade sharpener but it wasn’t barely enough for those, they couldn’t even cut through polyurethane.

(I could have brought them to someone even in the family for them to sharpen the edges with an electric sander, but I figured out the blade I had was beyond fine so I just decided to stick with it.)

I didn’t get any problem with it, just be very careful and try to be as precise as you can get when you get to the paws and face, one of the back legs was the only spot where I almost cut through the skin, that’s a bit of a tricky area, but nothing crazy if you put some real focus and patience into it.

I’d still rather recommend a scalpel since a pointed tip would be a whole lot more precise.
Specifically, one of those scalpels you can find at art supplies stores, the ones some use to cut stencils. Didn’t try it on skin yet, but I’m pretty familiar with those, I remember them being really sharp, plus they come with quite thin tips, working with those is a pleasure for how much control the handle and blade give you as you cut. (too bad I didn’t have one around when I needed it.)


(Also, here’s a link to a book that’s not the same one I have but actually a more detailed version. I saw there are a bunch from the same chain all about vertebrate’s taxidermy

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1473327911/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1519260528&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=taxidermy+manual&dpPl=1&dpID=51-CbwDWSKL&ref=plSrch

The one I have is really essential, it was a gift so I don’t know about the price, but my best guess would be 7~10$.

Apparently this chain is also outdated, but I personally found it quite detailed and helpful.

There are pieces from the 1930’s that look pretty great to this day, both in quality and realism, so I wouldn’t be concerned about the fact that these are reprints of old manuals. If there’s a point you’re missing you’ll still be able to find it online, I find some real helpful stuff on deviantart, YouTube and taxidermy.net

And here’s the one to the video of the squirrel skinning process, the guy here is also using the traditional method

https://youtu.be/NbAl4vhjpnA

The piece itself isn’t exactly the best, but i found this really helpful in regards of the practical part.)

What is your project like? Is this your first time tanning? Are you buying a hide and doing something with it? Or are you skinning a squirrel for the first time ever?

Assuming the last, go for just drying the hide. Save tanning for when you've done a few squirrels (when you won't put as many holes in the hide and have more to test on). It's exciting to start, I know, but it's a learning process and learning both skinning and tanning honestly might be overwhelming (especially because both take many hours out of the day). I'm still not "perfect" at skinning, and I'm learning tanning, which still seems a bit overwhelming to do.

A few things you're going to need:

• Double Edge razor blades (for skinning, making things very easy) - Family Dollar, $1 for 5 blades
  
  
• Borax - Any store, around $5 (can also use salt, the cheapest of which is water softener salt for ~$5 per 25-50lb bag, which needs to be blended into a small grain like you'd expect in a salt shaker)
  
  
• Nitrile gloves - Harbor Freight, ~$7 (if you want to use them; I also sometimes stop using them post skinning and when cleaning)
  
  
• Permethrin - Tractor Supply, $8 OR this Coleman stuff if you don't want to mix and test it on the ants outside first to make sure it works. YES, I would say it's required. I like killing the ticks off before working on animals.I also use it in case they have any bugs that may survive by eating fur, which is common on squirrels. Gross, but just something you have to deal with in taxidermy.
  
   
  
  One other thing to know is how to sew. Get a decent needle (one that isn't poorly cast/stamped and cuts into your thread with each pull of the thread) and maybe a thimble and sew those holes closed while the hide is still wet. If you don't know how (to sew), you're going to have to learn (something I'm still doing).
  
   
  
  When you're confident in skinning (when it doesn't take a super long amount of time and you feel more comfortable), go for tanning. I honestly recommend not "case" skinning when trying tanning out for the first time. Completely just a slit across the back legs and one down the chest/belly. I'll simply link to my post on tanning for now since I don't have my guide for beginners put together yet. Heck, I'm still somewhat of a beginner myself. I'm just trying to find guides that actually make sense and is written coherently. No information let out. The type of guide where it isn't assumed you know everything as a beginner, y'know?
  
   
  
  Edit: One thing that's REALLY important to know is drying. DON'T dry a hide in front of a heater. I learned that the hard way and now I have a squirrel with really short arms and a really short tail. ...And it had fur slipping, too, so it's (probably) pretty much not fixable (if I re-hydrate it, the top layer of skin and fur would probably peel right off).
  
  If you get the skin off and need to take a break (say, overnight), go get some 70% isopropyl alcohol and a jar. Fill the jar rather full and put the hide right in. It should last forever. I've kept hides like that for a week straight.

find someone with Dermestid Beetles would be the best and easiest.

for DIY, you can soak/cook it in simmering water and baking soda (do not boil). 1lb baking soda per gallon of water.

but first you need to get the brains out. get into them with a piece of wire/coat hanger and scramble them up. then take a garden hose with a strong nozzle or a pressure washer and spray in there to get them out, it will be messy. be careful if using a pressure washer you could damage some of the more delicate bones.

then simmer in water and baking soda mix for 30 minutes. take it out and remove as much material as possible that isn't bone. you might have to soak it a couple times to get it all off. you can use the garden hose and pressure washer to help. a good pick, needle nose pliers, exacto knife, and wire brush will help.

once everything is removed from the skull, soak it in a water and dawn dish soap mix for another 10-20 minutes to help degrease the skull. might want to repeat this a couple times also.

once the skull is clean and dry you can whiten it with volume 40 hair developer. I use the cream developer for deer skulls but you could use the clear liquid stuff since you can soak the whole head.

So i guess rinsing and washing it is good enough, thanks,

Here is where I got the formalin from:

https://www.amazon.com/TissuePro-NFB03-32R-Neutral-Buffered-Formalin/dp/B018REELP0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=formalin&qid=1571317664&sr=8-3

I recently purchased one of these as a display for my new Vervet skull and I think it looks quite handsome:
Glass Dome 8x8

I don't think there is really any other option with something that heavy. Command strips don't work worth beans, but perhaps you could build some sort of stand for it in the meantime like this. I have ones similar to these at home to hold up a few small art pieces and they work, though the pieces cannot be too tall or heavy, so you would likely have to build your own to be able to support this.

If you are renting, ask your landlord if they are okay with you screwing into a stud to hang something. From my experience, landlords prefer when you do that instead of just hammering anywhere or using putty/command strips because they do the least visible damage and can be re-used.

I would glue them into a bell cap or something similar and then thread the chain through that


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E3CL6IG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_.6wLBb3GHV6EW

You have to convert the proteins to polymer bonds, soak in this stuff first: https://www.amazon.com/TissuePro-NFB03-32R-Neutral-Buffered-Formalin/dp/B018REELP0/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=formalin&qid=1567485850&s=gateway&sr=8-1

then 70% isopropyl, the 98% can damage tissue.