Whether you want to preserve a beloved pet or commemorate a hunting trip, mastering the essential skills of preparation, preservation, and maintenance can save you money when taxidermizing your animals.
Preparing the Animal
Step 1: Freeze the Animal Until You're Ready to Process It.
Freeze the animal until you’re ready to process it. When the time comes, you’ll want to skin it, but it’s important not to let the animal spoil before you begin taxidermy and skinning. For added reliability, freeze the animal while you gather the necessary materials for stuffing:
- Sharp knife
- Sewing needles
- Stuffing or plaster
- Borax, alcohol, or your preferred tanning agent
Step 2: Prepare the Form.
Prepare the form. Depending on your animal, you can use plaster or buy a pre-made form (as is commonly done with deer bodies). You can also create your own form from recycled materials, which is more feasible for smaller animals. Use sticks to create a wooden frame that matches the size of the skinned body, and wrap the frame with rope or old plastic bags.
- To make the frame, purchase "Smooth On" clay from the store, which you’ll need to create the animal's body form to pour plastic into. Mix a small amount of plastic with water and pour it into the form. Remove the form and sand the frame with sandpaper or a small pocket knife. Don’t worry too much about the accuracy of the shape; you just need it to match the size of the skin.
- If you make your own form, it will help to have a visual reference for comparison. Take a photo of the animal before skinning, and using the necessary materials, assemble the form. You may encounter challenges with the limbs of the mammal. Keep in mind that the purchased form can serve as a model for subsequent mounts.
Step 3: Remove the Skin.
Remove the skin. Regardless of the type of animal you’re taxidermizing, whether it’s an iguana or a red lynx, the process begins with skinning and preserving the hide. The details of the taxidermy process will vary for different species, whether they are mammals, reptiles, fish, or birds, so read the specific instructions for each type.
- Using a knife, carefully cut open the belly, trying not to damage the internal organs or other body parts that could spoil the hide. Work the knife smoothly along the inside to detach the skin while holding it with your other hand. Imagine you are removing clothing from the animal. Remove as much flesh and fat as possible while avoiding damage to the skin.
Step 4: If Taxidermizing a Fish, Bird, or Lizard, Leave the Head Intact.
If you’re taxidermizing a fish, bird, or lizard, leave the head intact. Remove the skin from the head of a mammal if the mount requires the whole body, but for lizards, fish, and birds, you’ll need to remove the eyes, brain, and tongue to keep the skull intact for the process. The physiology of birds makes it such that removing the beak is either impossible (or unnecessary), but you must remove the internal organs that could spoil and emit a foul smell.
- Smaller animals are more challenging to stuff than larger mammals. Armed with dental tools and a special knife, try to remove as much flesh as possible. Small remnants can be extracted during the processing, but before you proceed further, ensure that the majority of the flesh has been removed from the head. This will require patience and willpower.
Skin Processing
Step 1: Tanning Mammal Hides.
Tanning mammal hides. Rub non-iodized salt into the flesh side of the hide, covering it entirely with a layer of salt about 2.5 cm thick and let it sit for 24 hours. Remove the old salt from the hide and rub it with new salt just like the first time. Place it in a cool, dark place to dry. Check carefully to ensure the hide doesn’t dry out too much.
- When the hide becomes stiff, wash it in cold water with a small amount of Lysol disinfectant and table salt. Rinse the hide several times until all the salt is washed away. Pat it dry with a towel so it doesn’t drip water, and hang it up to dry. At this point, you may use special salting agents to further process the hide, but before you begin tanning, make sure to remove all excess pieces of meat or fat stuck to the hide.
- Leather processing with tanning oil. Heat the oil in the microwave and rub it into the hide. Let it sit for a bit, then wrap it in a plastic bag and keep the hide in the refrigerator until you’re ready to place it on the frame.
Step 2: Use a Mixture of Alcohol for Tanning Reptile Skins.
Use a mixture of alcohol for tanning reptile skins. Soak the hide in a 50/50 solution of glycerin and alcohol for up to two weeks. Keep it in a cool, dark place. When you remove the hide and clean it, ensure you remove all glycerin from the inside and hang it up to dry.
Step 3: For Tanning Birds and Fish, Rub Borax on the Flesh Side of the Skin.
For tanning birds and fish, rub borax on the flesh side of the skin. Place the hide flesh side down in a shoe box generously sprinkled with borax. Sprinkle borax on the feathers about 0.6 cm thick. Leave it in a cool, dry, and dark place for 4 days. When you take the hide out, it will be stiff enough. Shake off the excess borax from the bird or fish, and it will improve its appearance.
Preparing and Caring for Your Mount
Step 1: Dress the Frame.
Dress the frame. If you made an accurate frame, dressing it with the hide will be as easy as dressing a doll. Secure the hide to the frame, smoothing out any unnatural bumps and irregularities. Do the smoothing before securing the hide.
- Keep some twine handy to fill in any gaps that need adjustments. Shape muscles or other contoured body parts using small pieces of rope or newspaper.
Step 2: Sew the Hide.
Sew the hide. Using thread that matches the color, sew the hide with the most inconspicuous stitches possible. Embellish your mount with artificial eyes and natural teeth, gluing them in place where appropriate.
Step 3: Showcase Your Project.
Showcase your project. Use your imagination. If you’re representing a pet, immortalize it in a peaceful pose, perhaps sleeping. Or, if you’re celebrating a hunt, display the animal baring its teeth. More complex mounts may not always be available, but you can create your own. Set up a display with branches or rocks and place your creations on them.
Step 4: Care for Your Mount.
Care for your mount. Once the work is done, don’t neglect your creations; don’t let them waste away. Keep your display away from direct sunlight at room temperature. Humidity can lead to mold growth, while excessive dryness can cause the skin to shrivel and crack. If the frame takes on an unnatural shape, disassemble it, open it up, and resew it. Periodically clean to keep your mounts looking pristine.
