Tanning a rattlesnake skin

[Cowdoc]

What do you do with a buzztail skin after it has been removed from the snake.  I'd kind of like to preserve it somehow.  Thanks for any tips.

[rastaman]

Thread #1  

This is the only thread that i found that might help.  i know there are a bunch of folks on here that have preserved skins so maybe they will see your post and jump in eventually.  Actually, i think most folks just keep them long enough to "skin" another bow.    

[Cowdoc]

Thank you for doing the search.  I need to figure that out.  I wasn't necessarily going to skin a bow with it though.  I did skin the snake, put it in a zip lock baggie full of water and put it in the freezer.  It was starting to get an odor.  Now I have to figure what to do with it.

[Shedrock]

I just staple them to a board, flesh them with a spoon, and let it dry for a couple hours in the wind and sun.

I make sure my wife doesn't see me fleshing a snake with one of "her" spoons.

[FerretWYO]

Originally posted by Shedrock:

I make sure my wife doesn't see me fleshing a snake with one of "her" spoons.

This step is very important.    

You can get a "reptile tan" from Van Dykes taxidermy supply.

  Maybe this will help

[Ranger B]

I do the same as Shedrock. Just tack them stretched out and scrap the meat off - there shouldn't be much. They dry fast and then I roll them up and keep them until I'm ready to put them on a bow. They are super easy.

[Chris Shelton]

if you are not going to put it on a bow and just want to keep it for like a wall mount it needs to be tanned or it will rott over time!!!

[Doc Nock]

Jeeze, nobody mentioned cutting a long willow switch??  That is what my Daddy did when he was gonna tan my hide!            

I'd listen to Chris. They make beautiful wall hangings, but get some tanning solution so it doesn't go bad!

[JimB]

The best way is to tan it with Rittel's reptile tan.You can do a search of taxidermy supply companies or PM me.Freeze it until you get the kit.It comes with complete instructions.It is a true tan,unlike some home formulas.