Help with Snake skin

[Brentda1]

Okay...so a buddy of mine finds a 4ft timber rattler in the woods here in East Ky. He has properly removed the skin and brought it to me in a jar of salt water (someone told him to do this for a few days to help preserve it).

I have never done casting but would love to learn and now looks like a grand opportunity. Since I have this sitting on my work desk in a jar of salt water where do I go from here?

How long and how do I need to dry the skin? Will be able to get to Michaels or HL this weekend to get supplies. I have already read the articles on how to make a silicon mold so I feel okay about that.

Some of you guys with experience point me in the right direction. Thanks for all the help.

Brent.

 

[seamus7227]

First of all, I would take it out of the salt unless you want to have a stiff skin to work with. 50/50 glycerine/ isopropyl alcohol is what you should put it in. I would take it out of the salt water and wash it thoroughly, roll it up, put it in a ziplock baggie and put it in the freezer until you are ready to properly tan it in that solution. Just my .02 worth, its what i do with my snakes.

 

[warthog]

Take it from a taxidermist of almost 50 years...Seamus 7227 is telling you straight. Wash it thoroughly...you have to get all of the salt back out of the skin...this can cause you real problems down the road. Then put it in the sloution he told you about.