Snake Hide Tanning

[remau308]

Alright, I know a good bit of the members here are from the desert area, and probably have some experience in tanning snake skins. I killed a large rattler on my friends property today after I nearly stepped on it because it was so well hidden. After killing it, we did the right thing and ate it since I personally would have felt guilty for killing something without eating it. So, after eating the rattler, we decided to tan it and keep some sort of trophy since I have never seen a rattler in my life living in Georgia and now Alabama. If anyone has some tips to tanning they would like to share, I would be appreciative. I have already salted it, and picked off the snotty remnants on the inside. I was going to put it in milk in the morning to let it sit over night (the mild acid in milk is supposed to make it softer and more pliable?) , but I would really hate to mess up this hide. Thanks in advance.

 

[RJW]

Re: Snake Hide Tanning

Here you go. I hope the skin is OK, because you should not soak or salt the skin.
This is from a taxidermy friend of mine.

1.Skin out the snake and make sure that all the meat and fat are removed from the flesh side of the skin.
2.Mix a solution of equal parts pure glycerin and rubbing alcohol in a sealable container. Make enough to fully submerge the skin.
3.Loosely roll the snakeskin, put it into the solution, and seal the container.
4.Let the snakeskin sit for 2-3 days stirring once a day. Make sure that the skin is fully submerged.
5.Remove the skin from the container and rinse with water.
6.Use a dull knife and scrape the flesh side to remove any loose membrane. This will give the flesh side a nice clean look when you are finished.
7.Spread a light coat of the pure glycerin on the flesh side and let it hang dry for 24 hours.
8.Use a damp cloth to wipe any excess residue off the skin and you're all done.