Kind of self-explanitory and easy, I know, but a few pitfalls ( GET IT ? PIT falls?... ... I KILL Me...
) I have noticed in the procedure that i'll pass along, plus there are some cool pics.
Step 1 Don't get bit. Those psychos on TV have medics right off camera and better equipment / heath coverage.
Step 2 freeze asap or skin asap. This guy was OK after 2 days out before freezing but STANK....Gently cleaned the skin with antibacterial soap after skinning - we'll see if it affects drying later. Roadkill of fairly recent vintage is fine.
Slightly frozen was a lot easier to work with - freezing also is an easy way to dispatch a venomous snake without damaging you or it
Snake was 22" or so (decaffinated) but skin was 24" before any stretching after it was taken off. Gently streched to about 27 to tail tip, 25 or so useable because of careful work at tail.
step 3 Use Small scissors. Have used razor blades, knives...., scissors are much easier - start by cutting from anus to tail, then neck to anus or vice versa - I know it's a snake, and kinda freakin' ya out,.... but STAY IN THE CENTER! you need that belly skin to be even for tacking.
. CAREFUL with tail - those precious inches can do the knock area.... and are probably the difference on this snake going a whole limb or not.
Any large, yellow round sacs in a pitviper are "eggs".They lay live young without ever calcifying / hardening the eggs, allowing the mom to be a mobile incubator - brilliant. No wonder she was skinny, mean, and really drilled me... - she had 7 babies in her belly
Step 4 carefully pull the skin off, using thumbs to work out areas that stick, and remove any membrane / blood. place scale side down on a 2 by 4 or something similar.
CAREFUL around anus and any wounds - easy to tear and will shorten skin a bunch!
Step 5 - tack out the tricky tail area first - use small brads so's ya can pull the skin off without removing the nails first, and tack so cut or torn areas are not stressed any more.
Put the staple gun away, dude.... BAD idea. what are you THINKING???
Step 6 tack up to neck, gently stretch to sides,pushing nails a bit to adjust, raise snake off of board for air circulation.
pull neck up if head is still on, and tack in eyes.
OK GUYS - can I use the head skin? Anybody ever try? think it would look cool, but am I way off on this one
oh yeah - careful skinnin, that head- still fangs in there
Dry in cool, dark place, while you try to make a bow worthy of this fantastic creature's beautiful skin.
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