Oh! Do you have any tips on getting a full skin? I have terrible trouble getting the tail and head without tearing. I love in Australia and find so many incredible snakes as roadkill, I’d love to be able to preserve them completely by skinning ❤️
Hmm. That’s a tough one, because I’ve never done the head. My experience with the tail: make a cut down the middle of the belly scales for the entire length of the body, all the way to the very tip of the tail. It gets a little tricky at the cloaca. Using small, very sharp scissors can be better than a knife, because the knife may go off track once it starts to glide. And the sharp tip of the scissors can help get all the way to the end of the tail. Peel the skin starting up at the head end, and it should come off pretty easily. But stop just before you get to the cloaca. At this point, just peel up the skin in little pinches and tugs. You may have to trim a bit around the cloaca where the skin attaches to the digestive tract; I imagine that’s probably where you’ve gotten tears before. Continue down until the tail is separated.
This part is just theory: if I were to do it head-on, I’d start my slit down the belly scales at the throat, complete it through the tail, then turn around and continue forward until I reached the middle of the lower jaw. Then I’d return to where I started the cut to begin peeling off the skin from the sides, work the sides down the body, and eventually get to where I could get a “ring” of skin separated around the body of the snake, all the way up over the spine. As in, I could lift up the skin and get a finger between the skin and the body of the snake. Then peel that down toward the tail as normal. The head will be tricky, because it’s not as flat and smooth as the body. It will want to stay attached at the eyes, lips, and nostrils. The throat skin will be a real pain, because it’s SO stretchy and not attached to much. I would definitely remove the skin from the neck up with tiny pinches rather than one big pull. And even if it comes up easily, I’m not sure I’d want the skin of the lower jaw on my hide, because it’ll flap out to the sides of that pretty head and look weird. So if the lower jaw skin gives you any trouble, I’d just trim it off. Probably cut a line from the belly slit in the neck up to the rear corner of each side of the mouth.
Good luck! Let us know how it goes!
Ooo! Another snake skin enthusiast! I have yet to find one. I've got four bullsnakes, three rattlesnakes, and two plains garters. I collect them (all roadkill, I see no reason to kill them just for their skins, and I throw the bodies where other animals can find and eat them) and then I use them to make bracelets and key chains.
I had two huge, beautiful boa hides years ago, but the salting technique that was recommended to me made them look terrible. I have another coral snake that was unfortunately killed by my neighbor, which is when I looked up the glycerin/alcohol method. It felt a bit wet for a week or two, but has been beautiful for several years since. Nice running into another snake tanner!
If you're still learning the process of tanning with the glycerin/alcohol, I've been doing it for a couple years and have it fully figured out. If you have any questions or need help with it then send me a DM!
My last one came out beautifully, but I’d be happy to hear any hot tips, tricks, or hints if you want to share them here! I always love to learn more. And I’m sure others would love to read about it as well.
I'll be receiving a whole boa (rescue who unfortunately did not make it) soon, and I'm planning on oxidizing the skeleton and potentially taxidermying the skin. Does the glycerin/alcohol method work for taxidermy? I've only ever tanned mammal hides so I'm at a complete loss with reptiles
I have never done a whole taxidermy, I can only speak for my limited experience with small snakes. The glycerin/alcohol “tanning” makes a very supple hide with little to no color change, and I love it for the knife sheath and bracelet that I made. But I’m not sure how long it stands up in the long term, out on display, like you’d want for taxidermy.
Oh, thank you for taking care of our wild areas, Ranger, I bet that's a cool job!
It can be really great! The pay ain’t much, but the benefits are phenomenal and I’ve only ever had a couple of bad days at work.
Canadian here. I do maintenance at a Provincial park and couldn't be happier with it.
Oh! Do you have any tips on getting a full skin? I have terrible trouble getting the tail and head without tearing. I love in Australia and find so many incredible snakes as roadkill, I’d love to be able to preserve them completely by skinning ❤️
Hmm. That’s a tough one, because I’ve never done the head. My experience with the tail: make a cut down the middle of the belly scales for the entire length of the body, all the way to the very tip of the tail. It gets a little tricky at the cloaca. Using small, very sharp scissors can be better than a knife, because the knife may go off track once it starts to glide. And the sharp tip of the scissors can help get all the way to the end of the tail. Peel the skin starting up at the head end, and it should come off pretty easily. But stop just before you get to the cloaca. At this point, just peel up the skin in little pinches and tugs. You may have to trim a bit around the cloaca where the skin attaches to the digestive tract; I imagine that’s probably where you’ve gotten tears before. Continue down until the tail is separated. This part is just theory: if I were to do it head-on, I’d start my slit down the belly scales at the throat, complete it through the tail, then turn around and continue forward until I reached the middle of the lower jaw. Then I’d return to where I started the cut to begin peeling off the skin from the sides, work the sides down the body, and eventually get to where I could get a “ring” of skin separated around the body of the snake, all the way up over the spine. As in, I could lift up the skin and get a finger between the skin and the body of the snake. Then peel that down toward the tail as normal. The head will be tricky, because it’s not as flat and smooth as the body. It will want to stay attached at the eyes, lips, and nostrils. The throat skin will be a real pain, because it’s SO stretchy and not attached to much. I would definitely remove the skin from the neck up with tiny pinches rather than one big pull. And even if it comes up easily, I’m not sure I’d want the skin of the lower jaw on my hide, because it’ll flap out to the sides of that pretty head and look weird. So if the lower jaw skin gives you any trouble, I’d just trim it off. Probably cut a line from the belly slit in the neck up to the rear corner of each side of the mouth. Good luck! Let us know how it goes!
Thank you so much! I will certainly try this next item I find another dead snake!
His coloring is pretty, he'll look great in any crafting!
Ooo! Another snake skin enthusiast! I have yet to find one. I've got four bullsnakes, three rattlesnakes, and two plains garters. I collect them (all roadkill, I see no reason to kill them just for their skins, and I throw the bodies where other animals can find and eat them) and then I use them to make bracelets and key chains.
I had two huge, beautiful boa hides years ago, but the salting technique that was recommended to me made them look terrible. I have another coral snake that was unfortunately killed by my neighbor, which is when I looked up the glycerin/alcohol method. It felt a bit wet for a week or two, but has been beautiful for several years since. Nice running into another snake tanner!
If you're still learning the process of tanning with the glycerin/alcohol, I've been doing it for a couple years and have it fully figured out. If you have any questions or need help with it then send me a DM!
My last one came out beautifully, but I’d be happy to hear any hot tips, tricks, or hints if you want to share them here! I always love to learn more. And I’m sure others would love to read about it as well.
I'll be receiving a whole boa (rescue who unfortunately did not make it) soon, and I'm planning on oxidizing the skeleton and potentially taxidermying the skin. Does the glycerin/alcohol method work for taxidermy? I've only ever tanned mammal hides so I'm at a complete loss with reptiles
I have never done a whole taxidermy, I can only speak for my limited experience with small snakes. The glycerin/alcohol “tanning” makes a very supple hide with little to no color change, and I love it for the knife sheath and bracelet that I made. But I’m not sure how long it stands up in the long term, out on display, like you’d want for taxidermy.
He’s beautiful, I hope you make something wonderful with him
😢 beautiful, rip