Hello friends Summarized! This time we will discuss how to preserve fur animals. Maybe some of you have a hobby of collecting dead furry animals, or want to make a display of your favorite furry animal that is no longer there. Whatever the reason, preserving fur animals requires certain techniques and materials so that the results are good and long lasting. Here are some steps you can follow to preserve fur animals.
How to Preserve Fur Animals
Steps to Preserve Fur Animals
Step 1: Prepare materials and tools
Before starting the preservation process, you must prepare the materials and tools needed. The materials needed are:
- Dead furry animals, clean up the blood and adhering dirt
- Salt, to dry skin and fur
- Borax, to prevent decay and insects
- Cotton, to fill the animal’s body cavity
- Thread and needle, for sewing animal skins
- Wood glue, to glue leather and cotton
- Newsprint, to wrap the animals while drying
- Rope or wire, to hang animals while drying
The tools needed are:
- Sharp knife, to cut animal skin
- Scissors, for cutting excess skin and hair
- Tweezers, to remove unwanted hair
- Gloves, to protect hands from chemicals and bacteria
- Safety glasses, to protect the eyes from dust and chemicals
Step 2: Open the animal skin
The next step is to carefully open the skin of the animal. The method is:
- Use a sharp knife to make an incision in the animal’s abdomen, starting from the neck to the anus. Avoid cutting internal organs or bones.
- Carefully separate the skin from the meat, using tweezers or your fingers to loosen the connective tissue. Do not tear or damage skin or fur.
- Cut off the animal’s head with a sharp knife, separating the scalp from the skull. Be careful not to damage your eyes or ears.
- Remove all internal organs, bones, muscles, and fat still attached to the skin. Clean any remaining blood or dirt with a wet cloth.
Step 3: Sprinkle salt and borax
After the animal skin is separated from the body, you must immediately sprinkle it with salt and borax. Its purpose is to dry the skin and fur and prevent decomposition and insects. The method is:
- Sprinkle salt evenly on the inside of the animal’s skin, pressing so that the salt sticks to the skin. Make sure all parts are exposed to salt, especially the wet or damp parts.
- Sprinkle the borax evenly over the outside of the animal’s skin, that is, the furry side. Rub the borax into the fur so it sinks into the skin. Make sure all parts are exposed to borax, especially the parts that are brittle or easily damaged.
- Leave the animal’s skin covered with salt and borax for 24 hours in a cool, dry place.
Step 4: Fill the body cavity with cotton
After 24 hours, you can continue the preservation process by filling the animal’s body cavity with cotton. Its purpose is to give shape and volume to the animal’s body and absorb any remaining moisture. The method is:
- Clean the remains of salt and borax that are still attached to the animal’s skin with a dry brush or cloth.
- Use scissors to trim excess or unkempt skin and fur. Don’t cut too much, just adjust it to the shape of the animal’s body.
- Use wood glue to attach the leather and cotton to areas that are difficult to sew, such as the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Make sure the glue doesn’t get on the fur or get on the skin.
- Fill the animal’s body cavity with cotton slowly and evenly, starting from the head to the tail. Adjust the amount of cotton to the size of the animal’s body, not too much or too little. The shape of the cotton fits the animal’s posture, not too stiff or too soft.
- Sew the animal’s skin with thread and needle, starting from the neck to the anus. Make sure the stitches are tight and neat, there are no gaps or holes that can allow cotton to escape or air to enter.
Step 5: Dry the furry animal
The final step is to dry the furry animal that has been filled with cotton. The goal is to remove moisture left on the skin and coat and make it harder and more durable. The method is:
- Wrap furry animals in newspaper tightly and neatly, making sure there are no exposed or folded parts.
- Tie the fur animal with a rope or wire around the neck or tail, hang it in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area. Avoid direct sunlight or other heat sources.
- Let the fur hang out for 2-4 weeks, depending on the animal’s size and breed. Replace the newsprint every 3-4 days to prevent mold or odors.
- Once the fur animal is dry, remove the newspaper and any string or wire. Be careful not to damage the skin or fur.
Conclusion
That’s how to preserve fur animals that you can try at home. Of course, you have to pay attention to ethical and health aspects when carrying out this preservation process. Make sure the furry animals you are preserving have died naturally or due to disease, don’t kill animals just to be preserved. Also, make sure you use gloves, protective goggles, and a mask when handling chemicals and bacteria.
If you have questions or feedback regarding this article, please write in the comments column below. We’d love to hear your opinion. Thank you for reading this article to the end. See you in the next article!
