First Snake Tanning

[HomesteaderWife]

Had the pleasure of tanning a small rattlesnake recently, though not a pleasure walking up on it laying blended in the Fall leaves (watch your step folks!)

Used an alum paste tan after salting/stretching it and am extremely happy with the turnout. Even managed to keep the tail on.




Has anyone else had the chance to tan snakeskin?

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Totally awesome! What you gonna do with it? (Hubby says they make really classy guitar straps!)

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's pretty cool!

 

[flowerbug]

did you eat it?

 

[milkmansdaughter]

We've eaten rattlesnake multiple times and my husband has tanned several skins. When he was a kid, he lived in Texas, and used to hunt rattlesnakes and turn them in to the boot makers. It was good money for a Texas kid.
Later when he was in the military, he'd catch and skin some and grill them for troops -often not telling them what it was until after they ate it. He was always shaking his head at how many soldiers would walk right past, or even right OVER a snake, and not even know it was there until he pointed it out.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Didn't eat this one (not against snake- it's good!) but used it to gauge interest from bigger predators and see who's out there. The hide is tanned and stretched and we're going to put it on the wall in the cabin with other hides. We agreed that the first of every kind of hide tanned after building it would be put up for display on the wall (squirrel and raccoon currently with the snake now added; hoping for rabbit, coyote, deer, maybe fox in the future)

 

[flowerbug]

for fun i'd put a fly up there too... just how i am...

 

[baymule]

That looks nice!

 

[CrealCritter]

Had the pleasure of tanning a small rattlesnake recently, though not a pleasure walking up on it laying blended in the Fall leaves (watch your step folks!)

Used an alum paste tan after salting/stretching it and am extremely happy with the turnout. Even managed to keep the tail on.

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Has anyone else had the chance to tan snakeskin?

Great Job, I like that a lot.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Thanks so much everyone! Very pleased with the final result- will be trying again next time for a bracelet or hat band