Rabbit skins

[Nette]

Hi all I just wondered how best to clean, dry out and preserve a rabbit skin so I can use it to wrap on a dummy?

[roedoe]

I scrape as much of the fat off the skin as i can, lay it on a board and sprinkle salt all over it. The next day i put more salt on if needed. you will see it start to dry out. When the salt stays dry, i figure its done so scrape the salt off and wrap it on dummy.
Other people will no doubt have different ways but that works for me.

[mustogirl]

theres a few ways on the internet if you have a look about. some sites are american and discuss different types of fur, but the above sounds fine.

[Red Mapel]

I just stick them in the shed till they are dry

[cjaus]

Clean as much fat and cr@p off.....rub it salt...wrap it around a dummy....leave to dry...it shrinks to fit

[andyshaw]

Silly question maybe now, but im assuming once its dry you just stitch it around the dummy?

[Red Mapel]

i just cable tie them on

[cjaus]

Can do. But, i just use rubber bands

[andyshaw]

I can manage both them options, me and sewing needles never seems to work out!

[madrags]

Cut around the freshly killed rabbit in aline just behind the forelegs and pull the skin off like a tube (you will need to cut again at the back legs). You will end up with the fur inside the tube. Cut off any fat or excess flesh. Roll the whole thing onto a dummy so that the fur ends up on the outside, tuck the ends of the skin tube in at either end. Put several elastic bands around to hold everything in place and hang in a cool dry place. The whole skin will shrink to fit and stick to the dummy and it won't smell either.