# why do some people use salt on the animals skin



## kevinsulikowski (Feb 8, 2005)

*salt*

to dry it out to prevent hair slippage and rot not really to preserve it next it needs to be shipped to a tanned to be preserved


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## duck buster (Dec 12, 2009)

One old school method is Borax washing powder.


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## Nicely (Jun 13, 2002)

Salt pulls moisture out bacteria needs moisture which causes hair slippage. This is a step to prepare hide for tanning.


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## GenesisAlpha (Jun 26, 2009)

Damp tanning has three basic steps;

Double salting
Pickle
Tan

Each one in my view is as important as the next.

Double salt pulls liquid from the hide and kills the active rot cells that begin to break down the hide (hair slip is one of the first sighs). Double salt means that you clean the hide of as much soft flesh and fat a possible...........the more you can get off the better the salt works. First salt is rubbed into all parts of the hide, lips, eyelids and ears must be turned to allow salt to get into those areas. A good double salt sets the hair so you do not have to use alum chemicals later which takes the stretch out of hides. 

Non-iodized coarse or fine pickleing salt must be used. Rock salt or table salt will not do. 

After NEW salt is put on cape is rolled up and put on a down angled suface to allow fluids to drain. Leave for 24 hours.

The next day unroll the cape and clean off any left over salt and check again to see if there is any other soft flesh that can be taken off. Apply NEW salt and rub into all areas again. Roll up and drain again on angled surface. Leav for 24 hours. Hide is now ready for pickle or can be dried to save for future use.

Squirrel can be mounted without doing the above. Borax is a moth and bug deterrent and helps to dry the skin..............it is not a TAN.

Clean all membrane off the squirrel hide before mounting to lessen shrinkage and stop rot then apply borax.

Bob


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