A Step By Step Process Of Taxidermy

1. Acquire Small Mammal

Image source Instructable CraftsYou can obtain small frozen rodents from pet shops and you can store them in your freezer in a ziplock bag until you are ready to use them.  To thaw, leave out at room temperature for a couple of hours and you are then good to go.  You should already have bought in or already have the tools required for the taxidermy.

2. Prepare The Tools

Image source Instructable CraftsThe things you will need (besides the dead rodents)  should be grouped together for ease of use.  Firstly, get a large piece of plastic or a bin liner to cover the work surface.  Then you will need cotton balls, beads for eye replacement, wire cutters, needle-nose pliers, fine nail scissors, tweezers, scalpel, fine gauge wire plus thicker wire, sewing pins, sewing needles, thread and Borax (cornmeal mix).

3. Measure And Cut Wires

Image source Instructable CraftsMake sure when you purchase the wire that it is actually taxidermy wire as it needs to be pliable.  Cut wire as shown below:4 x 9" thin (26 gauge) wire1 x 12" thin (26 gauge) wire1 x 16" thicker (~15 gauge) wireYou may find the lengths may vary a little depending on the size of the mammal.

4. Make A Voodoo Doll

Image source Instructable CraftsMake the 'voodoo doll' that you will need to stuff your rodent by adding the cotton balls and squish them into the wire.  Start at the crimped end of the wire to make the head. They should roughly match the nose to neck distance on your mouse.  Twist the wires a few times to hold the cotton balls in place and to create a bendable neck joint

5. Additional Cotton Balls

Image source Instructable CraftsAdd 6-12 more cotton balls to make the rest of the body, compressing them tightly against the body. Line them up in a row, compressing them tightly, and again match them against the mouse's body. Twist the tail ends of the wire tightly, keeping the cotton balls pinched, to create at least 1/2 inch of twisted wire.  Then clip the wire and use the needle nose pliers to fold the sharp end over and into the cotton balls

6. Wrap The Thread

Image source Instructable CraftsWrap the end of the string around the 'neck' between the doll's cotton ball segments to tack it down and then start wrapping the body.  Make a couple of  loops down and around the tail end of the doll to the tail area, with neck wraps in between for stability.  When you are satisfied the body is properly mummified, make a couple of neck wraps before moving to the head.Make a couple of longitudinal loops down and around the tail end of the doll to round the tail area, with neck wraps in between for stability. Then make lots of wraps around the body to properly compress the torso. Add a couple more loops lengthwise as necessary. When the body is properly mummified, make a couple of neck wraps before moving to the head.  Continue with lots of tight wraps around the head and carefully form a tapered conic snout.

7. Mummify The Voodoo Doll

Image source Instructable CraftsDouble check that your voodoo doll is tightly mummified and tie the thread off around the doll's neck.  You may need to spend time practicing this part of the taxidermy but you'll get there.  Don't worry if it doesn't look perfect - it will still be realistic.

8. Make The Eyes

Image source Instructable CraftsThis requires a couple of plastic beads, preferably black.  Thread your needle, doubling back the thread and knotting both ends together. The double thickness of thread will help keep your mouse's eyes from rolling!  Carefully align your mouse with the voodoo doll, checking the eye position on the head.  Repeat with the other eye.

9. Incision

Image source Instructable CraftsThis requires the scalpel and it's recommended that you wear gloves for this procedure. Make an incision along the mammal's spine from the shoulders to the hips. You'll be able to see the difference between skin and muscle tissue clearly and the skin will be very loosely attached.  Put a pinch of the Borax/cornmeal mixture into the incision,

10. Peel The Skin

Image source Instructable CraftsInsert your fingers under the skin around the torso to separate the skin from the body and sprinkle the Borax into the nooks and crannies as you go.  Hold the end of the cut to prevent it from tearing too much further when working in the area.  Remove the torso so the legs and tail can be worked on.

11. Prepare Hind Legs

Image source Instructable CraftsCarefully peel the skin back like a sock, being careful not to pull too hard and the skin should peel back to the ankle.  Then use scissors to cut the leg off at the hip joint.  The two leg bones will remain attached to the foot and pelt for use later on when the limbs are wired up.  Repeat with the other hind foot.

12. Tail

Image source Instructable CraftsTo release the tail, slowly work your way up from the stomach, gently but firmly pulling the skin away from the body. You can do this with your fingers or use scissors and the tail will now be the only hind-end connection between the body and pelt. The tail may try to turn inside out like a sock! . At some point the tail skin will pop loose and come off intact.

13. Forelegs To Head

Image source Instructable CraftsCarefully work the skin down around the forelegs as you did on the hind legs and clip at the shoulder to remove the legs from the body. The forelegs will also remain attached to the pelt for wiring later on.  Then you should pull the skin up past the neck towards the head.

14. Preparing Ears

Image source Instructable CraftsThe ears are attached to the head so scoot under the skin all the way around the ears with your (closed) scissors, identifying the junction point and cut through that junction.  You can use your scissors or, for more control, use the scalpel to cut from the front to the back, parallel to the skull.  Then yo should peel the skin further forward and stopping when you reach the eyes.

15. Time for the eyes

Image source Instructable CraftsUsing the scalpel, carefully cut through the connective tissue that attaches the eyelids to the skull, making sure the eyelids are still attached to the pelt.  Small, slow cuts will release the eyelids quite easily.   Now pull the skin forward until you reach the muzzle

16. Preparing Nose

Image source Instructable CraftsUse your scalpel to detach a bit more of the skin from the rodent's muzzle but stop before you reach the actual nose.  Work around the lower jaw with the scalpel to detach the lips so the only remaining point of attachment is the nose itself.  Use your tweezers to break the bones behind the nose and lift the broken fragments and skin with them.

17. Cleaning The Pelt

Image source Instructable CraftsNow you should be holding an inside-out rodent pelt.  Remove any remaining bits of flesh or fat stuck to the skin and rub with the cornmeal/Borax mixture.  Using your scissors or scalpel, remove the flesh from the arm and leg bones.  It doesn't matter if you miss any tiny bits of flesh.

18. Turn Inside Out And Moisten

Image source Instructable CraftsNow that the pelt is clean, flip it back right-side-out and run a moistened finger around the inside of the pelt against the skin to keep it moist for further handling.  If it gets too dry it will be difficult getting it around the voodoo doll properly and yo may lose some fur.

19. Wire The Legs

Image source Instructable CraftsDon't overstuff as the leg needs to fit back inside the skin it came out of.  Take a wire piece and put one end up against the cut-off end of the leg.  Run the wire straight down towards the wrist/ankle to make a brace and make a U-bend and wrap it around the leg, cotton, and brace on your way back up.  Then crimp the U-bend just enough to make sure it will fit into the wrist skin.  Be careful not to break the delicate bones.  Repeat this process with the other three legs.

20. Insert The Head

Image source Instructable CraftsMake sure the interior of the head is properly moist and align the voodoo doll's bead eyes and insert it into the head skin. Wiggle it in slowly with the tweezers and your fingers and scoot the eye holes over the eye beads.  Keep the wires out of the way for now.  The mouth may gape open to show cotton but this can be adjusted later.

21. Attach Forelegs

Image source Instructable Crafts.Make sure the head is properly positioned and the legs are fully pushed back into the skin before you push the arms as far forward as they can easily go.  Holding the arms in place with one hand, twist the wires in place on the voodoo doll's back, centred just below where the shoulder blades should be.  Carry the wire ends down under the doll's belly for another few twists, then up to the back again for a final few twist to stabilize.

22. Adjust The Forelegs

Image source Instructable CraftsViewed from the side, the wire should zigzag up from the paws to the back, down to the belly and then up to the back. This will provide a stable armature for the rodent's poseable arms. Twist the ends of the wire a bit more, then clip it off and tuck the ends into the body of the voodoo doll, thus avoiding damaging the pelt.

23. Insert The Tail

Image source Instructable CraftsExposing the rest of the back opening and the tail, carefully insert the wire/cotton twist into the tail and run it as far along as possible. It may go into the rectum by mistake but you'll know and you can adjust it.  Remove any extra cotton and twists left, past the end of the tail and spread out the two pieces of wire.

24. Attach The Tail

Image source Instructable CraftsFlip the back half of the pelt back into place along the voodoo doll and position the tail in the correct position.  Like the forelegs, you'll be holding the tail in place while pulling the wires around the body and twisting them together. Make a long twist on this one because instead of looping around the doll's body for stability you will be tucking the wires into the pre-existing body wires from the forelegs. Cut the wires and tuck under, making sure no sharp ends are exposed to damage the pelt.

25. Attach Hind Legs

Image source Instructable CraftsUse your fingers and tweezers to scoot the rest of the skin around and over the voodoo doll's rear end and put the hind legs into position.  Then pull the wires around the back and twist them together.  Make sure not to leave pointy bits sticking up anywhere.

26. Sew To Close Up

Image source Instructable CraftsUse doubled thread with a big knot tied at the end. Stitch back and forth between the two sides of the opening, bringing the needle up under the skin then out, over, and up under the skin on the opposite side, much like lacing up shoes.  Stitch from the neck down to the tail, fluffing up the fur so it doesn't get caught. When the opening has been sewn up, make a knot above the fur surface and poke the needle into the cotton balls until you feel it tug.  This will be sufficient to hold the stitches in place.

27. Pose The Rodent

Image source Instructable CraftsThe most stable position for your rodent is likely to be sitting upright, using both hind legs and tail for good support. You should make sure you can get this to work before trying any other complicated poses.  Bend the arms, legs and tail using the wire support to keep the pose. Wiggle about as necessary.

28. Pin The Mouth And Feet

Image source Instructable CraftsPut a pin through the footpad of the hind feet to keep them from curling up as they dry out and keep the mouth in place with three pins (you can use sewing pins).  One of the pins should hold the lower lip up and the other two used to hold each of the bifurcated upper lips down over the bottom lip.

29. Dry Out

Image source Instructable CraftsLeave your little mammal to dry for a couple of days, checking regularly that the extremities ae not over-drying and turning crinkly.  Keep out of direct sunlight.  Spruce up the rodent with a toothbrush and some water and there you have it!   You've brought it back to life!

30. Remove Pins To Display

Image source Instructable CraftsWhen the rodents are dry, pull the pins out and put your creations on display for all to see.  The concept of taxidermy is off-putting to some but seeing the results, especially when they are dressed up, is actually quite sweet and is a real artform that should be admired.