Aryan Goddess
January 19th, 2004, 03:06 AM
These cold winter days are often the perfect time to locate snakes that crawl down the well when it is covered with a warm pump house. The snakes are generally fat and sluggish and easily caught. One should take care when harvesting rattlers or other dangerous snakes, of course!
Underneath those often ugly scales is a delicate skin with lovely patterns!
A nice snaring pole can be made from a spray paint or hair spray cap, four or more feet of PVC pipe that one end will fit inside the cap, and clothesline rope. Make a hole in the centre of the cap that the rope can fit through, and make a slip knot on it. Have enough of the rope coming out the other end so that you can pull it fast enough so the loop will rapidly tighten over the snake's head. Have a hatchet or axe at the ready to dispatch the snake once you have caught him. Chop off the head, or otherwise kill it. Remember that a dead rattler head can still inflict venom! Wear boots and gloves. It being winter, the heavy layering of clothes usually affords protection.
Once you have your dead snake, you need to skin it. Different folks have different methods, but for belts, I cut it down the belly as straight as I can and peel the skin off.
The meat is actually good eating, what there is of it anyway. (Filet it and wrap it around a non-toxic green stick and roast it over a fire. Good stuff!)
Cutting the skin with kitchen de-boning scissors does a better job of keeping it straight. If you did not cut off the head, you can stick the knife in the waste hole and cut up (and down to the tail if it is a large snake, otherwise let the tapered tail end be) to the head and finagle the meat and as much flesh from around the skull as you can. If you want to keep the head on, you can carefully cut through the neck as close to the skull as possible.
The eyes will be a waste.
If you are preserving a rattler or other poisonous snake, you will need to milk the fangs to remove the venom. (The fangs are on the TOP of their mouth.) Making a milking apparatus can be done by stretching some rubber sheeting ("whoopie cushions" work, as do those toy drums.) stretch it over a stable glass or tin can and open the mouth of the DEAD snake, by pressing on the sides of its head, just ABOVE the mouth crack. This forces it open, In a downward swipe, force the fangs to penetrate the drum top or rubber covered can. It is hard to describe how to milk the fangs, so carefully try to find your own method. The amount of venom removed depends on many factors! Place a ping-pong ball or something like it very carefully avoiding the fangs, into the mouth to prop it open with the fangs extending down. You will have to carefully shape the head so it doesn't get squashed.
Now you have your skin. Soak it in a solution of a half pound of slaked caustic lime (CAREFUL! IT BURNS!) to 2 and a half gallons of water, to soften and cause the scales to loosen. You could also use a couple of cups of hard wood ash from your wood stove to a half gallon of water. It makes a weak "lye" (potash) solution which will chap delicate hands. When the scales start slipping off, remove it from the bath and scrape off the rest of the scales. (Wearing safety-glasses and those rubber dish washing gloves is a good idea!) Or if it has been in the weak lye solution, remove it and place in a pail of warm clean water and run it gently through your hands knocking off scales. (If it is in the caustic lime or commercial lye solution, use gloves for sure!)
After the scales are removed soak the skin in a salt and alum solution (say a half pound of table salt and a quarter pound powdered Alum to two gallons of boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Cool to bloodwarm. Add snake skin(s) and let soak for 3 or 4 days.
Next dissolve a teaspoon and a half of Sodium Carbonate (powdered
laundry soap generally serves) in some warm water and add it very slowly to the salt-alum bath.
Let skins stay in this bath for 4 or 5 days, agitating gently every day.
Next, remove skins and soak in a solution of 1 part sulfonated oil to 3 parts water. (If you can't get it, use neatsfoot oil, but be warned the result will be more translucent and thin, good for hat trim. Depending on snake type, skin may become "papery".)
Next, remove from solution, squeeze out water by running it through your index and second finger several times.
Next tack it down on a flat board or whatever shape you are trying for. You can have the board covered in several layers of newspaper (if they don't use that runny ink which may blacken the skin,) paper towels or other absorbent material.
The closer and finer the tacking down, the higher quality the finished product. You are gently stretching the skin as you tack it down!
To make curves, you need to gently stretch ONE side more than the other.
Stand the board up at a 45 degree angle. Blotting with a rag helps speed the drying. If you have can create a long narrow rectangle out of picture frame wood and stretch it over that, it will dry faster. (Not really necessary.)
When completely dry, gently work it over a blunt edge or the rope to soften the fibres. The very edges may well be ragged and stiffer and is usually trimmed away.
It can then be gently pressed into shape with a low heat iron.
To make a belt from your snake skin, you should mount it on a thin layer of leather to give it strength.
Hat bands generally are backed with felt and hooks can be made to attach it to your hat by mounting the barbs from fish hooks on it. (Use tiny hooks or bend and cut larger ones, Sew or hot glue onto the felt backing.)
Obviously for boots, snake skin must be mounted on leather. Some boot makers will cut you a deal if you bring your own snake (lizard, gator, whatever) skins to be made into boots.
I do not know of any place where a permit is needed to kill snake, but I think it is illegal to kill gator. This method is not the best to use on large reptiles, and obviously, observe the laws in your area.
Dried venom is still dangerous to deadly! There is a market for venom to create anti-venom serum, but I don't think any of them would be interested in the yield from field milking! Of course you could always contact them beforehand to see if there is an interest. Otherwise you should probably toss the stuff away where kinder and creatures can't get at it!
This article is copyrighted material, and is not to be used elsewhere without my express permission. Contact me for information. All Rights Reserved Copyright 1-19-2004 Aislinn Morgan
Underneath those often ugly scales is a delicate skin with lovely patterns!
A nice snaring pole can be made from a spray paint or hair spray cap, four or more feet of PVC pipe that one end will fit inside the cap, and clothesline rope. Make a hole in the centre of the cap that the rope can fit through, and make a slip knot on it. Have enough of the rope coming out the other end so that you can pull it fast enough so the loop will rapidly tighten over the snake's head. Have a hatchet or axe at the ready to dispatch the snake once you have caught him. Chop off the head, or otherwise kill it. Remember that a dead rattler head can still inflict venom! Wear boots and gloves. It being winter, the heavy layering of clothes usually affords protection.
Once you have your dead snake, you need to skin it. Different folks have different methods, but for belts, I cut it down the belly as straight as I can and peel the skin off.
The meat is actually good eating, what there is of it anyway. (Filet it and wrap it around a non-toxic green stick and roast it over a fire. Good stuff!)
Cutting the skin with kitchen de-boning scissors does a better job of keeping it straight. If you did not cut off the head, you can stick the knife in the waste hole and cut up (and down to the tail if it is a large snake, otherwise let the tapered tail end be) to the head and finagle the meat and as much flesh from around the skull as you can. If you want to keep the head on, you can carefully cut through the neck as close to the skull as possible.
The eyes will be a waste.
If you are preserving a rattler or other poisonous snake, you will need to milk the fangs to remove the venom. (The fangs are on the TOP of their mouth.) Making a milking apparatus can be done by stretching some rubber sheeting ("whoopie cushions" work, as do those toy drums.) stretch it over a stable glass or tin can and open the mouth of the DEAD snake, by pressing on the sides of its head, just ABOVE the mouth crack. This forces it open, In a downward swipe, force the fangs to penetrate the drum top or rubber covered can. It is hard to describe how to milk the fangs, so carefully try to find your own method. The amount of venom removed depends on many factors! Place a ping-pong ball or something like it very carefully avoiding the fangs, into the mouth to prop it open with the fangs extending down. You will have to carefully shape the head so it doesn't get squashed.
Now you have your skin. Soak it in a solution of a half pound of slaked caustic lime (CAREFUL! IT BURNS!) to 2 and a half gallons of water, to soften and cause the scales to loosen. You could also use a couple of cups of hard wood ash from your wood stove to a half gallon of water. It makes a weak "lye" (potash) solution which will chap delicate hands. When the scales start slipping off, remove it from the bath and scrape off the rest of the scales. (Wearing safety-glasses and those rubber dish washing gloves is a good idea!) Or if it has been in the weak lye solution, remove it and place in a pail of warm clean water and run it gently through your hands knocking off scales. (If it is in the caustic lime or commercial lye solution, use gloves for sure!)
After the scales are removed soak the skin in a salt and alum solution (say a half pound of table salt and a quarter pound powdered Alum to two gallons of boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Cool to bloodwarm. Add snake skin(s) and let soak for 3 or 4 days.
Next dissolve a teaspoon and a half of Sodium Carbonate (powdered
laundry soap generally serves) in some warm water and add it very slowly to the salt-alum bath.
Let skins stay in this bath for 4 or 5 days, agitating gently every day.
Next, remove skins and soak in a solution of 1 part sulfonated oil to 3 parts water. (If you can't get it, use neatsfoot oil, but be warned the result will be more translucent and thin, good for hat trim. Depending on snake type, skin may become "papery".)
Next, remove from solution, squeeze out water by running it through your index and second finger several times.
Next tack it down on a flat board or whatever shape you are trying for. You can have the board covered in several layers of newspaper (if they don't use that runny ink which may blacken the skin,) paper towels or other absorbent material.
The closer and finer the tacking down, the higher quality the finished product. You are gently stretching the skin as you tack it down!
To make curves, you need to gently stretch ONE side more than the other.
Stand the board up at a 45 degree angle. Blotting with a rag helps speed the drying. If you have can create a long narrow rectangle out of picture frame wood and stretch it over that, it will dry faster. (Not really necessary.)
When completely dry, gently work it over a blunt edge or the rope to soften the fibres. The very edges may well be ragged and stiffer and is usually trimmed away.
It can then be gently pressed into shape with a low heat iron.
To make a belt from your snake skin, you should mount it on a thin layer of leather to give it strength.
Hat bands generally are backed with felt and hooks can be made to attach it to your hat by mounting the barbs from fish hooks on it. (Use tiny hooks or bend and cut larger ones, Sew or hot glue onto the felt backing.)
Obviously for boots, snake skin must be mounted on leather. Some boot makers will cut you a deal if you bring your own snake (lizard, gator, whatever) skins to be made into boots.
I do not know of any place where a permit is needed to kill snake, but I think it is illegal to kill gator. This method is not the best to use on large reptiles, and obviously, observe the laws in your area.
Dried venom is still dangerous to deadly! There is a market for venom to create anti-venom serum, but I don't think any of them would be interested in the yield from field milking! Of course you could always contact them beforehand to see if there is an interest. Otherwise you should probably toss the stuff away where kinder and creatures can't get at it!
This article is copyrighted material, and is not to be used elsewhere without my express permission. Contact me for information. All Rights Reserved Copyright 1-19-2004 Aislinn Morgan