Pricing Dressed Rabbit

[the funny farm6]

I made a teddy bear once. (But I used an old fur coat)

 

[pinkfox]

theres lots of info online for simple tanning methods, im currently collecting hides once ive got enough in the freezer to make it worth it ill tan a batch. i want to make a blanket for myself first, and eventually plan on selling the pelts. Rex pelts tend to bring in more than regular pelts but still its deifnalty a nice skill to know and can realy bring a $$ boost if your already butchering for meat.

 

[HandledWithCare]

I am familiar with my state laws. As a producer of under $1,000 butchered animals (rabbits and poultry are the same in my state) a year all I'm required to do is not intentionally sell adulterated meat and I also know what adulterated means. I am about to tan my first hides when Strawberry's litter is butchered this week. I'll have eight hides, plenty for my little 5-gal bucket! I'm doing a test run before teaching my 4Hers. Hopefully I get decent results. I was told that I can easily get $5 a pelt and that's what I think I'll ask.

Is there any market for rabbit skulls? I don't use the heads and I feel like maybe that's wasteful? Maybe it's the Cherokee in me. I could always bead on them!

 

[the funny farm6]

Hmmm... the skulls? How do you clean them and whom to/how would you market them?

I have several crafters that buy my pelts. The prettier the better, that is why I had gone to pretty spotted mix breed rabbits. I also have several people for my rex pelts if I ever do get around to butchering the

I will ask the crafters about the skulls also.

 

[Bettacreek]

With Cherokee blood, you should look into the native American crafts. I know that my mother has a peace pipe with a small skull in the middle that she paid $200-$300 for. Just a stick, some suede strappy stuff, a small piece of antler and a skull. Of course some beads and feathers as well. You could scavenge for all except the beads and suede, and you could make out like a bandit.

 

[HandledWithCare]

I half-researched it a few hours ago and you can use borax, bleach and some other things and just scrub it. People who regularly handle a lot of bones use those beetles that clean skulls. I haven't really got to the "who" part yet, kind of in the beginning stages of curiosity. Let me know if you find anything out; I'd like to know.

 

[HandledWithCare]

With Cherokee blood, you should look into the native American crafts. I know that my mother has a peace pipe with a small skull in the middle that she paid $200-$300 for. Just a stick, some suede strappy stuff, a small piece of antler and a skull. Of course some beads and feathers as well. You could scavenge for all except the beads and suede, and you could make out like a bandit.

That's kinda what I thought, cover it with intricate patterns of seed beads and hang some feathers off of it. I already stamp leather and I'd like to get more into the native American crafting.

 

[the funny farm6]

We make a lot of dreamcatchers. Wonder if it would gross people out if I made one with a smallier skull in the center?

Also, I am thinking I have seen skulls with sceins painted on them. But not sure what it was.

 

[HandledWithCare]

I know people here would love a dreamcatcher like that. They sell em with tiny resin cow skulls so I think an authentic rabbit skull would be even better. I'm still researching cleaning methods that won't kill me. I'm a little iffy about butchering--I guess I feel the weight of what I'm doing a little more clearly. So scraping and scrubbing a skull might take me a few tries before I can bite the bullet and get it done. If I do, I'll send you one free to put on a dreamcatcher if you promise to post a pic!

 

[pinkfox]

if you have chickens you could always tss the skulls to the hens, they will pick em clean of meat and "yicky stuff" then you finnish up with scrubbing and a bleach bath. good way to waste not/want not.

i have a freind who does that with his deer kills during hunting season, he puts the skull in the chicken pen, between the chickens and the flies, the things are cleaned up REALY quickly then if i remember right he soaks them in some combination of cleaning solution and then sun dries. ill see if i can find out what he uses for the soak.