Taxidermy rabbit hide crafts?

[RosemaryDuck]

Hey all! Today I came across a woman selling these beautiful (pretty large) rabbit hides from her meat rabbits. I grabbed 2 of the biggest ones as I love taxidermy and pelts. I was wondering if there was anything I could make with them. I was thinking a hat (in the style of a raccoon hat) but wanted to know if anyone had ever done it and had some tips. Thanks in advance!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

 

[Floof]

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Lol those are wonderful but it's like sticking your feet into an inside out bunny XD
Are they washable?

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Lol those are wonderful but it's like sticking your feet into an inside out bunny XD
Are they washable?

Not really. They can be gently surface cleaned. But tanned hides don't like water very much.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@RosemaryDuck - Man, so sorry I just found this thread! I absolutely love tanning, and I have used alot of domestic and wild rabbit. I've used cut offs from domestic rabbit to trim dreamcatchers, or making walking stick handles. People often use the rabbit fur to make the inside liner of handmade buckskin mittens. I've enjoyed simply using them for wall displays. Some people get a bunch saved up, and make their own rabbit hide pillow (which when you get crazy coat colors, makes a beautiful and unique living room focus point. Get creative with it, and really think about what you'd like to make. Did you get any immediate ideas when you first got those hides? I've got a wild rabbit hide that I sit a small basket on during the fall as a centerpiece that has dried corn ears or pine cones inside, and the fur seems to really bring it more of an interesting pop. Hope these may serve to inspire!

 

[RosemaryDuck]

@docteurmccoy - I’ve brain tanned before but it ends up a terrible idea for me in the South. Even in Alabama “Winter” we have bad flies and yellow jackets, and I had flies ruin an entire brain tanned cow hide one yer even though it was in the shop. I want to try egg tanning, but we’ve got older rescue hens who don’t lay often anymore and I’d prefer to use their eggs instead of store bought. I’m 98% of the time salt and alum tanning, but recently bought some of Cumberland trapping’s hide tanning formula to try since it’s allegedly been around 20 plus years and tried on raccoon. Was quite satisfied, but needs to be smoked. I’ve gotten to using neatsfoot oil on my alum tanned hides to soften them as they are stretched and had great results with that, then smoking. I built a tripod style setup with poplar saplings over a fire pit and hang the hides on that and cover with a tarp to hold it in. Gather downed wood to get the smoke from. Want to eventually build a smokehouse for meats, but use one part of it and see how smoking hides in it would go. I’m not traditional about it all, but I think being resourceful about tanning and putting more of the animal to good use is really important. I’m the odd one that even takes deer legs and saves the hide/bone/sinew/hooves.

I actually converted a shed many years ago into an area for all my hides. I had a whole area set up to skin and tan, it was great! I brought several hides with me but they're packaged in storage unfortunately. I used to save bones and hooves as well. It's a dying art now a days though. Most people think it's weird or gross or you're a serial killer or something if you do your own skinning and tanning. I really miss doing my own hides so I just have to appreciate others work now! I did use a trapping hide formula a few times, but egg honestly worked better for me. The formula can really oil up the hides (if you're trying for fur on) and it can be difficult to wash out.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@RosemaryDuck - would love to see some photos of your tanning projects if you have any! Threw in some here of leg bone needles, buckskin on the line, tanned raccoon and rabbit, buck tails, mounted skull, buckskin bracelet, etc

 

[RosemaryDuck]

As promised, here's the rabbit hides! As well as my favorite fox pelt.

 

[Anime2lover]

Hey all! Today I came across a woman selling these beautiful (pretty large) rabbit hides from her meat rabbits. I grabbed 2 of the biggest ones as I love taxidermy and pelts. I was wondering if there was anything I could make with them. I was thinking a hat (in the style of a raccoon hat) but wanted to know if anyone had ever done it and had some tips. Thanks in advance!

I'm curious to know to.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

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Okay those look like the softest slippers /ever/!