Audra Dew

I appreciate the concern. I never touched it with bare skin and I never touched my face and I washed my hands and arms when done. I am very sterile. That is something I did take into consideration and was extremely careful with collection and dissection of the raccoon. And I will be just as careful with it in the future. But I  have showed no signs of rabies.

Thank you! Also, I sadly don't have worms or beetles available.  Any other options? And I appreciate the tips for the hide. I was elated when I found the raccoon. I love working with this sort of a thing.

I found a raccoon that had died and took it home and skinned it. The guts had been cleared out from the other wildlife already so that job was done too. I have the skeleton in soil so it can continue to decompose (the little flesh that was on it. ) was that a good move? Also, how can I clean up the hide more and what can I do with it?
This is my first animal other than a mouse (which my sister owns and sends the dead ones to me to practice taxidermy and such) so I am not sure what I can do with a larger hide. I got it before the decomposition started too so it is in good quality.
Thanks.