Preserving a squirrel tail is a straightforward process that takes about a week from start to finish. The basic method involves removing the tailbone, applying a drying agent like borax, and letting the tail cure flat until it hardens. With the right approach, you’ll end up with a preserved tail that holds its shape and resists decay for years.
What You’ll Need
- Borax powder (found in the laundry aisle of most grocery stores)
- A sharp knife or razor blade
- Tail skinning tool (optional, but helpful if the skin sticks)
- Dish soap (Dawn or similar degreasing formula)
- Light-gauge wire (florist wire or a pipe cleaner)
- A flat drying surface (cardboard, a wooden board, or a foam block)
- Pins or tacks
Removing the Tailbone
The tailbone needs to come out before anything else. If you leave it in, the meat and tissue around it will rot from the inside, ruining the fur and producing a terrible smell. To remove it, make a shallow cut along the underside of the tail from base to tip, being careful not to slice through the fur on the other side. Then peel the skin away from the bone, working your way down. A tail skinning tool can help if the skin resists, but steady fingers and a little patience work fine for most people.
Some people skip the knife entirely and use a pull method: grip the base of the tail skin firmly with one hand, hold the exposed tailbone with the other (pliers help), and pull the bone straight out. This works best on fresh tails before the tissue has started to dry and bond to the skin. If the tail has been sitting for a day or more, the slit-and-peel method is more reliable.
Cleaning and Degreasing
Once the bone is out, wash the tail in warm water with a few drops of dish soap. Squirrel tails carry natural oils that can turn rancid over time if you don’t remove them. Work the soap through the fur and into the inside of the skin, then rinse thoroughly. Squeeze out excess water gently without wringing or twisting the fur. If the tail still feels greasy after washing, a second round of soap usually takes care of it. For stubborn grease on a tail that’s already partially dried, wiping the inside with acetone can help dissolve residual oils.
Applying Borax
Borax is the go-to preservative for squirrel tails. It reacts with the skin and any remaining tissue to draw out moisture, and it works significantly better than salt for this purpose. With the tail skin laid open (flesh side up), coat the entire interior generously with borax powder. Don’t be shy with it. Use a piece of light-gauge wire or a pipe cleaner to push borax all the way to the tip of the tail where your fingers can’t reach easily.
The most important step here is making sure the tail dries flat and open, not folded over on itself. If the skin folds and traps moisture inside, it will start to decompose before the borax can do its job. Pin or tack the tail open on a piece of cardboard or foam board, flesh side up, and leave it in a well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight. A garage, shed, or covered porch works well.
Drying and Curing Time
A squirrel tail typically dries in about one week under normal conditions. Warmer, drier environments speed this up, while high humidity or cold temperatures slow it down. You’ll know the tail is fully cured when the skin feels stiff and papery with no soft or flexible spots remaining. Any parasites living in the fur will leave on their own as the tail dries out.
Check the tail every couple of days during curing. If you notice any foul smell or discoloration, it usually means moisture got trapped somewhere. Reopen the problem area, apply more borax, and re-pin it flat. Once fully dried, brush out the excess borax from the fur with an old toothbrush or your fingers.
Adding Structure With Wire
A dried tail on its own is stiff but fragile, and it holds whatever shape it cured in. If you want to pose the tail with a natural curve, or if you’re attaching it to a mount, keychain, or hat, inserting a wire gives you control over the shape and adds durability. Use a piece of florist wire cut to the length of the tail, and sand the tip so it won’t poke through the skin at the end. Slide the wire into the tail cavity before it finishes drying (while there’s still a little flexibility), then bend it to your desired curve. If you’re working with a fully cured tail, you can still insert wire using a dab of hot glue at the base to anchor it.
For display purposes, anchor the wired tail into a small block of styrofoam to hold its position while you decide on final placement.
Protecting Against Insects
Dermestid beetles and moths are the biggest long-term threat to any preserved animal specimen. These insects feed on dried skin and fur, and they can reduce a preserved tail to bare skin and dust if left unchecked. Borax itself offers some pest deterrence, but it’s not foolproof over the long term.
For tails you plan to display indoors, store them in a sealed container when not on display, or keep them in a room where you can monitor for signs of infestation (small holes in the fur, fine powdery debris underneath the tail, or tiny larvae). Specialized taxidermy insect sprays exist and are worth the investment if you’re preserving multiple specimens. Some people freeze preserved tails for several days as a preventive measure to kill any eggs or larvae already present, though this works best as a one-time treatment rather than ongoing protection.
Legal Considerations
In most states, you can legally possess parts from squirrels you’ve harvested during the regular hunting season. However, regulations vary. California, for example, specifically excludes tree squirrels and flying squirrels from the list of animals that can be taken freely as nongame species, meaning you need to follow the state’s specific squirrel hunting season and bag limits. Any squirrel legally taken under your state’s regulations can generally be possessed, including its tail. If you found a squirrel that died naturally, rules differ by state. Some allow possession of found animal parts, others don’t. Your state fish and wildlife agency’s website is the quickest way to confirm what applies to you.