Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Salt acid tanning
You can also tan rabbit hides using this recipe:
Step 1. Dissolve 1 pound of sodium chloride (salt) in 1 gallon of water
Step 2. Add ½ ounce of concentrated sulfuric acid to the sodium chloride solution very
carefully. CAUTION: Sulfuric acid is a corrosive agent and must be handled cautiously.
Avoid contact with your skin or clothing. Store the acid and the finished solution in a
glass or earthenware contain. Do NOT store it in a metal container. When adding the
acid to the salt solution, pour it slowly, and stir constantly. If the acid of the acid mix-
ture comes in contact with your skin, rinse immediately with a solution of bicarbonate of
soda.
Step 3. Adding acid to the salt will generate heat. As soon as the mixture cools, it is ready
for use.
Prepare the rabbit skins in the same way as with the salt alum tanning method. Place each skin
in the salt acid solution, fully covering the skin, and allow it to stay there for one to three
days, stirring periodically. Once the skin is tanned, remove it from the solution, rinse it in
plain water, and then rinse again in a solution of borax or bicarbonate of soda (1 ounce per
gallon of water). Finish by rinsing with plain water again. Squeeze out excess water, stretch
the skin, allow the skin to almost dry, and then work with the skin (rubbing and pulling it) to
soften it as it dries, as with the salt alum method.
You can obtain the chemicals and materials for tanning your rabbit skins from biological sup-
ply companies, handcraft shops, and stores that offer supplies for home butchering and tan-
ning such as F & T's Fur Harvester's Trading Post (
www.fntpost.com/Categories/
Fur+Handling/Tanning/Tanning+Kits+Supplies
)
. They also offer premixed tanning solu-
tions and other tanning supplies.
Laws
Rabbits are not considered livestock, so their meat generally is not inspected by the USDA.
There is a voluntary inspection system in place, and most states require meat to be inspected
before it can be sold commercially. Federally, commercial rabbit breeders must comply with
Animal Welfare Act regulations when raising and selling rabbits wholesale. Those regulations
may be found here at
www.animallaw.info/administrative/adusawaregc.htm
. However,
