How to Skin and Clean a Dead Snake by canida
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So you've got a dead snake- now what?

Learn a useful skill, and leverage roadkill for fun and profit.

A companion to How to Cook a Snake.
 
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Step 1: Acquire Snake

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This is probably going to be the hard part.

Snakes do a fine job keeping the world free of unnecessary rodents; don't kill them unless absolutely necessary! That said, if you do kill a snake, or find one dead, don't let it go to waste.

The snake in this Instructable was run over by a car; Eric found it a couple minutes later, its heart still beating, in the process of expiring by the side of the road. Since we knew both time and cause1 of death, and refrigerated the carcass promptly, it was safe to eat. If you just want the skin, the time and mechanism of death isn't as relevant. Just be sensible, and make sure to clean yourself (and the snake parts) up properly.

A bit of internet research identified it as a probable Black Rat Snake, a non-poisonous Indiana resident.

1 Note that snakes can also die from eating poisoned rodents. You dont want to eat a snake dosed up with warfarin or other toxin2. Pay attention to context.

2 It's apparently fine to cook and eat poisonous snakes- cooking is sufficient to inactivate any venomous residue.
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animal lover says: May 18, 2013. 9:25 AM
Shouldn't you be wearing gloves?
nickolaiisoe says: Apr 21, 2013. 3:23 AM
Profit? Gow
MahatmaBlondii says: Apr 1, 2013. 7:17 PM
O_o This just makes me cringe...I have two pythons. Why I clicked on this, I don't know. Curiosity I suppose. However, very informative instructable that I think a lot of people could find useful :)

Just not me :P
DuctTapeExtremeDude says: Mar 13, 2013. 12:07 PM
Can you keep the skin from rotting just by tacking it to a board or something and letting it air out or do you need to add something to help preserve it?
canida (author) says: Mar 14, 2013. 10:56 AM
It depends on where you live, and how well you've cleaned the skin.

If humidity is super-high, you'll likely want to rub the skin down with borax or salt to keep anything from growing on the skin while it dries, and tack it down to something like a screen for better breathability. If you live in a desert, far less to worry about - you can just tack it out almost anywhere and it will dry nicely.

Just be aware that the skin will be crispy, not pliable - you've got to do a bit of treatment to make it soft.
DuctTapeExtremeDude says: Mar 14, 2013. 4:06 PM
Thanks! I've heard that if you put a skin over something and pull it back and forth so that it bends it will make it pliable. Would that work on a snake skin?
mcmonte says: Feb 10, 2013. 7:04 PM
No.
It's the cloaca or cloacal opening.
lbrewer42 says: Jan 3, 2013. 5:37 AM
I once made a hatband from a copperhead that was stepped on by one of the bulls in the corral.
Schmidty16 says: Jul 16, 2012. 11:53 AM
you could cut off the head and take everything out and then put wash out the hide and put it inside out and use it to carry water
bpfh says: Aug 22, 2010. 2:54 AM
My SAS Survival Book says:
"Discard internal organs, which may carry salmonella.
Reptiles can be cooked in their skins. Large snakes can be chopped into steaks and provide useful skins. To prepare a snake, cut off head well down, behind poison sacs; open vent to neck keeping blade outwards, to avoid piercing innards, which will fall clear. Skewer to suspend and ease of skin towards tail."

The final phrase (yes, "of", not "off" - a typo probably) reminds me of skinning fish: Skewer through head or back, and peel the skin off... Otherwise, if the snake is roasted, the skin should peel off easier. Anyone for a BBQ?
HollyMann says: Jun 28, 2012. 3:17 PM
I love my SAS survival guide. I am hoping I don't ever need to do this - eat a snake that is - but if so, I will have some knowledge...thanks! You are brave Canida!
x3n0c1dal says: May 19, 2012. 7:53 AM
Anal vent is an incorrect term, as far as I am aware. I believe it's just anus.
memememefor says: Mar 28, 2012. 8:45 PM
always clean your dead snake
memememefor says: Mar 28, 2012. 8:45 PM
:)
Ghattasdb says: Mar 2, 2012. 6:50 PM
Put it on a strip of leather and make a bracelet.
Brazilian Saber Tooth says: Mar 2, 2012. 11:41 AM
Awesome! Usefull knowledge!

I'm gonna have to try with my new tool.

Thanx!
macmundi says: Sep 8, 2010. 9:13 PM
There are lots of dead dogs on the streets here in Thailand. Maybe the people here got tired of their pets and run them over.
oriole says: Sep 9, 2010. 12:25 PM
Take them to Indonesia. They'll barbecue it for you
oriole says: Sep 4, 2011. 6:32 PM
http://townhall.com/photos/2011/05/29/dogs_are_bound_in_sacks_before_their_slaughter_at_bambanglipuro_village_in_bantul

I spent 4 months there around the time this first comment was written. I traveled from Jakarta to Manado. I saw dog barbques in all the places I went. I did not say all Indonesians eat dogs. I wouldn t say all all americans eat cows., but you can sure say that we have many places to barbecue a steak. So take your cows to america they will barbecue it. I am not racist I have been there. Have you spanner?
jomishx says: Dec 4, 2011. 5:12 PM
I wish i had not looked at that picture now. Americans obviously do not see dogs as food, but we cannot blame others for eating what is available. Still gotta feel bad for them :(
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spanner1969 says: Jan 6, 2011. 6:27 PM
they DO NOT eat dog in Indonesia.

They are an Islamic country and moslems do not touch dogs. If a dog licks them they must undergo a purifacation at the local mosque.

Your racist ignorance is dispicable.
AERenoir says: Jul 20, 2011. 4:11 PM
Oh, says who? Indonesia is not a Muslim country, it's a country with a Muslim-majority population. Those who aren't Muslim can touch dogs all they want. I'm Indonesian, and I'm not Muslim. I even own two dogs.

That being said, sure Indonesians do eat dogs. Not ALL of them do, as it's not a common delicacy, but there are some people who do. I've known some places where they go and cook dogs (sometimes even cats too).

spanner1969 says: Aug 22, 2011. 7:20 PM
I was replying in a generalist manner in which the comment made (to which I was replying) was made in a generalistic manner.

The original comments was suggesting that as a general rule ALL indonesians eat dogs.

Just so you know you may well be Orang Indonesian tetapi saya tingal di Indonesia juga.

I also have eaten dog, and other 'bizarre' foods.

Oriole was being not so subtle in his/her racism and I do not tolerate rascim .

Thankyou,

Spanner
sweetpoetaoe says: Aug 22, 2011. 2:15 AM
I've known americans to eat dogs as well. All though usaully in roadkill scenario
jomishx says: Dec 4, 2011. 5:15 PM
Where do u live? I'll make sure not to visit.
FlatLinerMEDIC says: Jan 30, 2012. 8:38 PM
True that...
billybobjhonson says: Dec 27, 2010. 10:32 PM
thailand dude, they do it there too
beehard44 says: Sep 11, 2010. 1:04 AM
lol
mmanjunath says: Nov 4, 2011. 6:13 AM
IN INDIA SNAKES , DOGS, CATS, CROCODILES ARE NOT EATEN.

I FEEL THAT MY COUNTRY IS REALLY VERY GENEROUS & GREAT IN

HUMANITY CHARACTER
PerfectPantaloons says: Nov 24, 2011. 10:57 AM
WTF DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING???

Stop sharing useless information
TYtheParacordGUY says: Nov 21, 2011. 11:20 AM
Thank you for that piece of probably unusefull information...
klincecum says: Nov 14, 2011. 12:11 PM
That's nice and thanks for yelling at us.
ClareBS says: Nov 13, 2011. 3:00 AM
New Zealand has no snakes but plenty of unnecessary rodents, all introduced. Although I'm glad I won't have the opportunity to try out this instructable, it is very cool.
Pwag says: Nov 10, 2011. 2:54 PM
Towards animals but not towards each other.
curvy77 says: Nov 1, 2011. 6:30 AM
sooo how is it possible to make a profit from this? o and AWSOME! DEAD SNAKE!!
xarlock667 says: Oct 20, 2010. 12:48 AM
Snake "Poison" is not a real poison, it is a venom, and thus a biotoxin. In English, this means you typically have to inject it to suffer lethal effects. Not to say it won't give you a hell of a stomach ache. You can avoid salmonella, and almost any biotoxin by thorough cooking. Snake is damn good slathered with BBQ sauce, or cooked like Fajitas.

Before I get trolled, let me clarify:
Real poisons are poisonous regardless of what you do to them. EX Cyanide, Arsenic, Strychnine. Biotoxins are usually heat sensitive, and are made of proteins. They can be broken down are rendered ineffective. EX Venom, Salmonella, and Botulin.
IncrediblyCondensedBlackMatter says: Jun 4, 2011. 9:19 PM
it's also important to note that the venom isnt in most of the snake, only the head where the poison gland actually is. seeing as you dont eat that part, it's completely safe, even uncooked (venom-wise, i dont recommend it due to other diseases/toxins)
spanner1969 says: Aug 22, 2011. 7:22 PM
to be specific the venom is ONLY in the sac where the venom is stored. The rest of the snake is exactly like any other animal in terms of what you can and can not eat.
soapbox derby car says: Mar 27, 2011. 2:57 PM
Just like to add that diamondback rattlesnake is one of the more tasty things I've had. (Fried, of course.) It's served fairly often in the Southwest United States. Diamondback venom is one of the more lethal in the US- I'd recommend getting someone else to catch your snake for ya. ;-)
jwc1480 says: Nov 18, 2010. 7:45 PM
Great info dude! Thanks. Never really thought about it like that.
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