[NHCOLL-L:3281] freezing a bird mount

[Janet Gillette]

Hi all:

 

I have a two part question that I hope someone can help with:

 

We recently received a large in-flight bird mount from the State Game &
Fish Dept.  The wingspan far exceeds our freezer capacity so I phoned
the taxidermist who did the work asking if he knew of available walk in
freezer facilities.  At hearing that we planned to freeze the specimen
before exhibition he stated that freezing would damage the specimen by
causing the head skin to split.  He then told me that he had treated the
bird with Knobloch's "protex" presoak as a pesticide and that we should
not be concerned with infestations.

 

Question 1: We would normally freeze the specimen following CCI Note 3:3
(-20 C / -4 F for one week).  The bird is in the vulture family so does
not have a feathered head.  Has anyone heard of skin splitting damage
caused by freezing?

 

Question 2:  Does anyone have experience with specimens treated with
"protex"?  I've tracked down the MSDS and the only component that looks
unfamiliar is alkyl benzene detergent (which I think is present in many
modern laundry detergents).

 

Thanks to anyone who can share advice or related experiences!

 

Regards,

Janet

 

Janet Whitmore Gillette

Museum of Northern Arizona

3101 N. Fort Valley Road

Flagstaff, AZ  86001

(928) 774-5211 ext 265

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