Squirrel Taxidermy Is Where Most Taxidermists Started
In taxidermy, squirrels occupy a unique and important position. They're forgiving enough to be legitimate first projects, small enough to fit on a desk or shelf, and distinctive enough—with their bushy tails and expressive postures—to capture genuine personality. Ask experienced taxidermists about their first successful mount, and the majority will tell you it was a squirrel. It's the moment you realize you can actually do this.
Whether you're considering a DIY project as a hobbyist, sending one to a professional for polish, or exploring the creative novelty-pose trend, this guide covers everything about squirrel taxidermy—the practical advantages that make it beginner-friendly, detailed step-by-step process, species variations, cost expectations, and sourcing considerations. For more details, see our taxidermy cost overview.
Why Squirrels Make Sense as a First Project
The Practical Advantages
Size: A squirrel is 8–10 inches long, fitting comfortably in a small display space, on a shelf, or even a desk drawer. No elaborate equipment or studio space needed.
Anatomy: Simple compared to larger mammals. Four legs, a recognizable body structure, and clear proportions make the learning process intuitive even for complete beginners.
Material Availability: Squirrel forms, eyes, and basic supplies are inexpensive and widely available. DIY kits cost $40–$90; professional work runs $250–$400. The barrier to entry is low.
Timeline: Your first squirrel mount takes 15–30 hours over 2–4 weeks (working part-time). Professional turnaround is 2–3 months. Neither requires an extensive time commitment.
Forgiveness Factor: Small mistakes are less visible on a squirrel than on a large shoulder mount. This psychological advantage—knowing errors won't tank the whole project—builds confidence and encourages learning.
The Learning Curve Transfers to Everything
You'll practice knife work (carefully skinning without tearing), hide preservation (application of borax or commercial preservatives), form fitting (selecting the right internal structure), detail work (positioning eyes, sculpting nose and ears), and finishing techniques (painting exposed features, hair grooming). Every single skill transfers directly to larger animals. Hobbyists who master squirrel taxidermy find deer and elk work intellectually familiar—just scaled up with more body surface and higher stakes.
DIY vs. Professional: Cost and Quality Expectations
DIY Squirrel Mounts: The Budget Route
Typical Kit Contents ($40–$90):
- Pre-tanned hide (often already prepared and ready to mount)
- Fiberglass body form matched to the species
- Plastic eyes sized for the species
- Borax or commercial preservative
- Basic tools (scalpels, pins, sculpting tools)
- Instructions and reference photos
Total DIY Cost (with tools amortized): $100–$150 for your first squirrel (including $50–$80 in tools you'll reuse for future projects).
Learning Time: 15–30 hours for a recognizable, displayable mount.
Finish Quality: Amateur mounts are noticeably amateur—slightly stiff posture, eyes sometimes misaligned, less refined sculpting overall. But they're charming, deeply rewarding as a first project, and demonstrably yours in a way a professional mount isn't.
Best For: Curious hobbyists wanting hands-on experience, students learning the craft, budget-conscious learners, those seeking to build confidence before committing to larger projects or classes.
Professional Squirrel Mounts: The Polished Route
Typical Cost: $250–$400 depending on pose, species, and base quality.
Finish Quality: Museum-quality glass eyes, refined sculpting, lifelike and natural posture, detailed base presentation. The difference between amateur and professional is immediately visible—the mount looks alive.
Timeline: 2–3 months typically, depending on the taxidermist's backlog.
Best For: Collectors wanting finished quality without the learning curve, hunters with trophy squirrels worth preserving, those seeking a display piece that will last decades without visible aging.
Comparison Table
| Factor | DIY Mount | Professional Mount |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $100–$150 | $250–$400 |
| Timeline | 2–4 weeks (your time) | 2–3 months |
| Finish Quality | Amateur but charming | Museum-quality |
| Learning Value | High—direct hands-on | None—just viewing |
| Best For | Hobbyists, learners, confidence-building | Display, collectors, hunters |
The DIY Process: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Step 1: Skinning (1–2 hours)
Using a sharp scalpel or specialized skinning knife, carefully separate the hide from the body. Work from the back toward the head, keeping gentle tension on the hide to avoid tearing. This is the skill-building step where most beginners invest their time. The goal is a complete, undamaged hide with no cuts through the fur.
Step 2: Hide Cleaning (30 minutes)
Remove any adhering muscle, fat, or connective tissue from the inside of the hide. Rinse with cool water if you're using modern commercial preservation techniques (traditional methods use dry preservation only, no water). Pat dry gently with a clean cloth.
Step 3: Preservation (15 minutes)
Apply borax powder or commercial preservative to the inside of the hide. This prevents decay and kills bacteria that would otherwise cause decomposition. Let dry for several hours in a cool, dry location. The hide is now stable and won't degrade.
Step 4: Form Fitting (30 minutes)
Select a squirrel form that matches your specimen's size and species. Gently work the hide over the form, positioning legs and tail naturally. This is delicate work requiring patience—force the hide and you tear it; too loose and the mount looks baggy. Getting the fit right is critical to the final appearance.
Step 5: Detail Sculpting (1–2 hours)
Create the nose from clay or plastic. Position the glass eyes (which should be recessed slightly into the eye sockets, not bulging or sunken). Sculpt ear liners and shape the facial features. This is where personality emerges. Spend time here—good eye positioning and ear sculpting are what make a mount look alive. For more details, see our what is taxidermy.
Step 6: Finishing (1–2 hours)
Groom the fur with a brush or comb, working out mats and aligning hair direction to match natural patterns. Paint exposed features (nose, lips). Attach the mount to a base. Dry completely for 24–48 hours before displaying.
Total Time: 15–30 hours over 2–4 weeks if working part-time.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Eyes Too Large or Bulging: Eyes should sit naturally in the skull, slightly recessed—not protruding like a surprised cartoon. This is the most common first-timer mistake.
- Misaligned Proportions: Form selection matters critically. A form too large creates a baggy, wrinkled appearance. A form too small stretches the hide unnaturally. Choose the right size upfront.
- Rough or Visible Seaming: Seams where the hide joins (typically along the belly) should be hidden or incredibly neat. Rough seaming screams amateur.
- Stiff, Unnatural Posture: Beginners often create static, awkward poses. Experienced taxidermists capture dynamic movement—head slightly tilted, body alert, tail curved naturally. Spend time on pose.
- Inadequate Hair Grooming: Don't rush the fur work. Spend the time to comb, brush, and direct the hair to match natural patterns. This is what separates amateur from semi-professional.
Squirrel Species and Variations
Eastern Gray Squirrel (Most Common)
Characteristics: Gray back, white belly, large bushy tail with white underside, distinctive white eye rings, ear tufts on winter coat.
DIY Availability: Most common in beginner kits. Easiest for first-timers—forms are widely available and inexpensive.
Professional Mount Cost: $250–$350 (baseline species, no specialty premium).
Why for beginners: Familiar appearance, most readily available forms and supplies, forgiving color (gray hides small mistakes).
Fox Squirrel (Larger Variant)
Characteristics: Larger than gray squirrels (10–15 inches), rusty-orange to dark coloration (color morphs vary), long bushy tail, distinctive white face markings, prominent ears.
DIY Availability: Less common in beginner kits but available from specialty suppliers (McKenzie Taxidermy, Van Dyke's Taxidermy carry them).
Professional Mount Cost: $300–$400 (slight premium for size and color variation).
Why intermediate: Larger size means more surface area to get right. Color variations require understanding how different colorations appear under different lighting.
Red Squirrel (Smaller, Delicate)
Characteristics: Smaller than gray squirrels (7–8 inches), rusty-red coloration, prominent ear tufts, white belly, long bushy tail, fine delicate features.
DIY Availability: Sometimes available as specialty kits. More challenging than gray squirrels due to small size and delicate features.
Professional Mount Cost: $300–$400 (specialty premium for small size and precision required).
Why advanced: Small size means every detail shows. Ears are delicate. Eyes are tiny. Less margin for error.
Flying Squirrel (Specialty)
Characteristics: Very small (8–10 inches including tail), dense soft fur, large eyes, membrane between legs that creates distinctive silhouette, nocturnal species so less familiar to most people.
DIY Availability: Rare in kits. Specialty suppliers occasionally carry them.
Professional Mount Cost: $350–$450 (specialty premium for rarity and technical challenge).
Why specialty: The flying membrane presents unique mounting challenges. The silhouette is distinctive and any errors are immediately obvious. Requires taxidermist with specific experience.
Novelty and Creative Poses: The Fun Frontier
Beyond naturalistic mounting, squirrels offer limitless creative possibilities that blend taxidermy skill with artistic vision.
Victorian and Anthropomorphic Poses
The Hart Family Tradition: In the 1880s, the Hart family—famous Victorian taxidermists—created elaborate dioramas of squirrels in human activities: boxing matches, tea parties, wedding scenes, cricket matches. This playful tradition persists and thrives today.
Modern Novelty Squirrels: Contemporary taxidermists and hobbyists create:
- Squirrels in costumes (Victorian dress, tiny hats, scarves, soldier uniforms)
- Squirrels in scenes (shopkeeper behind a counter, musician with instruments, student at a desk)
- Squirrels in anthropomorphic poses (sitting upright reading, climbing invisible ropes, posed as if dancing or boxing)
Cost: Professional novelty mounts run $400–$700 due to the creative labor involved and custom costume/prop creation. The creative element—costume design, prop construction, scene building—often costs more than the taxidermy itself.
DIY Novelty Approach
If you're experienced with basic mounts, novelty poses are accessible to the hobbyist:
- Use standard mounting techniques on a squirrel form
- Create custom props (tiny furniture, costumes) from craft materials, doll supplies, or 3D printing
- Display in shadowboxes, dioramas, or custom glass enclosures
The creative element often matters more than taxidermy perfection, making novelty squirrels forgiving and genuinely fun. Your first anthropomorphic squirrel doesn't need museum-quality mounting—it needs personality and playfulness.
Sourcing Specimens: Finding and Preparing Your Squirrel
Where Do Specimens Come From?
Hunting and trapping: Most mounted squirrels come from legal hunting during designated hunting seasons.
Found dead: Squirrels found dead from natural causes or accidents are commonly used for DIY projects. No hunting license required in most states (verify locally).
Purchased specimens: Some suppliers sell preserved or frozen specimens ready for mounting. These are typically farm-raised or legally obtained.
Ethical Sourcing Considerations
If you care about where your specimen comes from, ask yourself: Was this animal legally obtained? Did it die of natural causes or accident, or was it specifically killed for taxidermy? There's no universal "right" answer, but thinking through these questions matters. A squirrel found dead in your yard or legally hunted during season is ethically different from an animal purchased purely for a hobby project.
Condition Check Before Starting
Before committing to a mount:
- Check fur condition: Is the hide intact with no large tears or missing patches? Are there signs of decomposition or fur slip (loose hair)?
- Check freshness: The fresher the specimen, the better. A squirrel that's been dead for weeks will have degraded fur.
- Freeze it properly: If you're not starting immediately, wrap loosely and freeze. Proper freezing preserves specimens for months.
Display and Long-Term Care
Ideal Display Environment
Temperature/Humidity: 60–72°F, 45–55% humidity (consistent conditions, no extreme swings).
Lighting: Avoid direct sunlight; UV-filtered lighting is ideal. Direct sun fades fur and degrades glass eyes over time.
Location: Interior wall or shelf, away from kitchen and bathroom moisture. Avoid basements and attics where humidity fluctuates.
Handling and Maintenance
Squirrels are delicate. Handle minimally. Dust gently with a soft brush every 3–4 months. Do an annual freezer protocol (48–72 hours at 0°F) to prevent pest infestation. With basic care, your mount will last decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much space does a mounted squirrel need?
Very little. A standing squirrel takes up 6×4 inches of shelf or desk space. A wall mount needs 8×6 inches minimum. One of the advantages of squirrel taxidermy is that it works in tight display spaces.
Can I mount a squirrel I found dead?
Yes, absolutely. Dead wild squirrels are commonly used for both DIY projects and professional work. No hunting license required in most states (verify with your local wildlife agency first). It's a good way to honor an animal that's already passed.
Is squirrel taxidermy a good stepping stone to larger animals?
Yes, absolutely. The techniques are identical to larger mammals—just scaled down. Squirrel work builds the muscle memory, decision-making skills, and intuition that transfer directly to deer, elk, and bears. Every experienced taxidermist scaled up from squirrels.
Can I take a class just on squirrel mounting?
Yes. Many taxidermy schools and specialized instructors offer one-day or weekend workshops focused on squirrels. These typically cost $150–$300 and are beginner-friendly. It's a good way to learn in person before investing in DIY supplies.
What if my DIY squirrel doesn't turn out great?
That's completely normal and expected. Your first mount will look amateur. Keep it anyway—it's your starting point and proof that you can do this. Your second is noticeably better; your fifth is competitive with semi-professional work. Every single taxidermist you admire has a first squirrel that's imperfect.
Where can I buy squirrel forms and kits?
McKenzie Taxidermy, Van Dyke's Taxidermy, and The Taxidermy Store all carry squirrel forms, eyes, and complete DIY kits. Prices range from $40–$90 for complete kits. Compare suppliers—forms vary in quality and pose options.
How much does it cost to have a professional mount a squirrel?
$250–$400 depending on species, desired pose, and base quality. Gray squirrels are typically $250–$350; fox and red squirrels $300–$400; specialty flying squirrels $350–$450.
What's the timeline for a professional squirrel mount?
2–3 months typically, depending on the taxidermist's backlog. Some rushed mounts are possible but expect higher costs (typically 20–30% premium).
Related Resources
- Getting Started with Taxidermy — Comprehensive introduction to the craft
- Taxidermy Supplies Guide — Detailed breakdown of tools, forms, and materials
- How Much Does Taxidermy Cost? — Pricing across all species and mount types
- Find a Taxidermist Near You — Directory of professional taxidermists
- Fox Taxidermy — Next step after mastering squirrels
- Bat Taxidermy — Another small game option
Squirrel taxidermy is accessible, forgiving, and deeply rewarding. Whether your first mount is perfect or imperfect, you've joined a centuries-old tradition. Every expert taxidermist started with a squirrel. Yours might be the beginning of something you love doing for years to come.