# Green Belly / Bellies on Fur?



## El Gato Loco

Hey guys,

Just found out from my taxidermist that the nice Colorado cat I took had some smell and a green belly after he skinned it. He isn't real concerned and says the fur isn't slipping but it still got me all worked up.

I'm trying to figure out where I went wrong because I thought I handled this cat really well. Within 2 hours of the take, she was in a bag, and encased in ice in a huge cooler. She stayed that way until I got her in the freezer at home.

I would check the cooler daily and top it off with ice if needed. I kept the drain open in case the ice melted it would run right out. She was frozen like a rock when I took her out of the cooler and transferred her to the freezer.

I probably should have skinned her on location but that just wasn't my idea of a good time with living out of a hotel, the temps, etc.

Anyway... would appreciate any info on green belly and how I could avoid it in the future.

Thanks all!


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## On a call

Well now this perplexs me Chris...it was bitter cold up there where you were...she got froze sooner than not. You kept her that way and you still have a green belly ?? Might try dry ice next time ? Bacteria does grow at low temp...supprises me.


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## wvcoyote

Is that the fiist one you shot in the chest facing you,if it is probably the bullet busted the guts and gall bladder. just my thoughts.


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## El Gato Loco

wvcoyote said:


> Is that the fiist one you shot in the chest facing you,if it is probably the bullet busted the guts and gall bladder. just my thoughts.


Yea that's the one. I've shot 3 cats this exact same way now.... right in the chest while they were facing me and it makes me wonder because on 2 of them I couldn't even find the entry wound! At least on a yote you can tell where you hit em! Interesting thoughts ....thanks!


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## El Gato Loco

On a call said:


> Well now this perplexs me Chris...it was bitter cold up there where you were...she got froze sooner than not. You kept her that way and you still have a green belly ?? Might try dry ice next time ? Bacteria does grow at low temp...supprises me.


Apparently.....


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## On a call

Might carry a few strechers with you next time...that or skin and roll up skin to skin and freeze up in a bag. If you have strechers you still need to dry them in 50 degree temps...so that could be a problem for you too.

I sure would hat to have that problem !


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## saskredneck

ive seen this on some of the coyotes that i let freeze before i got around to skinning them. and with our temps they freeze fast.


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## catcapper

I wouldn't worry too much about the cat if the taxi wasn't bothered by it. He'll probaly hit it with a bactericide and then salt it to lock on the fur.

This time of year critters have full prime coats and their fur keeps the cold out, but keeps warmth in even better. The best way to handle a cat of coyote is to lay them on their back, or hang them with the rear legs spread apart. To help air flow around a cat, I use two BBQ grill grates blocked up off the bed of my truck on a 25 degree angle and put the critter on them head down( head down lets the guts move forward towards the chest cavity and aids in cooling the big meaty hind leg area). I fella could use a wooden pallet or a few 2"x2"'s---anything to get some air flow under the animal.

Most green belly is found between the hind legs, since an animal lay'in on its side usally has its legs together like a warm glove where body heat can be trapped for quite awhile.

If I'm going to freeze a cat for skin'in later on, I'll put it in the freezer or cooler supported up off the the floor or ice without putting it in a bag until I know its frozen. If theres any warmth left in a critter when its bagged and cooled, condensation can form inside and thats not good either.

So I would say Chris---It could have been the way she layed in the back of the truck that made her run a little green.
Just my


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## youngdon

Good info to have, Thanks Cat.


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## coyotehunter243

Its not a huge problem unless the hair is slipping. A good tan will lock the hair in and sometimes can even save an "iffy skin". One thing I have learned if you go to freeze them spread them out so that there are as few places as possible touching to retain heat, this will let the cold air get to all places on the hide. If you skin them it is best to lay them out in the freezer untill they are almost frozen then roll them up other wise they will hold heat in the center of the roll and can cause to slipping because the cold air takes a long time to get to the center of the roll. just my opinion. But sometimes predators just have that due to eating dead animals that already have bacteria growing on them. But I'd say most times its nothing to be worried about as long as they were cooled fast. Hope this helps.


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## El Gato Loco

All very helpful information. Thanks guys!


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## ebbs

Cat is a genius. There, I said it again. It's so obvious I probably didn't need to, but this is some quality info!


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*You covered it very well Cat----Remember Guys NO plastic Bags-EVER--until there frozen------------SB*


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## El Gato Loco

SWAMPBUCK10PT said:


> *You covered it very well Cat----Remember Guys NO plastic Bags-EVER--until there frozen------------SB*


That's good advice but when you have a cooler full of ice and nothing else, what do you do? I froze a rabbit without a bag and it immediately stuck to the ice and I tore the crap out of it getting it unstuck.

My second cat froze to the bottom of the truck bed because I didn't bag it and it took 5 gallons of HOT water to free it.

I am not a professional fur handler by any means, but I am learning.


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## catcapper

Thats a real important point that Swampbuck mentioned--- "NO plastic bags--EVER until their frozen"

Keep'in a critter up off the ice in a cooler uses the same basics as keep'in steaks out of the fire in a BBQ. I like to use a piece of 3/8" plywood cut to size to put on top of the ice in the cooler, then critter on top, and I leave the ice (I use block ice) in the bags. If theres something else in the bottom of the cooler and the ice is loose and melt'in, a fella can set the plywood on 4 Miller beer bottles set in each corner of the cooler to keep the animal out of the water.

As long as I'm babbl'in along, I'll through in another helpful hint on hide care. In the cooler or in the back of the pickup truck (hopefully a dry surface) lay your animal on 3-4 layers of paper or a couple sheets of cardboard. DO NOT use newspaper or dyed paper or ink can get on your hide. If any water gets in between the fur and paper and freeze's, you can use a scraper or knife to seperate the animal from the truck bed or board without damaging the fur. Most paper can be warmed with your hand and removed from the fur---it just takes a little time. A hair dryer is just the trick to cut loose a critter from cardboard. Heat the back of the cardboard with the dryer and the fur will release, and you haven't heated up the animal or damaged your trophy.

Dang---I'm gonna write a book one of these days as soon as I can type faster.lol.


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## wvcoyote

[quote name='ebbs']Cat is a genius. There, I said it again. It's so obvious I probably didn't need to, but this is some quality info![/QUO

:that:you hit the nail on the head,ebbs


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## GritGuy

Easy method to keep pelts cool in coolers with getting them wet, is just lay the plastic bags on the ice and then the pelt in it, same in the freezer, when the pelts freeze you can then put them in the bag.

Most people already carry the bags any way. No mess no fuss.

Green shows up quite quickly on cats and is most always associated with poor cooling, even with cool temps it happens quite often here for trappers and hunters not keeping their mind on the animals in the back of vehicles.


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## ReidRH

Question: after you skin an animal and you want to freeze the hide, do you turn the hide inside out to freeze it or not?


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## GritGuy

You should alwyas freeze the pelt with the fur out, so that the leather does not become freezer burned.
You should also remove as much excess fat and meat as possible, unles you know how to felsh then you should do that first as well.
After this you should lay the pelt out FLAT not rolled up and place it in the freezer. After you have attained a nice cold on it you can either fold it once or keep it flat and place it in abag to finish freezing. Don't place it in a bag first as this retards the freezing process. Do so after the pelt has attain a good amount of time in the freeezer just before it's rock solid.
Pelts done this way can stay frozen for years if bagged properly, and no you don't salt them before either, thats a whole different process for storing


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