Road Kill Animals

[flump1]

Now, I have a problem, the eldest son is having an artist's attack and I have in the back garden a carrier bag with dead bird inside it, and now a rabbit donated from a neighbour in another bag.. Both were wild and alive until a few days ago, now they are in my garden. While I do not want to hamper his artistic ( weird ) mind, I am afraid of what bacteria these beasties might be harbouring, whether they will attract rats , surely they are a health hazard? Please agree so I can take them for a walk and dispose of them. Soon. What is it with these artists ? ( thinks D. Hurst ).

[Brinjal]

Put them in a plastic bag and put them in the fridge. My artist friend always picks up road kill birds and keeps them to draw and paint

[flump1]

OMG Brinjal, that is NOT what I wanted to hear !!!! They are not coming any where near the house !

[woofgang]

freezer is better than fridge but wrap it well. I would also be giving arty son a deadline after which you will dispose of the models. Maggots are a bigger hazard than rats, I would deffo me making him paint in the garden.

[Sharingan]

I'm afraid I'm another weird artist type, just bung em in the freezer :)

[Old_Geezer]

Tell your eldest son he can go all Damian Hurst when he has his own place. Meanwhile he can cook them up for his tea on a camp fire at the bottom of the garden. If he photographs them first he'll at least have something to paint from.

[flump1]

Woof, no way is it languishing next to my fish fingers, Sharingan, as Woof !What is it about corpses ?

[Mosaic]

How about he uses some pocket money to buy a second hand freezer which he can keep in the shed. Wrap up specimens well, label, and freeze.

[flump1]

The weird thing is...he just wants the bones ( yuk ) . I already have something nasty lurking in the freezer my OH assures me is going to catch some fish. At the first site of a maggot these specimens will go ...where. I have no idea !

[MyBlackHen]

I had a complaint from son 1's school, that he had taken in pheasant legs, and scared the other kids by pulling the tendons.

[Maydup]

Boys eh?!

[MyBlackHen]

Devil's spawn.

[wildwood]

Could he not bury them until he want the bones? The insect will probably help to dispose of the soft tissue.

[Mosaic]

Absolutely agree with Wildwood. Burying or cooking are the only ways to get at the bones without attracting flies and vermin.

[RATTER15]

Chuck lime in a bag with said bodies, nice white bones emerge.

[flump1]

Thanks all, if I cant get my hands on some lime I will plant the buggers.

[2sp_]

Mr P has stashed a (dead) mole in my chest freezer. I didn't know it was there until I went looking for some chicken breasts.

I try not to give the inner workings of his mind too much thought.

[sealyham]

They were ALIVE!?

For heaven's sake! - You are being incredibly cruel letting living creatures suffer and die on the off chance your son will want to draw/sculpt/stuff them. Throw them away (he isn't Leonardo da Vinci - he won't be documenting the stages of dissection). Don't get any more. If people bring them to you, tell them you aren't interested.

He wants to draw rabbits, let him take his book to a pet shop.

YES - they will attract rats. They will also attract blowflies. I don't know how old your son is, but encouraging this sort of 'art' isn't healthy.

[flump1]

Sealyham, read the title , he did not inflict any cruelty whatsoever , he picked up a bird that was in the road and the guy close to us hit a rabbit. In the name of art he wants to study bone structure . He is actually a very good artist , if not slightly potty sometimes.