# Is it possible to tan a living creature?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-tan-a-living-creature/272158>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 31, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-tan-a-living-creature/272158 "2004-10-31T13:05:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@Chimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimpy)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-tan-a-living-creature/272158/1 "2004-10-31T13:05:52Z")

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Would it be possible to tan a living animal? As in turn its hide into leather. If the animal was alive prior to the process would it still be alive afterwards? What, if the process could be survived, would be the physical implications afterwards? Also has this ever been attemted? I tried googling this but got nothing helpful.

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**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-tan-a-living-creature/272158/2 "2004-10-31T13:33:36Z")

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> [@Chimpy](#):
>
> Would it be possible to tan a living animal? As in turn its hide into leather. If the animal was alive prior to the process would it still be alive afterwards? What, if the process could be survived, would be the physical implications afterwards? Also has this ever been attemted? I tried googling this but got nothing helpful.

I hope you don’t have pets. :eek:

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-tan-a-living-creature/272158/3 "2004-10-31T14:04:05Z")

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No - Actual “tanning” impregnates the skin with preservative waxes, oils and other compounds (some toxic) which is mainly why it does not rot. - It is not compatible with living tissue.  
[Skindeep - Leather and leather manufacturing - Volumes 1-18](http://www.hewit.com/skindeep.htm)

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**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-tan-a-living-creature/272158/4 "2004-10-31T16:49:56Z")

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> [@astro](#):
>
> \<snip\>
> 
> [Skindeep - Leather and leather manufacturing - Volumes 1-18](http://www.hewit.com/skindeep.htm)

How cool!

One of these days I’m gonna look into rebinding some of my (really) old books. And now I know where to start.

Thanks, **astro**! 🆒

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-tan-a-living-creature/272158/5 "2004-10-31T18:55:44Z")

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Yes, if you use enough Coppertone and built up to it gradually.