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Genet (Genetta) are Old World Mammals from the order Carnivora. They are related to Civets, Mongooses and Fossa. Genet are related to Cats but more closely related to Mongooses. They are very active creatures, males being seen as more active than females. They are nocturnal and quite solitary, their highest levels of activity being seen right after sunset.
Genet are slender cat-like animals with a long body, a long ringed tail, large ears, a pointed muzzle and partly retractile claws. Their fur is spotted, but melanistic Genet have also been recorded. They have musk glands and anal sacs. They also have perineal glands.
All Genet species have a dark stripe along the spine; they differ in fur colour and spot pattern. Their size varies between species from 40.9 to 60 cm (16.1 to 23.6 in) in head-to-body length with 40 to 47 cm (16 to 19 in) long tails; their tails are almost as long as head and body. They have large eyes with elliptical pupils, the iris is about the colour of the fur. They can move their eyes within their sockets to a limited extent, and move their heads to focus on moving objects. Their pinnae have a fine layer of hair inside and outside. They can move the pinnae by about 80° from pointing forward to the side, and also from an erect position to pointing downwards. Their rhinarium (belonging to the nose) is important for both sensing smell and touch.
Genet are highly agile, have quick reflexes and exceptional climbing skills. They are the only Viverridae able to stand on their hind legs. They walk, trot, run, climb up and down trees, and jump. They live on the ground, but also spend much of their time in trees. They are considered solitary, except during mating and when females have offspring. Despite their curious nature, Genet are extremely wary of their surroundings and can be quickly frightened. A Genet’s entire body can fit through a hole that’s just big enough for its head. Genet bite when they feel threatened or cornered, however they usually only do it as a warning rather than an all-out attack.
They are omnivorous and opportunistic, they catch invertebrates and small vertebrates, but also feed on plants and fruit. Aquatic Genet feed mainly on fish. Angolan Genet are thought to feed on grasshoppers and other arthropods. Johnston’s Genet probably feed mainly on insects.
Predators that hunt Genet include Serval, Caracal, Leopard, Honey Badger and large Owl.
Common Genet females become sexually mature at the age of two years. Once copulation has occurred, the gestation period lasts for 10 to 11 weeks. They are dioestrus and give birth twice a year, during spring and late summer to autumn. They have up to five young and raise them alone. Captive Common Genet have been known to live up to 13 years. A male Genet lived for 22.7 years in captivity.
All Genet species are indigenous to Africa. The Cape Genet is endemic to fynbos, grassland and coastal forests in South Africa. The South African small-spotted Genet lives in woodland savannah, grassland, thickets, dry vlei areas in Angola, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia.
Planning carefully is the key to a good Genet taxidermy job. When tanning and oiling the hides, the best chemicals and methods in the world are used to make sure they will last for generations. At Lifeform Taxidermy, we carefully choose our forms to make sure they fit well, and we’ll even custom make the forms according to any instruction, you may have in mind, at no extra cost. Full-mount trophies come with standard natural habitat bases that are made just for them. We use only the best materials and our 40 years of experience in the field to give your trophies new meaning. The finished trophies look life-like. When repair is needed, every effort is made to repair cuts and scrapes while keeping bullet damage to a minimum. Skin preparation and storage tips for a flawless Genet trophy.
Take care of your trophy before you bring it to the taxidermist – field preparation is the most important start. As soon as you take the hit on your trophy, it starts to rot, and the heat of Africa speeds up the decaying process. The hunter must not drag the body of the animal from the site where it was shot to the waiting hunting truck. The trophy should be protected from the hot metal bed of the hunting truck with a thick layer of cut grass or leaves.
So that nothing goes wrong, the skinning needs to start right away. Remove all of the meat, fat, dirt, and blood from the skin. Clean the skin well. After that, allow the skin to drip dry for a short time, it should then be salted. It is recommended to soak the skin in a salt solution for at least five hours and ideally overnight. Use about 20 kg of salt per 100 litres of water. After taking the skin out of the solution, salt it while it is still flat and flesh side up on a clean surface. To get the full effect of the salt, it needs to be absorbed into the skin all over, into all the crevice’s, especially around the facial features. Put the skin in the shade with a layer of salt on it. After 24 hours, dry the cape. Fold with the hair and ears in when it’s dry. To stop insect damage, pesticides must be sprayed on the skin and in the storage area.
Genet hunting in Africa is a spot-and-stalk affair. Nighttime flashlight hunting is the most effective method, and they are best pursued as animals of opportunity. Hunting Genet in South Africa does not necessitate a rifle with a big calibre because the animals are small. Your best bet for a hunting weapon is a compact centrefire firearm that is permitted in the country. It’s recommended that you go with any .22 rifle with a solid bullet, or a.223 with a Barnes 55 grain Triple Shock bullet. Focus your sights on the Genet heart.
How you choose an Genet taxidermy mount depends on things like your budget, wall space, and personal taste. When it comes to the creation of a full mount, we find that considerable discussion with the customer yields the best results. This is due to the fact that each form is given a distinct shape and arrangement.
Life-Form Taxidermy will make an exact copy of the skin as soon as they get all of your mounting instructions. All of the skins are tanned and oiled with high-quality products and methods to make sure they are preserved for years. Each skin is put on a manikin to make sure that it fits well. After the eyes and ears are expertly placed, the skin is sewn by a professional. Before making any last changes, the taxidermist waits until the animal is dry. They put the trophies in crates, and the shipping company hired by the client brings them to the client.
Every year, dust the mounts with a soft brush or compressed air to fluff up the hair. Trophies should be protected from common pests by spraying a light mist of normal aerosol surface pesticide around them. Think about preserving your trophy with Mount Medix Africa. This is a product that Life-Form Taxidermy offers.
Keep trophies in a cool, dry place. Daylight makes the mounts fade over time, so artificial light is better. If there’s too much humidity, open the windows or turn on a fan. Due to salt and tan residue, hair can make moisture beads when the humidity is high. Using a tissue that soaks up water will also soak up the salts.
The pricing of any trophy is subject to the costing stipulated per taxidermy order, quantity of trophies and preferred mounting options, along with additional requirements.
Should you wish to receive a quotation prior to the hunt, the taxidermist can generate such for you. Please contact [email protected]
Taxidermy is an art form that involves a complicated step-by-step process to make sure that each trophy looks just right and is of a high enough quality that it will last your whole life.
The time it takes a taxidermist to mount an animal might range from days to weeks, and possibly several months, depending on the quantity of trophies per taxidermy order, the display preferences, and volumes of client trophies to be produced, simultaneously, per production schedule.
This depends largely on the “what, how, when” factors. A taxidermy order also only becomes available for production scheduling upon receipt of the required deposit and trophy mounting instructions.
