i let mine dry til they are almost crispy. i use plenty of borax and i staple the tail to the board i'm going to use to hang it. already has a hole drilled for the nail and everything. once it's dry, all i have to do isscrew a circular plaque to cover up the base of the tail and it's ready to hang. i've heard if you dip the tail in some water and dish soap it shines it up. i haven't tried this but a friend of mine said it worked.