how long should I stretch?

I got some musk rats on wire stretchers and some time before my associations sale comes in February. How long does it take for a green pelt to stabilize on the stretcher? A week, two weeks? I want catch more but can't get more wire frames for now.

A side note. I caught a particular musk rat that was filled with fat. I mean this guy was a pig!. He has been stretching for two weeks after fleshing and is still a greasy mess. Any thoughts?

I get my rats off the boards In about 2 days. And that's with very little heat In the shed.
The longer you leave a pelt dry the more moisture It loses and becomes very papery and that will cost you money. And In my opinion wire will thin a hid. As It dries the wire Is acting like a spring and working against the hide making It thinner. That will also cost you money.
I get my rat hides off the boards In 2 days then I pack them as tight as I can In card board boxes. This will keep them from drying out and I have never had any molding Issues. And If you do a little W-D 40 will remove It and you will be good to go.
I always cringe when I hear guys leaving rats on the forms for that long of a time.

Thanks beav. I needed the info. Still learning

With a temperature between 50-60 degrees F and good air circulation your rat pelts should be ready to come off the stretchers within a week. Regarding the rat hanging for two weeks I suspect you did not flesh it thoroughly or your drying conditions are poor. You don't want your rats to dry as they are graded by feel and weight thus you want those rats hydrated so they don't get that nasty crinkly sound when they are graded.

I see.

WE all started out with little or no knowledge. Your on your way you have caught some fur.

Good luck

When handling rats remove the fat and leave the saddle on.Rats are very easy to flesh,the fat is loose and mostly in the armpits and belly.This also makes them easy to overflesh,so go easy at first.A few beads of fat on a rat when its drying is OK,and can be wiped off with a rag.
Like other fur,the best results will be drying at cool temps with low humidity.5-7 days at 50f will give you a nice flexible dry skin with no rattly papery leather.
Drying with heat is bad news.

Keep cool got it. I have noticed that removing a part of the saddle in any place garuntees paper rat as well. Heh talk about gentle touch.

We use to just run our rats through a one of those old washer wringers. I leave as much of the fat as I can It will be absorbed Into the leather Or just dry up.

All good to know.

Back when we had 'rats in PA (1970's) I always took off everything saddles included & they always brought a top price at our trappers' association fur sale. My furs were never in a heated building FWIW.