How about enlisting the aid of dermestid beetles? Time seems to be no factor
for you in getting them cleaned, so that process may be the ticket.

Ken Zentzis
Wichita, Kansas

G Thomas Watters wrote:

> I recently defrosted a large bag of snails from the beer refrigerator in
> the garage. They (the snails, not the beer) have been in there for 14 years
> and are quite freeze-dried. I placed them outside to "soften" but they are
> so desiccated that they are still mummified after a month of 90+
> temperatures and near 100% humidity. Ants, flies, chipmunks, even the
> raccoons won't touch them. I hesitate to "reconstitute" them in water as I
> fear they will turn into a putrifying mess. Has anyone any experience with
> this situation? We're talking big snails - Busycon, Strombus, etc.
>
> *****************************************
>  G Thomas Watters
>  Ohio Biological Survey &
>  Aquatic Ecology Laboratory
>  Ohio State University
>  1315 Kinnear Road
>  Columbus, OH 43212 USA
>  v: 614-292-6170  f: 614-292-0181
> ******************************************
>
> "The world is my oyster except for months with an 'R' in them" - Firesign
> Theater
>
> "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he
> has to buy a license" - GTW