How long after a small animal dies does rigor mortis set in?
I have a baby possum that may or may not be dead, and I need to know how long it would take for rigor mortis to set it so I can be sure whenever the time's up for it to be there. Thanks
Temperature is an important factor in determining the time of onset of rigor. In normal circumstances and at room temperature rigor is complete in about three to six hours.