Cleaning skulls

[freedomlives]

Our first billy goat died this summer, while I was away actually, so his body was just left by an ant pile for nature to do its thing, and that pretty much left a clean skull, though a bit smelly.

Unfortunately, wolves or wild/stray dogs got to our goats last month and killed a few, including the new billy goat.

I have this friend who likes animals skulls for decoration, so I've promised her those of both billy goats (as well as some other goats/sheep when slaughtering time comes) but does anyone know a good way to get them clean beyond just leaving them outside awhile? Ideally, de-odorized too?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

How to Clean a Skull, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

The only way I've done it is to boil out the skull in a big pot.

You may want to do this outside. Keep the skull entirely submerged in the boiling water.

 

[Code54]

Necrophila americana - or Carrion Beetle. They used to use them in the biology lab to clean skulls back in college. Also boiled them clean and would soak in a light bleach solution to help whiten them up when completed.

 

[tornadowatchranch]

I just buried mine for about 6 months. Make sure it is all the way under ground or the mice may chew the horns. Some taxidermists have the beetles for skull only mounts.

 

[oosik]

1961 - my second year in Alaska. Worked with a biologist doing a study on the Arctic Shrew. His study needed 25 cleaned shrew skulls. What a real PITA. No problem catching and euthanizing the little beasties. It was NOT so much fun picking the skin and flesh off a skull the size of your little fingernail. We used what are called Micro-tweezers. Then we boiled them. Learned, right off, boiling doesn't take long for a shrew skull.

 

[Fossil Farm]

We always added a tablespoon or two of Borax to the water while boiling. Just depended on the size of the pot.
After boiling and additional cleaning, a warm water bath with some bleach to whiten the skull.

 

[skipperbrown]

If you are going to boil the head, skin it first. Be careful as the skull is very soft and your knife will easily scratch it.

 

[oosik]

Have you ever smelled Arctic Shrew soup??

 

[freedomlives]

Thanks for all the advice. It goes without saying that the heads will be boiled outside-- I have a wife.

The European species of carrion beetle exists in some parts of Slovakia, and I swear I've seen it before, but probably am not going to be able to find it with these temperatures.

 

[oosik]

Andrew - I don't know how "rural" you are there. Boiling the head outside is DEFINITELY the way to go. The "smell" would linger inside the house for quite a while. A couple other points. Keep an eye on the operation. While it might not smell so good to us - it could attract unwanted "others". A wandering cat, perhaps a raccoon, a local dog. Something that might want the skull. It might also attract mice or weasels but if you have a pretty good sized pot - there won't be much they can do.

Many will do an operation, like this, in their garage or closed out building. Keeps visitors at bay.

Also - it is entirely possible to over boil a skull. The skull will break down to its component parts. You would have to fit & glue it back together. So check the boiling process often. When everything( all the flesh ) has fallen off or can be easily removed - that's pretty much it.

Then, if you want a bright white skull - as Fossil Farm says - a warm water bath with some bleach.

A final note - dump the water in the pot a good long distance from any of your buildings. No need to attract visitors to any of your close in operations.

If you get a chance - take a couple pictures of the final product and post here on TBN.