Hello-
I have been looking around this site, seems very nice with the exception of the few trouble makers that seem to make rediculous post(s). Anyway every forum has them..
I have collected skulls since I was a teenager. I have always usded water to either boil or masticate them flesh off. I will be starting a beetle colony hopefully this month and have some questions.
1) how can I keep the smell down. The colony will need to be in my garage since the temp needs to be around 70-80 F.I'm wondering how some of you taxidermist do it in your shops?
2) For bone articulation ( I want to attemt to reconstruct one myself). Where do people get the supplies to mount bones together? and any resources available to the novice?
I appreciate your help
Thank you
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You chewed the meat off the bone?
First off, check all the archives on this site. There are dozens of postings giving insite in how to operate a dermestid colony. If the specimens are prepared properly and air dried thoroughly, and the colony bedding is changed every time it needs it (based on number of skeletons run through it), a dermestid colony doesn't smell any worse than a pile of jerky thrown out on a table. Soemtimes waste products of the bugs build up and can cause an ammonia-like smell to get in the dermestarium, but that is when you change bedding.
Second, if you are in Peoria, Illinois (web address?), the temperature should be fine for the next 4-5 months to simply have your aquarium out in a garden shed. In the winter you can worry about keeping it heated. I doubt many taxidermists actually keep a colony in close proximity to the taxidermy shop proper. They would likely have it sealed behind doors or in an off building.
Lastly, the supplies to mount skeletons are up to your whim. Many simply use threaded rods, or pipes, some wire, others only epoxy or other glue. There is a web site that gives the basics at http://www-adm.pdx.edu/user/bio/articula/home.html The actual practice is a learning curve in itself - i.e. there is no "right way".
You mean masseration for getting flesh from bones with water, to masticate is to bringing up a cud. thought Id help you on that one, PA forgot to clarify.
Masseration is when a baseball team makes many errors in a ball game, or when the gardener runs one of those plug things over a lawn.
I think Maceration may have been the word Vic was reaching for. He does have a catchy last name though.
Thank you for the replies, and the attempt at the correct word. Maceration is the term I was thinking and typed something else. Anyhow Is there anyone one here that has an established colony that would be willing to assist me with setting mine up via email?
I just got 2 books from Barnes and Noble that are really neat for the "skulls and bones", and that is the name of one of them.
The other is "a key guide to mammal skulls and lower jaws". it is a plastic comb bound book. And for beginner, like me, is great too.
check them out. I was very pleased with both, not too complicated. Hey, I like to call a jaw bone, a jaw bone and just be sure I get it "stuck" where it belongs.
Simple minded, I guess, just ask the ones that know me!
Hope this helps ya,
Masturbation
You real clever donk man.