In connection with my dermestid beetles, I have a guy up the road who raises buffalo. I'm trying to get a buffalo skull from him. I know that horns are alive inside the shell and have to be treated differently than antlers.
What would I have to do in order to get this ordeal done? I'm guessing I would have to remove the horn shell and then glue them back on when the beetles are done with the skull. What is the best way to get the horns off the animal?
Return to Gamehead Taxidermy Category Menu
one big ugly mess. I have not cleaned one with beetles. I have detached the horns and used the skull cap for mounting a shoulder mount. I immersed the whole skull in a water trough for about a month and the horns slipped off the pith. Now, to put that big ugly mess in with beetles...I would not do it. It is a great attraction for all manner of insects and stink WOW! I would continue to macerate the skull for another month and then clean and whiten it. You have beetles and you know that too much meat is bad business. If you plan to clean with beetles, carve off as much meat as possible, remove bottom jaw and handle it separately...these steps would expediate the beetle cleaning process.
with beetles and pre-clean meat off just like a deer, elk, moose or any skull for that matter. No problems here. I have a hot colony and it takes only 2-3 days to beetle clean a buffalo. I soak the skull for a couple of days in hot water changing 2 times a day to remove the horns. It never takes more than 2-3 days to get the horns off.
want to submerge the horns in water. It can make them peel & look awful. Put the whole skull in a container you can seal.Even if you can only tape a plastic bag over it. Put a little water in the bottom keep in a warm (room Temp) place. the horns will slide off within a week with no peeling or damage.
I have only had one buffalo peel before but it was peeling and crusty "before" I soaked it. It was like they were rotten?
The ones I had were also peeling a little,like you say like they were rotten. Anyhow I really ruined them in th soak. Ended up buying replacements. the guy never knew and left happy which is what matters. So I havent had the problem again by keeping them dry. The new guys will learn that sometimes you learn more from failures than from your successes.