I've been sending my skulls to be beetle cleaned for some time now, and I'm really pleased with the results. However, I recently sent a small herd of buffalo skulls to be done. When they were returned the beetles had not only cleaned the skull but had also gnawed away the OUTSIDE layer of the horns, leaving them looking like they'd been rotting on the prairie for years. When I asked the skull folks, the reply was that this was typical and If I didn't want this "effect" then I should boil the horns off before sending them. My question: Is this standard for the beetle cleaning industry, or have I been given a line?
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And not just about the beetle part itself.
1) They should have taken preventative measures to guarantee the bugs didnt eat the horn material. That much is a given.
2) If the bugs were eating the horn material, that likely means the horns have never been pulled off the cores. Therefore - you likely still have goo and blood etc. inside your horns, waiting to make a stinky mess down the road.
Sounds like an inexperienced job all around. There is no reason the bugs should have eaten the base of the horns and the inside of the horns should be thoroughly cleaned out.
The fact that they also said you should boil the skulls further shows the level of their inexperience with osteological material and skull prep.
It was a rookie mistake.. but it may have been an HONEST rookie mistake. I don't know that it's fair to say they gave you a 'line' exactly, as in their eyes they may fully believe they did a good job... but no - that is certainly not standard procedure and was an error on their part either through poor procedure or inexperience.
The horns should have been removed first. I always remove mine first. Buffalo horns are not, however, polished and smooth cow horns. Buffalo horns are almost always chipped and rough looking. What I would suggest is: Don't boil them off or they will fall apart since they are made of hair. Use the plastic bag method. Once off, you can decide if they are in good enough shape or not. I would just buy replicas. They look better and you can't tell the difference anyway.