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can you beetle after partial maceration

Discussion in 'Skulls and Skeletons' started by marshtaxi, Nov 18, 2014.

  1. Nov 18, 2014 #1
    marshtaxi

    marshtaxi Member

    180
    3
    utah
    Probably a dumb question but can you use beetles to finish a skull after starting to macerate it. With our cold temps lately and my power supply needing upgraded I am at a point where I need to know If I can let the beetles finish 2 skulls that are part way done. A yak and a bison. I will get the rest figured out a bit later but for now I threw a skull in the freezer and left one in the water. Would freezing for 3 days and then putting them in with the beetle be okay?

    also one other question is I sprayed a good mist in my freezer to knock down the smell a bit from a few rank heads that were put in there and I didn't think, but would that harm the beetles when I feed those skulls to them?
     
  3. Nov 18, 2014 #2
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    13,690
    1,825
    Taxachusetts
    I don't think a macerated head will bother the beetles much but you will need to dry it out some before presenting it. It is also going to stink worse than hell in there. Especially after the heat in the tank wakes up that stench. You won't have to freeze it first as that procedure is to kill unwanted insects like maggots. Sitting underwater, there won't be any insects to infiltrate your colony. They will stink so bad that a "misting" is not going to kill the smell. You might need to abandon your shop till they are clean. Soaking them for a day in water that you added a good amount of ammonia to will help attract them to it.
     

  5. Nov 18, 2014 #3
    marshtaxi

    marshtaxi Member

    180
    3
    utah
    alright that helps, my bugs are in a separate little room so I guess stink on. I realized I forgot to say I misted the freezer with febreeze, and that was what I was wondering if that could harm the beetles. like an idiot I did it and then realized I have a couple few dozen small skulls I need to feed them in there
     
  6. Nov 22, 2014 #4
    lokireptiles

    lokireptiles Member

    511
    4
    I have finished a few skulls that were partially eaten by maggots and mummified then macerated for a bit and still had little bits stuck in places an overnight soak in warm water with ammonia then I allowed them to dry a bit then off to the beetles. Not the most pleasant of jobs but they came out better than I expected.
     
  7. Nov 22, 2014 #5
    Orkman-X

    Orkman-X New Member

    166
    1
    Belgium
    u can do that perfectly, soak it in cold diluted household ammonia for few days, let it dry and they will frenzy on it
     
  8. Dec 11, 2014 #6
    lokireptiles

    lokireptiles Member

    511
    4
    It's funny too because the first thing "everyone" says is don't feed your beetles too much because they won't eat rotten meat ...... I guess this is one of the exceptions to that rule.