Question about skulls?

P

Prophet of Coyote Death

New member
Hey folks,

I didn't know where else to ask this question, figured it would relate to this forum best.

I got a couple of coyote skulls.
They are almost entirely clean. I got them soaking in a salt solution right now.

I was wondering how i can make these skulls look good enough to set on top of my table.

I have seen some skulls that biologist have had and it looks like they have some kind of glossy finish.

any help would be great.

JOE
 
Here is what i have done. Take a fresh skull and remove as much meat as possible and remove the eyes. Lpace in a plastic bucket with about 3-5 cups of baking soda. Cover the skull with water and let sit for about 4 weeks. Drain water and repeat, letting it stand for about 3 more weeks. Now drain the water again and place the skull in a pot full of water and place on a turkey fryer. boil that sucker for about 35-45 minutes. Drain water and rinse it with the garden hose and a high pressure nosle. might have to do a little scraping, but very little. Most of the teath will fal out and the bottom jaw will split in two. Now gather all the teeth and parts, place in a plastic bag and fill with hydrogen peroxide and let soak for about 20 minutes. Remove all parts from the bag and let dry. Once dry, Glue the bottom jaw back together, glue in the teeth, and cover with a nice thick coat of gloss spray paint. Here is a pic of a skull that i have done.

How_to_Skull.jpg


fbf47ad2.jpg
 
Thanks Crapshoot,

I live in an apartment while going to school so I drug these dogs in the forest to decompose with the spring melt.

It works great for me because i don't have the place for the boiling. When they sit outside they take on a dark tone. They look pretty cool.

Maybe i should let em sit in the water and scrap alittle and hit the peroxide and just gloss it. I have had em in a salt water solution in a bucket all of today.

I don't know, but they have been in the woods and there pretty darn clean. The water is already taking the last bits of flesh....what do you think?

Thanks,
Joe
 
Boil the skull and make sure every bit of flesh and brains are removed or else it will smell. Keep skull at a very low boil and add a dash of Arm & Hammer washing detergent. The detergent will help remove grease and fat that can cause yellow spots on the skull. Do just enough boiling to get remaining flesh off. Too much boiling will make teeth fall out.

Use a campstove or backpack stove and do the boiling process outside. Get yourself some of the 40% Hydrogen peroxide that hairdressers use and soak and scrub into all nooks and crannies of the skull with a soft brush. Let set in peroxide for a couple hours. Take out and rise with clean water. Set outside in direct sunlight for a day or so.

I have done this several times and its really quite easy, just time consuming. Makes for a nice trophy when finished. Good luck
 
Crapshoot's got the right idea, but if you let it stand in water long enough...ALL the debris will wash away without boiling.
Lonny's on track with the peroxide and actually what that does is kill germs, avoid recurring smells, and give it the white clean appearance by bleaching it, providing you have a meat free skull.
The part about boiling too long makeing the teeth fall out....if the teeth don't fall out, you dont have the skull cleaned. Meat holds them teeth in place and it needs to go, the teeth can be glued back in place.
If you want the clean white look on your skulls 'Prophet of Coyote Death' the trick is to spray a coat or two of clear sealer on them when your finished cleaning and bleaching. Cheap sealers will yellow in time, so be wise in your choice.
 
as a taxidermist we do a lot of skulls. heres my method.
first off boiling hurts the bone. i freeze my skulls untill the flies are thick. place one skull in a plastic bag punch a hole or two in the bag. place the bag in a bucket with a lid and make a small hole in the side of the bucket so rain wont fill it. after about two weeks the maggots will have it clean. take it out and soak in water for about one day and it will be clean. now wash it or soak it in a strong dawn solution(dawn takes the grease away) rinse real good. go to the beauty supply shop and get your perozide there its 40% insteed of 2% like you would use for a cut. thats what makes so many woman blond. the reason for one skull at a time is the teeth will fall out and you will have to put it back together. hope this helps.
Sportingly,
Mark
 
Guys,

I've called every hair place in town and they won't give me the 40% peroxide. I have told them that i am duing some taxidermy work. The must think i'm bleaching hair.

Where else can i get this stuff.

Thanks,
Joe
 
Set the skull under a 5 gallon bucket for several weeks. The bugs and critters will clean it up pretty good, and then you can rinse it off and do the peroxide thing. You can also bury it for several weeks. Burying it in a compost pile works great. Be sure to place it in a panty hose or some type of mesh bag so that you don't loose the teeth. They will have absolutely no smell if left long enough. The soil will darken the skull, so you will have to bleach with peroxide or weak solution of bleach. Remember to rinse well after bleaching because the chemicals will continue to eat away the bone if you don't.
 
Thanks fellas for the good advice.

I actually got some lady to give me some peroxide. It's only 12% peroxide but i figured i'd use it anyway. I hope it will work if i leave it in the solution a bit longer than someone with 40%.

Yellowhammer,

My skulls are good to go, but i was wondering how long you leave the skulls to the elements. I guess a general estimation would be good, considering every situation is slightly different.

Just so i have a rough estimate on time for the next go-around.

Thanks for all the help........everyone!!

Joe
 
With 40% a few hours would likely do it. I have not really used the 40% though so I'm not sure. 12% may take a day or so (my guess). Anybody have better info?

The sun can also be used to bleach a skull, but obviously takes longer. Personally, I don't like the high gloss that I have seen some taxidermists but on the skulls. I like just the plain bleached look like you would find in the field.
 
I use the same stuff you put on your cuts and scrapes. Soaked for only about 15 minutes and let dry, They are as white as can be.
 
Find and old crock pot at a yard sale or whatever and slow cook the skull for about 3 hours with a couple of tablespoons of Arm and Hammer. Pull the skull out and pick all the large pieces of meat off, swirl the brains a little with a tool you can reach in with. At this point you can pull off the jaw bone as it is loose anyway. Wash under a hose and most of the remaining meat and brains will come out. Then cook again for a shorter period. Wash clean. When clean, I soak in perioxide 30 percent for about 24 hours. Comes out real white. Glue the jaw bone back to the upper and you are finished. I use a hot glue gun for the glue. Don't cook too long or the teeth will get loose and fall out. I have done quite afew different skulls and they all come out real nice. Works for me.
Marlowe
 
Got'er all done boys,

I used a little of everyones information and it turned out quite nice.

You fellas couldn't have been more helpful. It was a cake walk with all the help that a guy can get around here.

One more question.

Do you guys just set the skull on the coffee table or do you have some way of mounting it on a board with it's mouth open. I'd like to get that mouth open to make it look alittle cooler.

Thanks,
Joe

I'll post a pic later
 
I like to put wigs on mine and stand em in the corner atop a broom handle.
No I'm just kidding /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

If you want the mouth open the best way to do it in my opinion is to super glue the jaws in the position you want. Then set er up on top of the TV or fireplace or whatever. If your mounting it to a plaque to hang on the wall, check out what the call a European Mount wherever you would buy your Antler plaques and you'll see how it's done.
The actual display board is on an angle for displaying skulls, etc.
Position it on the plaque where you want it and screw through the back of the plaque into the lower jaw bone. WALA!...no exposed wires, glue or bolts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
River Runner,

Sounds good. I think i can pull this off. Sounds easy and i'm sure it will look good.

I might be making these as christmas gifts. I better start calling hard in order to get me some skulls.

Thanks a ton, always good stuff.

Joe
 
River Runner,

I have two skulls from coyotes I shot last winter. At the time of the hunt I left the carcasas in the field, but went back a few weeks ago and grabbed the skulls. Being in UT...its pretty dry. The skulls looked like they were mummified. I simmered (as hot as my side grill burner would go) the first skull for probably +three hrs yesterday. This morning I rinsed it off and its pretty clean except for some debris in the nasal cavity. The teeth have not fallen out. Should I keep boiling till they come out?

Thanks!
 
No... I wouldn't boil it any longer. It'll end up cracking the bone structure and making it real porous.
Submerge it in a pail of water for several days and let the remains rot off, it's the cleanest way to do it.
Or... put it somewhere outdoors in the garden etc, where the bugs can clean it up. Some folks bury them for several weeks.
Once EVERYTHING decayed enough you'll be able to lierally wash it away.
As far as the teeth falling out, ( and this is just MY opinion )...if they aren't loose then the skull isn't cleaned. Some people will disagree with that but you have to remember, the teeth aren't protrusions from the jaw bones, which is the only way they'd stay intact on a thoroughly cleaned skull. They are held in by the gumbs, wich when decayed enough will release the teeth.
 
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