# Cleaning a pig skull??



## Mirf (May 22, 2008)

Recently I made the mistake of mentioning that I would like a skull for my uro's viv, in front of a butcher. Yesterday I was presented with a pigs head!! ( I would have preferred chocolate but there you go)

Now I know I need to boil it to remove the flesh that's left on it, but I have no idea what I need to do after that..how do I preserve it and get it white? It's the entire skull including lower jaw. 

I thought bleach would do the job, but apparently that will make it really brittle.

Any idea's peeps?


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## jamesandnina (Apr 8, 2009)

i've never done anything like it but i imagine it somthing about time. boil it to remove anything thats left like u say then store it in daylight 4 as long as it takes.


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## jamesandnina (Apr 8, 2009)

now i'm wondering if daylight would actually darkend it :bash: i don't know hard 1 one that i'll googl it now c if we can find out interesting


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## iXXo (Mar 8, 2009)

Email a university. Uni`s are normally Very! willing to help.  I get a lot of my info for stuff by doing so. (Just remember to e-mail what you think is the best department. e-mails to reception willl get binned  )


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## Stumps (Aug 31, 2008)

I know someone who might know, i will let you know in a bit.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

stick it in a bucket of hot water and washing powder.. it might work.


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

Make sure you take the helmet off before de-fleshing.


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## Sarracenia (Mar 20, 2008)

Maybe get a colony of Dermestid Beetle larvae? a decent size colony can easily clear off flesh in days, and I think that's what museums and stuff use. Don't know how to get it white though.


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

Try this site  its got a good part on taxidermy  

Taxidermy Skull Preparation


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## cooltom28 (Mar 9, 2006)

stick it in the ground for a month or two?


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

i allways put them in an upside down bucket in the garden and leave the bugs to clean it off, only takes a couple of weeks


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## Mirf (May 22, 2008)

Meko said:


> stick it in a bucket of hot water and washing powder.. it might work.


 Aparently it does but stinks to high heaven and can take up to a month...not sure my neighbours would be too impressed with that, mores the pity.



Sarracenia said:


> Maybe get a colony of Dermestid Beetle larvae? a decent size colony can easily clear off flesh in days, and I think that's what museums and stuff use. Don't know how to get it white though.


 That's apparently the most effective and speedy way but I cannot find anywhere selling them.



tarantulabarn said:


> i allways put them in an upside down bucket in the garden and leave the bugs to clean it off, only takes a couple of weeks


 we have a rat problem as we back on to a mountain, do you think they would end up chomping on it? If not it might be worth a shot....


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## www.royalroyals.co.uk (Apr 2, 2009)

*lol*



Fixx said:


> Make sure you take the helmet off before de-fleshing.


lol :welcome:


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## Julie&James (Sep 24, 2007)

Only you Miranda!!! Most of us pop into our local rep shop, grab a rock and a branch or two, but not you, no, you get a PIGS HEAD!!! :gasp:

Have i ever mentioned that i worry that maybe, maybe, your the teensiest bit NUTTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!













Luff ya really!:flrt:


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## Stumps (Aug 31, 2008)

A teeniest bit nutty, a tad more i think :whistling2:

My friend said they just boiled it, and used a small amont of bleach.


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## Mirf (May 22, 2008)

Julie&James said:


> Only you Miranda!!! Most of us pop into our local rep shop, grab a rock and a branch or two, but not you, no, you get a PIGS HEAD!!! :gasp:
> 
> Have i ever mentioned that i worry that maybe, maybe, your the teensiest bit NUTTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Luff ya really!:flrt:


What can I say?? I'm unique!!:lol2:



Stumps said:


> A teeniest bit nutty, a tad more i think :whistling2:
> 
> My friend said they just boiled it, and used a small amont of bleach.


It's not gonna work stumps. For one I can't find a pan big enough to fit it in and according to the butcher it's gonna stink. He left the brains in!!:bash: Not to mention the eyes and all the skin around it. Bleach will rot the bone....I have read that hydrogen peroxide will bleach it but it's not as easy to get hold of now....

I am wondering if meal worms would do the same job as the Dermestid Beetle larvae? I can get a bulk bag of mealies easily enough. Anyone know?


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## Julie&James (Sep 24, 2007)

Dozer????


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## Stumps (Aug 31, 2008)

I have just read in a few sites, some people have used mealworms to clean the skull, may work.


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## Mirf (May 22, 2008)

Julie&James said:


> Dozer????


You've seen him Julie, I'd be lucky if he left me a tooth!!!:lol2:


Stumps said:


> I have just read in a few sites, some people have used mealworms to clean the skull, may work.


Got any links stumps?


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

get some mealies/dermestid mbeetles (the ones you get in crciket boxes  )


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## Stumps (Aug 31, 2008)

I found them in a couple of journals, don't think you will be able to access them. I will type the bits out later and pm them to you.


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## grumpyoldtrout (May 19, 2008)

Can you not use the calci grubs / Phoenix Worms, I think I read that they were superb for that sort of thing.

:2thumb::2thumb::2thumb:


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## The Wanderer (Sep 14, 2007)

Fixx said:


> Make sure you take the helmet off before de-fleshing.



Nearly sprayed the monitor in tea :lol2::no1:


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## dragonsRus (Jun 1, 2008)

Thats actually a good idea... I might take a trip to the local butchers and see what hes got. it would look so cool


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## Mirf (May 22, 2008)

grumpyoldtrout said:


> Can you not use the calci grubs / Phoenix Worms, I think I read that they were superb for that sort of thing.
> 
> :2thumb::2thumb::2thumb:


Possibly, but it would cost a fortune to buy enough to clean a pigs skull, that and the fact that none of my lizards like the blooming things:lol2:


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## Mirf (May 22, 2008)

Well a quick update. I bought 2 kilo of meal worms and lobbed them in with the skull on Tuesday. They seem as keen to eat it as I would be. So far I have about an inch square of clean skull....great!:roll:

I know have a tub of rather grumpy mealies and a seriously stinky skull. The smell is blooming awful, although my 3 dogs seem to find it irresistable!

I am going to give it till tomorrow and will then try the cold water maceration. At this point I don't care if the neighbours complain about the smell, just as long as it's not in my house!!*

*


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## turkish_666 (Mar 30, 2008)

Lol I do this all the time, boil it to oblivion I use a metal bucket coz a pigs head is a bit big then chuck it in a half barrel with compost in it, add maggots and mealys, leave for a week or two then wash and scrub what ya can off and stick the whole head into a rub of bucket full of hydrogen peroxide, they sell that at the chemist in a few differnt strenghts any where between 5-10% works fine give it a day or two and you'll have a pearly white skull


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## Siman (Apr 12, 2008)

Wouldn't morio worms have been better?


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## SSamm (Mar 9, 2006)

Show pics when done!!


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## turkish_666 (Mar 30, 2008)

Morios are more expensive but yeah they all do the same job the maggots eat the squishy bits the mealys eat the the rest


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## Stumps (Aug 31, 2008)

Lol glad its going well. Ew don't let Dozer near me then when i come and visit :gasp:


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## Mirf (May 22, 2008)

turkish_666 said:


> Lol I do this all the time, boil it to oblivion I use a metal bucket coz a pigs head is a bit big then chuck it in a half barrel with compost in it, add maggots and mealys, leave for a week or two then wash and scrub what ya can off and stick the whole head into a rub of bucket full of hydrogen peroxide, they sell that at the chemist in a few differnt strenghts any where between 5-10% works fine give it a day or two and you'll have a pearly white skull


I should have par boiled it fist i think. Not going to do that now though as the stench would probably kill us all!



Siman said:


> Wouldn't morio worms have been better?


Possibly, but I'm not prepared to waste £50 on morio's. I only have 2 lizards that eat them and 2 kilo would last them a decade or two:lol2:



SSamm said:


> Show pics when done!!


 Will do!:2thumb:


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