tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288639382234722885.post169588275031819635..comments2023-12-04T06:11:54.157-05:00Comments on The Useless Creatures: Life and Death on the BeachUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288639382234722885.post-55438944579410830942012-09-13T14:59:58.809-04:002012-09-13T14:59:58.809-04:00What a nice find and the skull looks beautiful! An...What a nice find and the skull looks beautiful! And a very interesting story as well.<br />By the way, now your blog can be find in my "website" section :)Psydrachehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01321509431829000759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288639382234722885.post-56135768489444130752012-08-03T14:50:28.777-04:002012-08-03T14:50:28.777-04:00Haha, thanks, Tiff! If you ever want to try cleani...Haha, thanks, Tiff! If you ever want to try cleaning some skulls and leaving them at my place, you're welcome to! It can definitely get stinky...J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05121626558342052770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288639382234722885.post-24849317946747656462012-08-03T11:22:53.652-04:002012-08-03T11:22:53.652-04:00Nice videos Jorie! Aside from the smell, this soun...Nice videos Jorie! Aside from the smell, this sounds like fun to do and experience though someone I know might not appreciate them. I'll just have to admire your skulls I guess. Enjoy reading your blog.Tiffanynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288639382234722885.post-19890780003096273002012-08-02T16:55:35.362-04:002012-08-02T16:55:35.362-04:00The process I use really depends on the skull! For...The process I use really depends on the skull! For the porcupine, it was decomposed (and dry) enough that I was able to peel off a good deal of skin and muscle. Some of the tougher stuff still remained, so I soaked it in 3% hydrogen peroxide to loosen it up. After all of the tissue was removed, I put the skull in another peroxide bath (for whitening), then rinsed it off in water.<br /><br />Other skulls require different processes. I tend to prefer cold water maceration (currently soaking a deer skull and coyote skull), though it's a horribly smelly, nasty process, and it can take a long time. Often I'll let insects clean skulls, but depending on the time of year, that can take a long time, too. <br /><br />Usually, I leave bones out for the insects, and when bug activity dies down, I'll macerate what's left. So far, that's worked pretty well for me.<br /><br />Someday, I'd like to have a dermestid beetle colony – that's <i>the</i> best way to clean bones and skulls!J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05121626558342052770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288639382234722885.post-20625542607089147372012-08-02T15:31:38.981-04:002012-08-02T15:31:38.981-04:00That skull is beautiful! What process do you use ...That skull is beautiful! What process do you use to clean bones? I've tried slow simmering and cold water maceration, and neither one really worked out very well...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com