On skull mounts, cleaning, preparation, collecting etc.

[SJC]

Thanks for this thread. I got a black wildebeest head that I need to make a skull mount with.

[Desperatezulu]

Should the horns be removed or not? Obviously some species should not, such as reedbuck with the pads at the base of the horn. But others like kudu where there is a lot of spongey bone high up the horn, removing the horn and cleaning/trimming the bone may be a good thing?

[Black Lechwe]

I googled horn worm, and there is no way that thing is chowing horns?

Hahaha, just checked and you're right...

But what Google doesn't know is that we are talking about the larvae of a moth related to the common clothes moth that eats wool and other textiles. This caterpillar is specialised on eating horn rather than wool/hair, it's the same compound after all, and the 'worms' you see coming out of the horn are the frass (fancy word for insect sh*t) spun into silk for protection. Maybe this type of 'horn worm' is only found in Africa, which is why google has overlooked it in favour of other caterpillars with the same name?

[Black Lechwe]

Thanks for this thread. I got a black wildebeest head that I need to make a skull mount with.

If you choose the boiling method you'll have no choice but to get the horns in the boiling water too... the key here will be to not overboil. Therefore to cut down on boiling time, spend more time cutting flesh off. Perhaps rather don't use caustic soda in case this affects the horns.

[Black Lechwe]

Regarding reedbuck bases, I have found that they can be kept on with some care. They are not the same material as horn though, and are softer, so care must be taken when cutting and cleaning. I think one of my mountain reedbuck skulls I'd boiled for a long time, and the horn base stuff separated quite cleanly from the horn. I think the same goes for some of my veld pickups. Common reedbuck have this feature more pronounced, and I don't have experience with that exact species.

[Black Lechwe]

Black Letchwe. You could try boiling with Borax as that should be toxic to any thing trying to eat the horn and is colourless and has no smell. It is also very cheap and easily available.

This is something I need to still try. Thanks for the suggestion! Where exactly does one buy it though?

[NIBOR]

Hahaha, just checked and you're right...

But what Google doesn't know is that we are talking about the larvae of a moth related to the common clothes moth that eats wool and other textiles. This caterpillar is specialised on eating horn rather than wool/hair, it's the same compound after all, and the 'worms' you see coming out of the horn are the frass (fancy word for insect sh*t) spun into silk for protection. Maybe this type of 'horn worm' is only found in Africa, which is why google has overlooked it in favour of other caterpillars with the same name?

Thanx for clearing that up. Looks like that worm can chow a whole carcass never mind the horns only :D

[treeman]

just do a bit of reading on Borax first before working handling.

[Peter Brian]

Treeman. Borax is not absorbed through the skin so is no problen to handle. By the way Borax mixed with icing sugar(1 to 10) placed in a small container works very well for killing ants in the house.

[treeman]

Just a general "to do" before handling any chemicals.