Boiling isn't near as good as beetles IMO. It is understandable that all taxidermist can't have beetles around their shop...but if you getting a euro done, I would search for someone with beetles. Boiling can crack & weaken the skull. Good Luck.

 

Thanks for the tip! I'll find someone who has beetes. Now I just need to find a good taxidermist around Ann Arbor/ Metro Detroit.

 

Definitely go with Beetles. I have done both methods and while the difference may not be evident right away, you will more than likely see a difference over the course of a few years. When the skull is boiled it makes the oils and greases embed deep into the bone. De-greasing is by far the hardest part of making a Euro Mount. After a year or two the greases start leaching to the surface of the bone and show up as ugly yellow spots. Going back and trying to degrease again at that point is even more difficult. With beetles, nothing is cooked into the bone to leach out later. The end result is a much cleaner product, completely de-greased and it will stay porcelain white for much longer.

Check out Taxidermy.net to find a taxidermist near you. Or you may read up in the how to section and decide to do the Euro yourself. Maceration is another great technique you may consider.

 

just talk to your guy if you like him he can send it out to get beetled mine does if he wants your buisness he will do it if not then look arround

 

Beetles do an amazing job, as these guys have stated. I did a bear skull a few years ago. Turned out great.

 

the past 3 bucks i did were done by the boiling method. The only plus i have seen is that it is done fairly quick. Now this may not be the norm but when they boiled my skull the antlers lost some of the staining so the taxidermist tried to stain it. :thumbs_do Looked absolutely terrible and i told them. Now i am noticing that they are starting to turn a bit yellow. As a result i now have to take them to my new taxidermist to correct.
So with my bad experience i now have two deer being sent to the beetles. Problem is it will take 3-4 months to get back. So i guess there will not be any skulls to adorn the tables at my annual deer harvest party my wife and i throw for our friends. Pictures will have to suffice.

 

Here's a question for you guys....

Do you guys think roaches would do the same job as beetles? I'm not talking ur ordinary roach that you find in your house........lol

I'm talking about Dubia Roaches: http://www.nyworms.com/dubiacare.htm (this is not my site)


I have about 8000 of these Dubia Roaches, if not more. I breed them because they are a feeder for Bearded Dragons. I'm thinking these babies could clean the skulls up in no time......

 

heres some that Beetles and Bones did for me, he is in nc

 

I simmer all of mine, if you actually boil them they can weaken. If you keep them at around 150 or so you dont run into that problem. I degrease them for a week or two as needed and then use some bo on them to further whiten them. It is as white as any beetle one Ive ever seen.

 

mount

here are the three ways you can do it in the best order first is beetles then macecration then simmering after you do one of the three you need to degrease then whiten with peroxide from a beauty supply 40 volume cover the horns and brush it on so you donw whiten the horns