Dermestid Beetle Skull Cleaning - Tips/pics

[Ricochet]

For those of you with beetles, I'm interested in picking your brain on a few things (pun intended).

I have beetles and have cleaned about 6 euro mounts so far with them and love the results. I started out with a very basic setup and am now converting a broken chest freezer into a habitat. What type of setup do you have and how do you regulate temperature?
What substrate do you use and how do you clean it?

Any other tips you have would be greatly appreciated and seeing your habitats would give me some good ideas. I was going to go the chest freezer with computer fan ventilation and temperature controlled heat lamp route.

Here are some pictures of the results so far.

[JTCowpoke]

I don't have any tips, but I have a question. What do you have to do to maintain the beetles when you aren't cleaning skulls?

[TxSon1836]

I have never seen people using beetles for this. really cool concept!

[White Falcon]

Good work! Don't let them things get out!

[cwbow]

Looks good. Maybe someone will help. I'm no help.

[The Insurance Guy]

Good work! Don't let them things get out!

They are already in your yard. Getting out is not a big deal. Getting an infestation in your house a little bigger problem

[Ricochet]

I don't have any tips, but I have a question. What do you have to do to maintain the beetles when you aren't cleaning skulls?

I just put scraps in there. Or when I clean an animal I Save the pieces I would normally toss


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[Calihunter1]

I love the way beetles do work! Euro mounts look 10X better then boiled heads. How are you doing your bleaching on them? I’ve done the peroxide and water and let it sit. And then the peroxide and hair bleach. Don’t know if I’ve ever had a head come out that white though. No help on the habitat sorry! Great work!


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[breadman]

in for the info

[White Falcon]

40% peroxide!

[Ricochet]

I love the way beetles do work! Euro mounts look 10X better then boiled heads. How are you doing your bleaching on them? I’ve done the peroxide and water and let it sit. And then the peroxide and hair bleach. Don’t know if I’ve ever had a head come out that white though. No help on the habitat sorry! Great work!


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Hog skulls are very greasy, so I soaked it in water and oxy clean for a few days after the beetles cleaned it. That softened it up so I could pull the cutters etc out and clean inside. Then I covered in a 50 volume developer creme and bleach powder. Was still greasy so I soaked in 40 volume, water and bleach powder for a few days. Pressure washed and cleaned with a pick and brush between. The detail with beetles is awesome.


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[Ricochet]

Nobody has beetles?


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[Blackmouth]

I tried to convert an old chest freezer for a beetle colony. Humidity was the hardest for me to control and had mold issues. The freezer was outside.

I think you’re doing a heck of a job already. As far as bedding material, I would guess shredded paper or rice hulls but that is just a guess. We had a nice collection in the wildlife department at SWT, I would call a local university to get recommendations or google it, I remember reading about dermestids online when I was getting mine started. I don’t have that set up anymore so that’s about all the info I can give. I did have a friend with a small setup in his house but you know how that can get bad in a hurry unless the skulls are mostly dry.

[Ricochet]

I tried to convert an old chest freezer for a beetle colony. Humidity was the hardest for me to control and had mold issues. The freezer was outside.



I think you’re doing a heck of a job already. As far as bedding material, I would guess shredded paper or rice hulls but that is just a guess. We had a nice collection in the wildlife department at SWT, I would call a local university to get recommendations or google it, I remember reading about dermestids online when I was getting mine started. I don’t have that set up anymore so that’s about all the info I can give. I did have a friend with a small setup in his house but you know how that can get bad in a hurry unless the skulls are mostly dry.

Thanks! Yeah they get nasty quick without good ventilation. I’ve done a bunch of searching and still can’t find a good way to clean out the frass. Hard to get them out without spending hours or killing a bunch of them. Plus it’s easy to disrupt the molting cycle. Mine will be in a shed but planning to have it somewhat air conditioned. They are in the garage now.


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[captainsling]

PM BlueTick.

Jeff use to do euros and stopped a while back. He was the best I have used and did work for other taxis. Have yet to have one yellow. He may be able and willing to answer your questions.