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March 27, 2023
Monday Morning Mammal Skull Mystery
OK, so a bit weird for a Monday Morning Mystery, but if you were in the Celery Farm yesterday, you either saw Turkey Vultures dining on a critter, or smelled what was left.
I buried the latter, but not before photographing the small mammal's skull. Fur looked a bit grayish. What was it? I saved it in case anyone has advice on cleaning it.
4 comments
-
Raccoon?
If you want to preserve it now: Wear gloves to guard against any zoonoses. It looks like nature has taken care of removing most of the flesh, making the job of cleaning it easier. Perhaps Dawn dish detergent and a brush might be sufficient to clear any remaining soft tissue. (Could you skip that creepy boiling pot a la Fatal Attraction step?)
The safest, easiest and least gruesome way may be to put it in a cage and let nature continue to clean it.
In any case, after the soft tissue is gone, you could soak the skull in 3% hydrogen peroxide (undiluted straight from a drug store purchased bottle) to the desired whiteness. -
Stray dog? Maybe Allendale moms Fb page posted a missing pet
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Ah, a mammalian Wild Turducken…. Invasive?
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Most likely a Wolpertinger
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=wolpertinger&iax=images&ia=images
(Need to cut and paste the link; sorry.)
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4 comments
Diane
Raccoon?
If you want to preserve it now: Wear gloves to guard against any zoonoses. It looks like nature has taken care of removing most of the flesh, making the job of cleaning it easier. Perhaps Dawn dish detergent and a brush might be sufficient to clear any remaining soft tissue. (Could you skip that creepy boiling pot a la Fatal Attraction step?)
The safest, easiest and least gruesome way may be to put it in a cage and let nature continue to clean it.
In any case, after the soft tissue is gone, you could soak the skull in 3% hydrogen peroxide (undiluted straight from a drug store purchased bottle) to the desired whiteness.
Sallyt
Stray dog? Maybe Allendale moms Fb page posted a missing pet
Jim Wright
Ah, a mammalian Wild Turducken…. Invasive?
Kevin W
Most likely a Wolpertinger
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=wolpertinger&iax=images&ia=images
(Need to cut and paste the link; sorry.)