FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Got a question? Get your answer.
Need assistance with your order or have an urgent question that requires immediate attention? Simply click on one of the sections below to quickly find the solution you're seeking."
All of the animals I work on are given to me by local zoos, vets, and pet owners, as well as the occasional roadkill. No animals are killed for the purpose of collecting their skull or skeleton, and everything is collected legally and with the correct license where applicable.
Unfortunately the term “Ethically sourced” has become a catchphrase to make a lot of businesses seem more legit. There is no definition for Ethically Sourced, and my ethics could very well be completely different to yours. However, no animal specimens that I sell or work with were killed specifically for their skulls or skeletons. Everything has passed naturally at a zoo, a vet, as roadkill….etc
No, not everything. A lot of it, but not all. Some skulls I import from all over the world through other collectors, museums, veterinary schools, and taxidermists.
I use safe methods for skull and skeleton cleaning which do not harm or damage the bone for long term preservation. Warm or cold water maceration or dermestid beetles to clean the flesh, cloudy ammonia to degrease the bones, and hydrogen peroxide to whiten. For a guide to cleaning bird skulls, refer to: LINK
NOTE: I do NOT condone boiling and bleaching bones. Never, ever boil or bleach. Boiling will cook the grease into the bones and make it impossible to ever fully get out. It will make the bone brittle and greasy to the touch as it eventually starts to seep out and damage the bone. Bleach on the other hand also destroys the integrity of bone, by making it soft and chalky, continually degrading.
Yes. Rates vary, though I'm more than happy to discuss options for preserving your loved one. At this stage, I only offer bird skeleton cleaning and articulation, but happy to discuss skull cleaning on a case by case basis for almost any type of pet.
If you have a greasy or improperly cleaned skull, you’re more than welcome to mail it to me or drop it off, and I clean and degrease and/or whiten it for you. The rate varies depending on the skull and how much cleaning it requires. But feel free to send me an email or message to discuss.
Most likely, yes. Many customers keep a list with me of particular species or specimens they are looking for which I keep an eye out for through my contacts in Australia and overseas. So if there’s a particular skull you’re after, feel free to let me know!
Yes, occasionally! Not often as I generally like to build them myself if i’ve gone to the effort of cleaning them, but I do sometimes get the odd unbuilt skeleton which I will list for sale on here. I do get asked a lot, so I plan on trying to do more of the skeleton puzzles depending on interest.
Watch this space. I’m currently working on holding one or two day-long bird skeleton articulation workshops in Brisbane. Currently I have several chicken and duck skeletons being cleaned so that each person can walk away with their own bird skeleton at the end of the day. As soon as these skeletons are cleaned and ready, I will announce more details as seats will be limited.
Yes. Though each state in Australia is different, in QLD, I require a Taxidermy Wildlife Specimen License to process and tag native species which can then be sold. Only animals sourced from other licensed sources such as Zoos, breeders, and pet owners can be tagged and sold.
No. The only native specimens I sell are ones that have been tagged and logged under the appropriate License, and as long as my Specimen Tag remains attached to the skull or skeleton, then that acts as the permit for ownership Australia wide.
No. Unfortunately dealing in CITES listed species is too much of a headache, so all specimens listed for sale on this website will be non-CITES listed. The only exceptions are specimens that have been given to me locally such as pet Macaws that have passed. These specimens will NOT be able to be shipped overseas.
Yes, you’re more than welcome to pick up skeletons from my workshop in Warner, north of Brisbane. In fact, certain skeletons cannot be shipped at all due to how fragile they are and can only be picked up.
Yes, for most things. All non-native, and non-CITES listed skulls can be shipped internationally, but please be mindful of your own local import laws. Some skeletons can also be shipped internationally, but please check the Skeleton Shipping Disclaimer below.
Just to repeat: NO NATIVE OR CITES SPECIMENS CAN BE SHIPPED INTERNATIONALLY
While I take my utmost care to pack every skull and skeleton as carefully as possible, accidents can and do happen during shipping. All skulls are bubble wrapped and padded safely in a box, while skeletons are filled and wrapped in cotton stuffing, bubble wrapped in a small box, then put inside a larger box with more padding and stuffing to minimise jostling during transport.
Even so, sometimes toes, wing bones… etc can fall off, so I will always walk you through step by step on how to re-attach or fix anything that may break.
Sure, but please credit me. The main goal of uploading photos of all the skulls in my collection is so that people can use them for anything from art reference to an identification guide.
STILL NEED HELP?
If you haven't found the answer you're looking for, please fill out the contact form, and we'll respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.