Squirrel skeleton in tank?

[TonyK]

I am watching this thread. My son found a whole deer body decomposed to the bone. We kept the head. It would be really cool to put in a tank.

[devilduck]

That's it, I'm adding it to my will that I want my bones to be interred in my tank!

[driftwoodhunter]

Originally Posted by devilduck

That's it, I'm adding it to my will that I want my bones to be interred in my tank!

[Rev2eight]

It would look pretty sweet if you could grow some moss on it.

[Betta132]

Alright, I'm going to use Krylon Fusion clear-coat on it, then finish assembling it. I'll definitely put some moss on it, and show you lot some pics when I get good ones!

[mrbprint]

I believe hot melt glue is tank safe and will stick the bones together. 5 min epoxy works too.

[TonyK]

Please post some pics when you get this going.

Originally Posted by Betta132

Alright, I'm going to use Krylon Fusion clear-coat on it, then finish assembling it. I'll definitely put some moss on it, and show you lot some pics when I get good ones!

[theshadybird]

I recently posted a similar thread and now have a Deer Antler in my own 10 gal. I left it unsealed entirely and it's been in there for about 6 weeks now. None of my params have changed, and the moss has attached >:} Can't wait for pics of your squirrel!

[lochaber]

I'd go with an epoxy sealant. usually you can find some variant of a pour-on (intended for doing coffee tables/bar tops with stuff embedded in them) at most craft stores and Home Depot/Lowes. I've used this stuff in paludarium building, and I've also used it to coat/reinforce a bird skull (not for the paludarium)

Also, vertebrate skeletons are mostly apatite, (I think hydroxy apatite or something, but I'm rusty on this) - basically a calcium phosphate compound. I don't think it would have an immediate affect on pH, but as it is broken down, may contribute to phosphates (I'm guessing here...)

[LyzzaRyzz]

What a great idea! Looking forward to pictures!!

[jester56]

Wow! Hysterical! I did that with my second ex-wife . The jawbone kept opening and closing and her legs were clamped together tight! Double check your tank dimentions so no bones have to be reglued. (My apologies to women, squirrels, glue and anyone else I missed...) (...and of course the ex-wife thing is a JOKE - she's still above ground.)

[driftwoodhunter]

Originally Posted by jester56

(...and of course the ex-wife thing is a JOKE - she's still above ground.)

well of course she is - the tank's above ground!

[FlyingHellFish]

Originally Posted by TonyK

I am watching this thread. My son found a whole deer body decomposed to the bone. We kept the head. It would be really cool to put in a tank.

You guys are kidding right? I mean this whole thread is a joke right? 10 Days under ground squirrel skeleton? Deer keeping head family?

Post pictures or it didn't happen.

[lochaber]

Originally Posted by FlyingHellFish

You guys are kidding right? I mean this whole thread is a joke right? 10 Days under ground squirrel skeleton? Deer keeping head family?

Post pictures or it didn't happen.

I grew up in a rural area, and it wasn't uncommon to find stuff when wandering around the woods/fields/roads. I never encountered a deer skeleton/corpse, but did see several cow (both skeletal and fresh, plus the cowpasture was littered with scattered bones), Most of a (old and well-weathered) dog skeleton, plus countless of the typical roadkill - raccoon, opossum, cat, etc. (usually had heavy head trauma, but every now and then you would come across an intact skull).

Even aside from the morbid bits, skulls/skeletons can be rather interesting - they are a part of an animal that is rarely seen, yet every quality of that animal (what it eats, how it moves, etc.) is reflected in the skull and skeleton. plus, I developed an early interest in paleontology, geology, and biology, which sorta contributed a bit...

[civics14]

You happen to be right there when a squirrel broke its back and died? LOL. Nevertheless, this has got to be an interesting aquarium when you get it set up.

Originally Posted by Betta132

Yup, me again. So, what about a squirrel skeleton? It died of a broken back, was picked up by me literally minutes after it died, and spent 10 days underground. After that, it was dug up, soaked in a hydrogen peroxide solution, rinsed, and partially assembled using SuperGlue.
What would I have to do to make sure it's aquarium safe? I have a tree-looking piece of driftwood in my 65, and I think a squirrel skeleton is just what it needs. Yeah, I'm weird for wanting bones in my tank.