skeleton

Collection: Ostrich Skull

Posted on by emmalena15

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I gave this ostrich skull to M as a Christmas present this past year. He loves ostriches and even wants a farm full of them one day.

Ostriches are large, flightless birds native to Africa. They are the largest species of bird still alive today and also lay the largest eggs. They can run up to 43 mph, the fastest land speed of any bird.

They can weigh anywhere from 139-320 lbs, and the males grow to be between 6’11” and 9’2″ while the females are from 5’7″ to 6’7″. Their lifespan is up to 40-45 years.

Ostriches are also known for their very large eyes- they have largest eyes of any land vertebrate, measuring 2 inches in diameter.

It is a myth that ostriches hide their heads in the sand when they feel threatened. They actually either lay flat on the ground to blend in with their surroundings or they will attack if they feel threatened enough. They can kick very powerfully with their legs, so much so that they can disembowel and kill a person with their long claws in a single blow.

Ostrich skull
An ostrich skull with a detached lower jaw is the biggest skull in our collection.
Size: 7.5″ long x 3.5″ wide x 3.25″ tall
From: Clear Creek Trading- Etsy
Price: $20-$50

Wishlist: Bear Skeleton

Posted on by emmalena15

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The pictures I included are of a polar bear skeleton, a grizzly bear, a cave bear skeleton, and a chart to show how big the cave bear was.

While we’re not too picky on what kind of bear, it would be really cool if we one day could get our hands on a cave bear skeleton or fossil! The cave bear went extinct about 27,500 years ago. Cave bears are most closely related to brown bears, with a last common ancestor dating to 1.2 to 1.4 million years ago.

Hopefully one day we’ll have a cave bear, but before that we’d love to acquire another species of bear skeleton too!

Collection: Coconut crab

Posted on by emmalena15

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Our coconut crab is one of our recent acquisitions. We got him off Etsy. Ours is just a baby (the crab itself is 3in tall and 7in long), posed on half a coconut, but these guys can grow to be as large as trash can lids! I think they’re a little creepy at that size honestly. 

The coconut crab is a type of hermit crab and is the largest land-living arthropod in the world. They can grow up to 1 meter in length and can be as heavy as 9 pounds. They can also live for 60 years or longer. Coconut crabs are mostly found on islands in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.

Unfortunately when Mr. Crabs came to us his leg had broken off during shipment, but it was nothing a little hot glue couldn’t fix! If you intend on owning or building skeletons or specimens like Mr. Crabs yourself, a hot glue gun and epoxy resin are both good adhesives to have on hand. 

Coconut Crab
A small coconut crab mounted on half a coconut
Size: (with the coconut) 8 1/2in wide x 6in tall
From Etsy (falconeyestudio)
Price: $50-$100

Wishlist: Chinese Water Deer Skull

Posted on by emmalena15

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The water deer is well known for its long canine teeth which protrude from their mouth. These teeth are used for fighting other water deer over territory and mates. They do not have antlers of any kind and are brown or brownish gray in coloring. They are typically 1.5-2 feet tall (measured to the shoulder) and weigh 20-30 lbs. Their life span is 10-12 years.

We’re interested in a Chinese water deer skull because of their unique teeth!

Collection: Skunk skull

Posted on by emmalena15

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This skunk skull was the beginning of our collection. It is 3″ long, 1 3/4″ wide, and 1 1/2″ tall. M (my boyfriend) gave it to me for my birthday in 2013 and he got it from a store called Evolution in Soho in New York. This store has lots of animal skulls and skeletons, butterflies, jewelry, and even some real human fetus articulated skeletons! This store can get pretty pricy, but their pieces are museum quality.

One day we asked to meet with the articulators in the back to ask them some questions since we were going to start articulating our coyote skeleton. They were super friendly and gave us lots of great tips! If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend checking this place out. It’s great for the occasional high quality piece to add to your collection. Or, like us, it could kickstart your collection! 

Skunk Skull
Size: 3″ long x 1 3/4″ wide x 1 1/2″ tall
From The Evolution Store
Price: $10-$20