That’s it. I have a hummingbird skull that I would like to have all nice, clean and white. I imagine boiling it will ruin it as it’s extremely delicate. Anybody have any ideas? I’ve googled a bit and find lots of conflicting info.
Do you have any dermestid beetles handy?
No 
Although Dermestds are the go-to beetle, mealworm larvae will also do the job. Just make sure they have access to water (like a damp sponge or paper towel).
We used to put delicate sea shells on top of an anthill to get them cleaned out.
Put it in a ant hill for a day. Put it in a 5% peroxide solution until it’s white and lay out to dry.
(FYI: I’ve never done this on such thin bone. For deer skulls I’ve used 15% peroxide. Also maybe ants would eat that thin of bone)
Yes, dermestid beetles are the go-to for cleaning delicate skeletons, and most museums maintain a colony for that purpose. But even if you could get some, it’s probably not a good idea to use them at home, because if they get out that’s the end of your carpets.
I’ve never used mealworms, but they would be a lot safer. You might be able to buy some in a pet store.
Failing that, ants (of the right species) will also work.
Another method which I have used is maceration (although it’s a bit disgusting). Immerse the skull in water and just allow the flesh to rot off, changing the water regularly so it doesn’t get too stinky. There’s so little flesh on a hummingbird skull that this shouldn’t get too noxious.
Sorry, I should have mentioned that most of the gunk is already gone except for a little bit of feathers. It’s been hanging on my gate beside a deer skull as sort of a joke. I was looking at it earlier today and though it might actually make a nice necklace pendant.
I want to get it all nice and white. So as it looks right now I should put it in peroxide for a few days?
Yes, put it in peroxide for a day or two. You can probably pick off the remaining dried flecks of flesh with a needle or dental pick.
Thank you!
If it’s all that delicate and fragile, I imagine it wouldn’t last long as a necklace pendant.
Right, it would be too easily damaged.
Hummingbird skull (replica) jewelry is a thing. My gf’s has a necklace with hummingbird skulls. It gets attention from people who think it’s beautiful, until they realize or are told what they are.
OP may want to double check the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (or similar law if not in the US) re: possessing bird bones.
Beat me to it. The odds of ever being charged/fined for it are remote. Very remote. But, yes - technically it is illegal in the United States for private individuals to even own a hummingbird skull.
I had the coolest owl skull, with full feathers, and I’m pretty sure Teddy The Dog ate it. Anyway…
My daughter did this with a baby sparrow that hit our patio windows and died.
I took a plastic butter carton and poked small holes in the bottom and lid, placed the bird in there and put it next to our compost heap on the ground.
The bugs did their work over the course of a few months and the skull ended up nicely cleaned along with the majority of the tiny bones. After that, some general disinfectant and you are good to go. It is currenly mounted on a display board in her bedroom.
All I got are larger skulls, coyote, cow, hoss, etc. Just burying 'em in the back field for a while does the job just fine. For one horse skull, we soaked it in water and bleach for a few days and that worked too.
I have a lovely rattlesnake skull that, of all things, got processed by an owl, and my sister dug it out of the owl pellet. Got the skull and even a couple of the jaw bones. The owl digestion bleached the bones nice and clean.