How to Prepare Owl Pellets for Classroom Use

Owl pellets are composed of the parts of their prey that the owl cannot digest. Because owls lack a crop, which would help them grind things like bone and fur, they will regurgitate a pellet about 16 hours after they have eaten their prey. Dissecting an owl pellet can tell you what an owl has been eating. However, before you take the pellet apart, sterilize it to prevent contamination.

Things You'll Need

  • Rubber gloves
  • Owl pellets
  • Aluminum foil
  • Oven
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Instructions

    • 1

      Preheat the oven to 300°F.

    • 2

      Put on a pair of rubber gloves.

    • 3

      Wrap each owl pellet in a a layer of aluminum foil.

    • 4

      Place the wrapped owl pellets in the oven.

    • 5

      Heat the owl pellets for 30 minutes.

    • 6

      Remove the wrapped pellets and allow them to cool. At this point, they can be handled without gloves, but remember to wash your hands after handling them.

Tips & Warnings

  • Do not dissect the owl pellets on any eating surface.

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