gift ideas
From the great minds over at Fark, comes this holiday gift idea. It’s true, Owl pellets are really beyond awesome - owls yack up little furballs of all the indigestible stuff, fur, feathers, and lots of tiny bones. I bought several last year, and I still have four waiting to be pried open and examined for parts.
The fast way to dissect them is to drop one in a plastic cup with a hydrogen peroxide : water mix, about 1:4. Stronger than that and the more delicate bones can just dissolve. You can use toothpicks or dissecting tools to gently pry open the tiny bones inside. It’s nearly alarming how intact the bones remain: If you’re lucky, you can piece a whole skull together. So far I’ve seen a whole bunch of small rodent and vole parts, but if you’re really lucky you might find parts from a lizard or songbird.
Actually, I guess that depends on your definition of lucky. Anyway - it’s a highly educational type experience. I bought mine from American Science and Surplus. They came complete with a corny educational kit, including a plastic magnifying glass, an ancient mimeographed (yes, mimeographed) ID guide, and inexplicably, a florescent pink stencil toy.
I’ll scan some pictures soon.