Dissect an owl pellet

What can we use instead of disposable gloves, a magnifying glass, or tweezers if we don't have them?

Use clean zip-top baggies slipped over hands instead of disposable gloves, a smartphone camera with zoom or reading glasses in place of the magnifying glass, and a clean sewing needle, paperclip, or blunt toothpick instead of tweezers when you gently tease apart the pellet.

Why might bones be hard to separate or get lost, and how can we prevent that during the dissection?

Work over the tray or white paper and follow the step to start teasing from the pellet edge with tweezers while using the small paintbrush or toothpick to sweep away fur so tiny bones stay visible and can be laid in a neat line.

How can we adapt this owl pellet activity for younger children or older kids?

For younger children have an adult pre-open the pellet and let them pick and count larger bones with larger tweezers or blunt sticks, while older kids should compare each bone to the bone identification chart, record exact counts in the notebook, and draw a more detailed food chain.

What are some ways to extend or personalize the dissection after arranging the bones?

After you place bones in a neat line and identify them, glue or tape them to cardstock with labels from the bone identification chart, photograph the layout to share on DIY.org, and compare counts from multiple pellets to make a chart in your notebook.