Owl pellets are actually soft and moist when they're first regurgitated by the owl. However, the pellets must be thoroughly dried and sterilized before selling, which makes them fairly hard. If you find the pellets are too tough to break apart during dissection, you can spray a small amount of water over them.
What do you do with owl pellets?
Pellets are a record of what owls have eaten, and scientists can study them to learn more about the owl and the ecosystems in which they live. When kids dissect owl pellets, they can see and identify the tiny bones from that owl's meal, can learn about the owl's diet and place in the food web.
Why do people buy barn owl pellets?
A Self-Contained Ecosystem Self-contained ecosystems, owl pellets are used by carpet beetle larvae, clothes moth larvae and fungi for shelter and sustenance. Moth and beetle larvae consume fur and feathers, leaving tiny black specks of caterpillar droppings, which can be seen in the dissected pellet.
Are owl pellets gross?
Whoooo has dissected an owl pellet? You may think they are gross or you may get excited about them. The fur, bones, teeth, skulls, claws and feathers, however, are not digested by the gizzard and are too dangerous to pass through the owl's intestines.3 Oct 2017
Can you buy owl pellets to dissect?
Offering Owl Pellet Dissection Kits At Affordable Prices (Pellet.com) have been providing barn owl pellets, lesson plans, owl pellet informational materials and more for schools and classrooms all over the US.
What animals live in owl pellets?
This is an owl pellet. Indigestible animal parts found in pellets include: mammal bones, beaks, claws and bones of birds; bones of reptile and amphibians; hard portions of insects; and seed husks or other coarse vegetable materials from the stomachs of the prey.
Do animals eat owl pellets?
All birds of prey, including eagles, falcons and hawks, spit up pellets of the small animals they consume. But barn owls are special, said Bret Gaussoin, owner of Pellets Inc. based in Bellingham, Wash., one of several American companies devoted exclusively to owl pellets.26 Aug 2020
Should you soak owl pellets?
Raina Krasner, WCV: You'll need to soak it in water to break apart the pellet and to pull away the hair/fur/feathers from the bones.10 Aug 2016
Where can owl pellets be found?
Pellets are found in different locations, depending on the species. In general, these are roosting and nesting sites: for most hawks and owls, under coniferous trees; for barn owls, at the bases of cliffs or in barns and silos; for yet other species of owls, at their burrows or in marsh and field grasses.