Jumbo Owl Pellet Study Kit

Learn about owls and the animals they eat by doing an owl pellet dissection. This complete kit comes with a jumbo owl pellet (2" or larger), dissection tools, instructions, identification key, and bone sorting chart. Jumbo-size owl pellets are 2" or larger and typically contains multiple skeletons. They can also be broken in half or pieces for multiple students to work individually. Each jumbo owl pellet is wrapped and dry heat sterilized. This is a great kit for learning about food chains, too!

The following questions might help you come up with a good science project: What does the number of different bones you found tell you about a barn owl's eating habits? (You might compare multiple pellets.) Can you construct a food chain for the barn owl? Look for more info in our Owl Pellet Lab dissection project.

A similar kit with large pellets is also available in a classroom-sized owl pellet kit for up to 30 students.

Safety Information: Our owl pellets have been dry heat sterilized for a minimum of 4 hours at 250°F to kill bacteria and viruses naturally present. Even so, we highly recommend that you follow these guidelines when working with owl pellets:

• Work in a place separate from eating and food preparation areas.
• Use disposable latex gloves or nitrile gloves during the dissection and cleanup.
• Use a disposable tray or plate to contain the owl pellet during dissection. Do not dissect directly on desks or table tops.
• Use only dissection tools provided. Do not let children use pencils or other personal items for dissection. Kids like to use our economical plastic forceps to take apart the owl pellet.
• Use a sanitizer with paper towels or disposable sanitizing wipes to thoroughly wash hands, work areas, and any dissection tools when finished. Household bleach in a 1:10 solution can be used as a sanitizer.
• Make sure everyone thoroughly washes their hands with soap and water after the dissection and cleanup.

Jumbo Owl Pellet Study Kit

• 2" or larger jumbo owl pellet
• Plastic forceps
• Wooden probe
• Dissection guide and worksheet
• Dichotomous identification key
• Bone sorting chart