How to dissect a pellet

Pellets can be teased apart when they are dry, but it is best to soak them first. Half fill the pot with water and add a few drops of disinfectant. Place the pellets in the pot. Soak them for about half an hour until they sink. Take them out and blot off excess water.

Tease each pellet apart very carefully using tweezers and cocktail sticks. Search carefully as you go so that nothing is missed.

As you find any bones or other items, remove them from the pellet. Clean them up and place them on the newspaper to dry.

As you search, take note of the basic material, or matrix, of the pellet. Is it mainly fur or feathers, or something else? It will give you a good idea of what to expect.

Do not be surprised to find small white live grubs. They are the larvae of clothes moths, and they feed on the fur or feather material of the pellet. Owl pellets must be one of the original homes of clothes moths, long before there were any clothes!

The remains of small creatures such as insects are often found in pellets, and in little owl and kestrel pellets these can be particularly abundant. To find and identify them often requires a dissecting microscope.