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How to Preserve Animal Spine Bones

The interlinking sections of spines are not only fascinating to scientists and children alike, they are also incredibly informative instructional objects that are used to show how animal skeletons work. Preserving a found or purposely obtained skeleton for use for many years is simple and can be a great activity to do with children in order to instruct them about an animal's body.

Things You'll Need

Large soup pot
Large soup pot rack
1 gallon water
2 tbsp. enzyme laundry detergent
Fresh spine bones
Toothbrush
Large sieve

Instructions

- 1
  Place the large soup pot on the stove and insert the rack into it. Pour the water into the pot.
- 2
  Sprinkle in the laundry detergent and turn the burner to a low-medium heat to allow it to dissolve completely, while stirring.
- 3
  Place the bones, gently, in the rack. Raise the temperature to medium heat, or a low simmer.
- 4
  Examine the bones often as they simmer. For smaller bones, it will take between 10 to 30 minutes for them to finish, while for larger bones, it will take from 45 minutes to several hours.
- 5
  Remove the bones, halfway through the cooking process, and scrub off any remaining flesh using the scalpel and toothbrush.
- 6
  Place the bones back in the water and finish cooking them, removing them when they are completely bare of all flesh.
- 7
  Remove the bones and rinse them under cool water. Place them on a drying rack and allow them to dry for 24 hours. Cover them with a clear lacquer if desired.

Animals & Science