How to Glue a Turtle Skeleton

Spread a cloth on a flat work surface. Tape it in place with masking tape. Use a diagram of a turtle skeleton and lay out all of the bones on the cloth. Make labels from masking tape to place near bone groupings as needed. Glue broken bones back together and allow them to dry.

Check areas that are missing bones or pieces. Make replacement bones or simple spacers from toothpicks or polymer clay. Follow the package instructions for baking the clay. When shaping pieces, take into account that the clay will shrink a bit when baked.

Prepare the mounting surface for the specimen. Paint it dark gray or black with craft paint so the skeleton will show up clearly. Allow it to dry completely before using.

Glue the bones end to end in their correct positions. Wrap beading wire or thin strips of masking tape around the bones to brace them until they dry. Take care not to glue the tape or wire to the bones. Clean up excess glue with acetone and cotton-tipped swabs. Glue bones together to make larger sections such as legs, and allow them to dry before assembling the skeleton.

Position the assembled sections on the top half of the shell. Glue and brace them in place until dry. Attach the shell top to the base. Position the shell bottom separately on the base for display purposes.