[Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: [EXTERNAL] Fwd: Question on methods for extracting marten teeth

Tue Jul 22 01:24:05 EDT 2025

Hi all,

Just a soft nudge: indeed an interesting thread! Maybe it would be worth compiling all this information, resources and the experiences how-to in a small Collection Forum Article? Or perhaps a brief summary and contribution for our SPNHC wiki?

NHColl is a very valuable but dispersed resource, the SPNHC Wiki is back and CoFo also is looking for content - and the enthusiasm of our community :-)

Maybe worth giving a thought; maybe also good for a graduate' CV entering the field.

With all best wishes
Dirk

Am 22.07.2025 um 00:45 schrieb Elizabeth Wommack:
Hello Matt,

Thanks for the recommendations and help. The graduate student is trying a couple different methods, as well as a written protocol from Melissa Todd.

I really appreciate everyone's recommendations and help with this question.
I've learned a lot (including that there are veterinary dental extractors for cats, dogs, and rabbits), and always so amazed by our community.

We're ramping up work on the animals now, so if anyone is interested check back in mid-August.
I'm excited for this series to come into the museum research sphere when it is done. There are a lot of martens being worked on in our labs right now.

cheers,
Beth

Elizabeth Wommack, PhD
Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates
University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates
Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center
University of Wyoming,
Laramie, WY 82071
ewommack@<mailto:ewommack at berkeley.edu>uwyo.edu<http://uwyo.edu/>
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From: Smith, Matthew <Matthew_E_Smith at nps.gov><mailto:Matthew_E_Smith at nps.gov>
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2025 16:45
To: Adam Marsh <220marsh at gmail.com><mailto:220marsh at gmail.com>; Hardes, Jonathan G <jonathan_hardes at nps.gov><mailto:jonathan_hardes at nps.gov>
Cc: Elizabeth Wommack <ewommack at uwyo.edu><mailto:ewommack at uwyo.edu>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu> <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu><mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Fwd: [Nhcoll-l] Question on methods for extracting marten teeth

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Hi Elizabeth,

Just a couple thoughts:

Instead of dermestids, or after the dermestids, you may want to macerate the lower jaws for a couple weeks or a month in some room temperature water set in a sunny/warm place. Let bacteria do the finish work down in the alveoli.

Then you might look into some of the really cool pliers and grasping tools from the model airplane enthusiast stores for pulling. They often have really cool small tools that will help in situations like this. Additionally, if you are afraid of shattering the enamel or similar dipping the jaws of those same tools in a liquid rubber made for tool handles may also give them that 'soft grip' you would be looking for.

Good luck!

Matt
Amazon.com: Performix (11603-6-6PK) Plasti Dip Black - 14.5 oz. Dip Can (Pack of 6)<https://www.amazon.com/Performix-11603-6-6PK-Plasti-Dip-Black/dp/B00I9SK6ZE/ref=asc_df_B00I9SK6ZE?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80676856087420&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=66712&hvtargid=pla-4584276320389345&msclkid=de5cbafd744b16875224d28408e84321&th=1>
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Amazon.com: Performix (11603-6-6PK) Plasti Dip Black - 14.5 oz. Dip Can (Pack of 6)<https://www.amazon.com/Performix-11603-6-6PK-Plasti-Dip-Black/dp/B00I9SK6ZE/ref=asc_df_B00I9SK6ZE?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80676856087420&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=66712&hvtargid=pla-4584276320389345&msclkid=de5cbafd744b16875224d28408e84321&th=1>

Matthew E. Smith
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Petrified Forest National Park
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From: Adam Marsh <220marsh at gmail.com><mailto:220marsh at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2025 3:33 PM
To: Smith, Matthew <Matthew_E_Smith at nps.gov><mailto:Matthew_E_Smith at nps.gov>; Hardes, Jonathan G <jonathan_hardes at nps.gov><mailto:jonathan_hardes at nps.gov>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Fwd: [Nhcoll-l] Question on methods for extracting marten teeth

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---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Elizabeth Wommack <ewommack at uwyo.edu<mailto:ewommack at uwyo.edu>>
Date: Thu, Jul 17, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Question on methods for extracting marten teeth
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>

Hello everyone,

The UWYMV has a graduate student working on a project on martens, and needs to remove two lower premolars for aging purposes. The animals are being processed right now (they're coming to us as skinned carcasses and we are cleaning, sampling, drying, then to the dermestid colonies they go), and we are trying to figure out the best method to get those premolars out of the lower jaw.

The student has experience pulling teeth from bears, and we have several tooth pulling instruments for bears and humans, but they are too large for these teeth (the teeth shatter when grasped).

It has been recommended to boil the lower jaws slowly at 130 degrees Fahrenheit, but that hasn't loosened the teeth after boiling for 3 hours.

Our next attempts will be for the dermestids to clean them and see if they are loosened by the bugs, or maceration.

Does anyone have experience removing small teeth from mammal skulls and has a consistent method that works? I have had teeth fall out on me after they come out of the bugs, but it is not a regular occurrence (and until now I've tried to avoid it).

Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,
Beth Wommack

Elizabeth Wommack, PhD
Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates
University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates
Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center
University of Wyoming,
Laramie, WY 82071
ewommack@<mailto:ewommack at berkeley.edu>uwyo.edu<http://uwyo.edu/>
pronouns: she, her, herself
www.uwymv.org<https://uwymv.wyomingbiodiversity.org/index.php>
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