World's Cutest Fossil Preparators

I found a lump of matrix with a sliver of clam shell exposed about two years ago in Buxton, NC. It's a chunk of the Pleistocene shelf on which the OBX are sitting. When I brought it home, all you could see of the shell was the yellow strip in the middle. It was the only fossil visible at the time. It sat on a shelf for two years, waiting in vain for me to scrape away the matrix. I finally decided to use it for mouse furniture a couple weeks ago. They decided that they really like the minerals in the matrix. They have been licking away the matrix but have been very good about not eating the shell -- or any of the other fossils that they have been exposing. I wish they could do this with dolomite!