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Nora Boekhout - Hello. I’m Nora Boekhout, and I would like to thank Teachers.Net for providing this Chat Live opportunity for teachers who are interested in Classroom Pets! …and a special thank you to Bob Reap for getting our new Project Chatboard up and running within days of my initial request! Amazing!
east/bama - Hi Nora. I just found this site today.
Nora Boekhout - What great luck, east/bama! Are you interested in pets in the classroom?
Nora Boekhout - I am a Grade 2 teacher in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada and my personal passion is having animals in my classroom. “The Bug Lady” is how teachers in my school district often remember me, but I enjoy all kinds of different animals. My website for Classroom Animals and Pets <http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/classroompets> came online on Dec. 24/97 and I have been working away on it ever since. My goal was to provide a network for teachers so that we had a place to ask questions and share our knowledge.
chloe - http://teachers.net/projects/pets/
Nora Boekhout - Hello, newcomers. Do any of you have favourite classroom pets?
mj - What type pets do you have in your classrooms? For anybody
ginn - I had fish last year but thinking of something else for this year.
Nora Boekhout - I like to look at different habitats, so I have a hamster, fish, leopard geckos, giant millipedes, and various walking sticks (oh... and breeding mealworms).
maddy - We have mealworms, ladybugs, frogs and or toads
mj - I have had fish and a guinea pig in the past. Now I have an iguana.
Nora Boekhout - Oops... forgot the tree frogs and anoles!
ginn - Was the guinea pig hard to care for?
Nora Boekhout - mj... what size is your iguana?
mj - I love the pictures of your walking sticks. I think I might like to try them.
mj - About 2 feet.
Nora Boekhout - Walking sticks are neat... but you have to be careful to check on local regulations. where are you from?
ginn - Has anyone had hermit crabs?
mj - A friend gave this one to me and it is deformed from a calcium deficiency when it was small.
mj - I am from North Alabama.
Nora Boekhout - mj... what do you keep your 2 foot iguana in at school, and how do you control hygiene with the kids? oh... what grade do you teach.
Nora Boekhout - Hey Luci... this is a great place to practice! Do you keep any pets in your classroom? What grade are you and where are you from?
Luci - I think I may have figured it out- I want to do Nat'l boards science entry using guinea pigs . I have 2 - she had 4 litters last year. Any ideas?
mj - I teach 6th. He is in a large aquarium. I don't let my kids hold him because of possible salmonella. I do get him out for the kids. I even carry him to other classrooms. They love it.
Nora Boekhout - Hi ginn, I haven't had hermit crabs myself, but I have heard that they are pretty interesting in the classroom.
Luci - Lost the screen again-oops- Kindergarten. SC
mj - ginn. I had hermit crabs a coupleof years ago, but didn't have a lot of luck with them. I would like to try them again though. I do know teachers who were successful.
Nora Boekhout - mj... you are a brave one! I'm especially pleased to hear that he is "large" and you continuing to care for him. Have you investigated "official regulations" regarding this type of pet in a school... That's one of the topics we were hoping to investigate tonight. BTW, I am not up on my own regulations, but feel this is something I shall have to address soon.
mj - I haven't investigted any regulations. Do you have any idea where I would need to look?
Nora Boekhout - Luci... one of our "interest questions" tonight is how animals fit into the curriculum. What grade and which state does your guinea pig unit fit into? Oh... I'm Canadian... oops... does the Nat'l Science curriculum "truly" work across the USA?
Nora Boekhout - mj, that's one of the important topics that I think teachers will have to start checking. I'm not sure myself, but I think that checking with your district school board would be a good start.
Nora Boekhout - Luci, have you any knowledge of "official regulations" for animals in the classroom?
Luci - SC-Kindergarten- tis is National Boards for Professional Teaching Standards. You may not know about it if you are in Canada- it's a biggie here.,
Luci - Maybe check with state health dept for regulations? I know salmanella is a concern with turtles
mj - I do know of many teachers in this district that do have pets. My curriculum director has been in my classroom many times and has not ever said anything about my lizard. Now I'm worried.
Nora Boekhout - Luci, that's a good idea. I think that we "pet-keeping" teachers will need to get our school boards and our gov't health regulations working together. I'm not a "banner waver", but I have seen through the American Avicultural Society that there are many people who are very militant about NOT allowing any kind of pets.
Nora Boekhout - mj... don't panic... just be aware! At least that's the stance I am taking!
Luci - just make sure kids wash their hands well-I'm sure you do that anyway
Luci - What grad are y'all? Now you know for sure I'm in the south!
Nora Boekhout - further on the AAS... I was at a conference a couple of years ago, and it seems that there are groups of people who are dead set against ANY kinds of pets (even dogs and cats). Now that may sound silly, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil and all that. These people evidently have a lot of governmental push (or so I hear).
mj - I very seldom if ever let the kids hold him. I'm too afraid that they could get sick. I did let some hold him on the last day of school.
Luci - I only had positive feedback from my parents- even with all the births!
Nora Boekhout - Luci, washing hands is a definite :-) But I just heard recently that you need to wash your hands in very warm water for 5 MINUTES to really get rid of bacteria. My classroom has only cold water and I'm certain we never wash that long! :-(
mj - I teach 6th and I'm also a southerner, from Alabama.
Luci - I love the guinea pigs for little ones- they are very tame and make lots of little squeaks that mean different things.
Nora Boekhout - I also have quite positive responses from the parents. Except about the giant millipedes... they are the most "unloved" pets by parents but I think they are pleased that their children have overcome initial fears.
Nora Boekhout - I've never had a guinea pig, but I love the way my next door teacher's guinea pigs squeak in the morning when you walk by the door! Luci, how are they compared to hamsters?
mj - My parents also like my iguana. I want to get my aquarium strted up again, and I am really interested in the walking sticks. I have never thought about them as pets.
Luci - all of it is very expensive for upkeep isn't it
Nora Boekhout - Well... "pets" is a pretty loose term of course! I have a center time where one of the centers is taking out the bugs. We often do "bug sketches".
mj - How often do you have to clean the guinea pigs cage, and what type cage is it in?
Nora Boekhout - You're right, Luci, it is an "expensive hobby". and time consuming too. How did you first start with pets in the classroom... Luci? mj?
Luci - Nora, what grade are you? I have a rabbit cage, but i put some newspaper down so their feet will be protected. I cange it daily. I first started by hatching chicks. I find the gp's the most satisfactory all around, like little kittens.
Nora Boekhout - I'm a grade 2 (sometimes 3) teacher in Coquitlam, BC.Oh... before I forget... do either of you have websites for your classrooms?
Luci - I think I'm going to spend time teaching 2 kids how to change it this year.. I don't have a website. How do you do that?
mj - I began with an aquarium, then the next year I added hermit crabs, but they died. I have also had a guinea pig, but he also died after only a few weeks. A student gave an iguana, and I have been more successful with them than anything. I am trying to get a bird, and I know someone with a snake that I am staying after to give me. I really do like reptiles.
Nora Boekhout - re the website, Luci, it's easiest if you purchase a package like Adobe PageMill or Claris HomePage. I really enjoy building webpages, but have yet to do one for my classroom... maybe this year!
Nora Boekhout - mj, reptiles are neat for sure. I particularly like my leopard geckos. They are a great size for the classroom, and easy to take home on weekends. They aren't too "fast" and are quite tolerant of gentle handling
Luci - thanks for web page tips- wouldn't it be neat to have penpal web pages!
mj - Luci, what grade did you say that you teach?
mj - And where in the south are you from
Luci - kindergarten- we already are at 25 for fall, and it's only July
Luci - Rock Hill South Carolina, 30 min from Charlotte NC
Nora Boekhout - Luci... I have a website on Classroom Animals and Pets, (which is why I requested this Chat Live!) . Why don't you "visit" and see if there is a teacher who might like to pen pal with you. I have a teacher register so you can look through it. http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/classroompets
Luci - that's cool that y'all are helping to dispel reptile horror!
mj - At the end of school I alreday had 6 - 28 in 5 classes of science and one basic skills class.
Nora Boekhout - Bug horror is almost as bad!
Luci - kay, are you there? Tell us where you are from and what grade
mj - I have to agree with the bug horror. I was on some site today and the chatboard was trying to decide who had the "yuckiest" pets. One person had the hissing roaches that are about 3 inches long. Give me a snake any day.
Nora Boekhout - The big hissers aren't too bad at all... but you should see what an ice cream bucket of the babies looks like! They all scuttle around like lightening! Give me a slow pet any day!
mj - Have any of you ever made a pond out of an aquarium, or know anyone who has?
Nora Boekhout - We raise tadpoles and mudpuppies seasonally... is that what you mean?
mj - Just thinking about those roaches gives me the creeps. No pun intended.
Luci - I haven't heard about using an acquarium for a pond before
mj - I would like to have one with some fish and maybe a turtle. I wouldn't mind the tadpoles either.
Nora Boekhout - Hey... I got my first millipedes because I told the pet store I had a "creeping crawlies" unit to do for Grade 2. The girl said, let me show you something REALLY creepy. ... I fell in love... I do like my millipedes!
Nora Boekhout - Oh dear... I had a turtle and fish... did you know that the turtles EAT the fish?
Luci - I never have had luck with tadpoles- they seem to get to a certain stage then die.
mj - They actually sell them at pet stores? Where did you get the walking sticks?
Nora Boekhout - Perhaps tree frogs and fish might be better companions.
mj - So much for that idea.
Luci - do the walking sticks need some type of tree to walk on?
Nora Boekhout - I originally bought my walking sticks at a pet store. However, I now know that in our area you are not supposed to sell them without a permit to "non-educators". HaHaHa, Luci, a stick to walk on! That's a good one! Mine eat blackberry bramble, and the stalks provide sufficient exercise for walking!
mj - My husband was bushhogging yesterday and said that they were all over the place. Could I use those?
Nora Boekhout - Question for you... are you the only pet-nuts at your schools, or do you have other like-minded teachers?
Luci - a few others-not too many! I think it helps teach responsibility and all that
Nora Boekhout - mj, I'm sure the local varieties would be just fine. You probably should check on regulations on keeping local wildlife though. I recently heard that I am not even supposed to have bird nests without a permit! While I don't worry about it, I am still thinking that it is something I should eventually learn more about. Otherwise, we may suddenly be faced with terrible restrictions that we had no idea were in the making.
Luci - I need to go soon- Nora, thanks for instigating this- i may have to check out the millipedes! Bye Mj !
Nora Boekhout - Luci, I agree about the responsibility and would add that it teaches kindness and gentleness too.
mj - There are several other teachers who do have pets. I know of rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, and even another iguana. They are all in the elementary grades in another building. Next year K - 5 is moving to another campus so my iguana will be the only pet on campus. Unless I get the rest of my zoo operating.
mj - I have never really considered insects as wildlife.
Nora Boekhout - mj, it sounds like you are in the right school area! At my school there "was" a guinea pig, "was" a hamster, and now there is only one other teacher who does a pet unit.
Nora Boekhout - Ah-ha! sounds like you need a bug in your life!
mj - So you think I should check with my local school baord and go from there.
Nora Boekhout - mj, I would definitely check, but I would keep it very low key to start. it looks like our time is almost up. Just in case this "shuts off", I really enjoyed chatting with you.
mj - I have never thought that I was squeemish (sp?) about bugs, but I don't think I coud handle the roaches.
Nora Boekhout - Let me know what you find out. I am planning to eventually begin a section on my website about local regulations. That is something that teachers really need to be aware of, and as I mentioned, I'm one of the ignorant ones too!
Nora Boekhout - I can't say I like to handle roaches either, but walking sticks are very nice and easy.
mj - I have enjoyed this too and I will email you through your website. I think it is a really good one. VERY informational. I would have never considered the "sticks". I am going to try them out.
Nora Boekhout - Thank you for the compliment, mj! My biggest plus, I feel, is that the information comes from teachers who are knowledgable about the classroom situation.
mj - I plan to put up a small classroom site sometime. Maybe I can put some pics of my animals on it.
Nora Boekhout - Super idea, mj! If you would like to display your animals sooner (as a practice webpage) I have a "members' showcase" on my website. I just started it a couple months ago! You can email jpegs or send photos snail mail.
Nora Boekhout - I would love to have a photo of your iguana. On my website I don't recommend them, but a photo of you and this "big guy" would really help teachers see that they need to be committed with this kind of a pet.
mj - I'll do that. I'll get Iggy to smile just right for the camera. He does have a crippled "arm". He is physically challenged.
Nora Boekhout - Sounds like some of my 5 legged sticks.
Nora Boekhout - mj, it's past the hour so I'm going to sign off! For any "archive viewers", please visit the Teachers.Net Chatboard for Projects-Classroom Pets, or come visit my website "Classroom Animals and Pets" at http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/classroompets
mj - Is this going to be a regular chat?
Nora Boekhout - mj, I don't know... I had hoped that some of my teacher members would be on the chat tonight but I guess they are all off on exciting holidays. Email me sometime boekhout@intergate.ca if you think you'd like to chat again and we'll book another spot for Classroom Pets! Goodnight all!
mj - I'll send you Ig's pic and let you know how I make it with the sticks.
