Reptiles: Appropriate for schools?

[Lucille]

I was talking to a local schoolteacher the other day and she was saying how the school system would buy food for critters, but not purchase the containers or the critters themselves. I have a nice large terrarium I am not using and considered giving it to the school.
I am concerned, though, about who would feed the critters during school breaks, and their care in general.
Have any of y'all had experience with reptile pets in schools?

[PaulSage]

My junior high had a big terrarium built in underneath one of the staircases. At one point they had a baby croc. in there. They only fed it goldfish, and I don't remember seeing any fluorescent lighting. Anyway, when that poor guy died the put in a flock of zebra finches and an adult iguana. The biology teacher in charge of the terrarium kept thinking the birds were getting let loose, since "Iguanas are vegetarians". Uh huh. :slamit:

My high school adv. bio. teacher had some HUGE monitor sort of thing. I don't know squat about all the different monitors, but it was about 5-6 feet long the last time I saw it, and it was very bright green & yellow. It was shaped like a nile monitor, but I haven't seen that many adult Niles to know if that's what it was. It was in a cage that was probably 8x4x6 feet. She was aggressive as all heck, and we weren't allowed to walk within several feet of her cage. She'd lunge against the glass front if someone did.

Anyway, in both situations there was a biology teacher who was responsible for the animals, and both of them were coaches for some of the summer sports, so the animals stayed right at school.

There seems to be a lot of new restrictions popping up around here as far as what animals teachers are allowed to keep in the classrooms. I think in some schools they've banned it entirely. I know one teacher from where I used to work who wasn't even allowed to have a Betta. Maybe they were worried that he would attack.

[collisonzoo]

I am a teacher, and this past year I brought in some cornsnakes to keep as class pets. I had an adult corn, which the kids enjoyed handling and watching eat. I also brought in a hatchling corn so that the kids could watch it grow up. My husband and I breed snakes, and I was able to make sure that they were very well cared for, and they are home with me for the summer.

I think that having reptiles in the school is a wonderful experience for the students. (Not to mention, a great incentive for making them get their work done!) I had several students who were afraid of snakes that were handling them by the end of the year. I was surprised at the interest of even the parents and other teachers who knew very little about reptiles. The snakes were such a hit that the school has decided to try hosting a reptile show as a school fundraiser! However, you need to be sure that there is someone in the school who is responsible and knowledgeable enough to care for the animal(s). I hate to see animals suffer because nobody has time to care for them. I guess it really depends on the school and who would be taking care of the animal. It is a great experience for the students, but the health and well-being of the animals should always be the primary concern.

Just my opinion...

[Sasheena]

I've had some interesting experiences with having snakes in my classroom. (I teach High School Math). I've had snakes in my classrooms all the way up until February or so of this year, when my principal suddenly said "take em home". At that time I had too many other things going on to try to argue my case. I do plan on arguing my case to get a snake back into my classroom, but we'll see.

I think that having snakes in my classroom was one of the best things I had going.... I had kids whose parents would come to the open house nights, dragging along little brothers and sisters, and they would always say "I can't wait until I come to this school, I'm going to have YOU as my teacher!" .... To think of ANYTHING that makes a kid excited to have a specific MATH teacher... that's a good thing. The problem is that there are phobias, and some of those agains the animals have even spread what I believe are falsehoods in order to back up their case. I just need to get all my ducks in a row and prove a few things (anyone wanna help with the necessary research?):

1. I was told that one of the reasons I couldn't have snakes in the classroom is because "there are some native american religions that prohibit a person with that religion being in the same BUILDING as a snake"... I've never heard of this and would love to be able to prove it's "bunk" .... at least as regards to the common indian tribes found in and around Arizona.

2. Our school is all about "Brain Based Learning" and I could swear I've heard/read somewhere of some research into having animals in a classroom and how it is EXACTLY the right thing for brain-based learning. I know that my kids pay attention after having a five minute "snake break", they enjoy the award/reward of "snake time" if they are good/get some specific task done.

I've always respected those of my students who have a REAL and SERIOUS snake phobia (I've had ONE student with a REAL SERIOUS snake phobia, she turned white then green and looked ready to faint). But I hope that I will ahve the chance to have snakes in my classroom.

The saddest part of my losing the priveledge of snakes in my classroom, is that I was just given a beautiful pair of cornsnakes for my classroom in September of last year. My students all suggested names, voted to narrow down the list, and finally voted on the name of the actual snakes. They were involved. That counts for a lot. (The names they voted on were Parangaricutirimicudro & Abalamahalmatandra or Cleo & Cornelius)

Anyway, that's me rambling. For me it's a sad loss to not have the animals in the class.

[kiote9]

As a parent and an animal lover I have many times been volunteered to take in the classroom pets for Christmas, spring and summer breaks. The children in the classes fed and watered the animals during school, I believe they were left completely unattended over the weekends, and the teacher took care of cleaning and days when the kids weren't there.

We have both donated enclosures to and received them from teachers. One teacher gave us 3 complete fish tank set-ups because she didn't want to deal with them anymore.

I used to take my snakes up to the school to educate the children and so my kids could share their pets. Unfortunately, now that the kids are older the teachers they have don't want the snakes in the classes.

[Kemp]

Hello,
I'm a middle school teacher from Newark, OH. We had an aquarium in our science classroom last year. This time, schoolteachers agreed on a terrarium. Some parents were against it, but the bulk voted for. What reptile pets are the most harmful and easy to manage in the classroom (6th grade)? Thanks.

[Kemp]

We thought about a gecko or a kingsnake for our Biology Corner. Any experience with reptile pets in the classroom?

[bcr229]

Hello,
I'm a middle school teacher from Newark, OH. We had an aquarium in our science classroom last year. This time, schoolteachers agreed on a terrarium. Some parents were against it, but the bulk voted for. What reptile pets are the most harmful and easy to manage in the classroom (6th grade)? Thanks.
LOL I think you meant least harmful...

How big is the aquarium?

[Altenburger]

Message was sent via essays.agency (https://essays.agency/)
Originally Posted by Kemp

... reptiles in the classroom?

Quoted text is hidden


Hi @Kemp,

I'm a school psychologist from Austin, TX. First of all, consider all the dangers of bringing reptiles into your classroom. I guess salmonellosis is the first issue that might appear at school - a case in a junior high school classroom in Minnesota can prove this (2005-2006).
A couple of good informative sources about pets in the classroom:

PETA
Petsintheclassroom
Hartz
Vetstreet
PetMD

[Altenburger]

Reptiles in the classroom: https://www.hartz.com/reptiles-in-the-classroom/