Reptiles as class pets

I am a fourth grade teacher in Louisiana. I currently have 4 ball pythons in my classroom in addition to many other animals. As a class, we feed and care for the animals. It teaches my students responsibility and love for animals. I use these animals as a learning tool everyday. Tell your friend to educate the principal and everything will be ok. PM me and I will take pictures of my classroom along with my students holding the animals. I can also send your friend lesson plans incorporating my animals into the curriculum.

Marc

South Fork High School here in Stuart, Florida has a Bio teacher that has some species of snakes as class pets. Every 1-2 weeks, a student volunteers to buy a mouse and bring it in for the snake. I never saw the species or the snake, just thought it was sort of stupid to be feeding it live, especially when, kids being kids, would forget the live mice in their hot car and thus having a very smelly car by 2 PM when the class began. :/

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Personally I'd suggest a cornsnake or milksnake. Ball pythons being so much shyer and far more nocturnal and with thier tendency to be in their hides a lot, well I don't see them as being a great classroom pet. Granted they are nice and beefy so easier to hold on to than a fast moving colubrid and tend not to be a bite first, ask questions later type of snake but still, not my first choice in a classroom.

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Well, I think a snake that is out on the move all the time would be a distraction.. it would definitely be a distraction to me:D. I wouldn't even be listen to the teacher, I'd be watching the snake:D:D

I recently proposed a "reptile program" at the school where I work, and it hasn't been a problem so far - aside from having trouble pinning down the principal, who's supposed to get a waiver for parents to sign (before students can handle the snake). I have a beautiful adult Amel corn snake, just waiting to be introduced to the kids! :)

Here's a link to my thread on this, which contains lots of good information from the responding members: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=105520
I'll also update you once the program starts, and let you know if we have any issues. Good luck!

I think a ball python is an ideal choice for an ambassador animal in a classroom. Ball pythons are individuals--finding one with the right personality shouldn't be a huge challenge. Not all balls will be too stressed by this environment--some are much less fearful and are more outgoing than others. Of course the snake should be watched carefully for any signs that it isn't doing well with all the commotion, but if it continues to feed well, and doesn't show any stress behavior, then we could certainly use a good 'spokesnake' for pythons right now.