thoughts on class pets?

I'm going to be a first year high school science teacher in a few weeks and will be moving my BP into the classroom this Saturday.

I was just wondering if there are any other teachers with BP's as class pets and how people generally feel about having BPs as class pets.

So... thoughts? :)

i'm not a teacher, but IMO a BP might not be the best display snake for a classroom. it will be in it's hide more often than not and being handled by dozens of kids may really stress it out. how old is your snake BTW? i think the younger and less experience it has with humans will make it a more difficult snake/classroom pet.

my 4th grade teacher had a corn snake which was very active. it was fun watching him throughout the day slither around and climb and eat!

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Originally Posted by Ax01

i'm not a teacher, but IMO a BP might not be the best display snake for a classroom. it will be in it's hide more often than not and being handled by dozens of kids may really stress it out. how old is your snake BTW? i think the younger and less experience it has with humans will make it a more difficult snake/classroom pet.

my 4th grade teacher had a corn snake which was very active. it was fun watching him throughout the day slither around and climb and eat!

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thanks for the input!

but yeah, I've thought about the nocturnal thing. But a teacher that I worked with in my student teaching had 8 BP's in her classroom (ranging from 6 months to 15 years old) and all were great with her students. All but the 15 year old snake were handled every day and never harmed a student. She told me the snakes were great to help students focus in class, especially students with the need to constantly move and to change students' fear of snakes.

Of course, I do know that all snakes are different. I've had mine for 2 months now and he's never shown any signs of aggression. As far as age, I'm not too sure about that. The "breeder" I got him from said he was about a year old but he's weighing in at about 180g and doesn't look underweight so I'm going to guess he's much younger than a year old!

My only issue with it is we are talking high school students... I would beore worried for the poor thing's safety.

I'm shipping a spider bp today to a teacher in Mo. And he is going to put her in his classroom. I think it's pretty cool!

I agree with BCS. Just have to make sure they don't mess with the snakes. Teenagers in groups can be bad news for small animals. But the idea of having a classroom pet is cool.

We had snakes in my classrooms. But that was many years ago. I say go for it. Might even be able to make holding the snake a reward for something. It would limit the amount of handling and make it special at the same time.

Dave

I would at least get an enclosure with a lock.
Maybe that is just me. I trust no one.
A classroom of random students? Absolutely not!

Mmm... I don't like class pets... I'm not a teacher, but I was in a class with a pet corn snake for part of a year.

The students didn't like him and didn't know what to do with him. The teacher was afraid of him. They took horrible care of him, keeping him in a cage with no hide so they could see him better with improper temperatures and fed him only once a month. When he injured his eye, the teacher wouldn't take him to the vet because the classroom budget wouldn't cover it. He escaped once and they didn't even notice until (by their estimate) two weeks had passed. It was not a good life for that snake. Not only that, but the constant foot traffic couldn't have been fun for him.

Unfortunately, I have never seen a happy, not stressed, healthy class pet. Ever. If it wasn't dirty bedding, overcrowding, an improper environment or no food and water it was a student tormenting the poor thing. I've seen fish killing each other because the teacher stuffed the tank full, guinea pigs cowering in fear from the students and, of course, the injured corn snake.

If a class pet is kept responsibly, I think it could be a good thing. Maybe if there were a lot of places for the snake to hide and it were in an out of the way location it could be ok, but this must be done correctly. The snake needs to feel comfortable. Snake first, people who want to look at a snake second. I can see a pet being used to teach students not to fear snakes if done right, and that is a very good thing.

After seeing what I have, I have some suggestions.

1. Get a lock for your cage and make the cage too heavy to easily tip over. Just trust me on that one.

1.5. Don't get a glass cage. They're too clear and open. A ball won't like being stared at from every angle. I would get an Animal Plastics cage with a radiant heat panel from Reptile Basics. They're attractive, can be ordered with a lock and key and will keep the snake feeling more secure. A bit pricier than glass, yes, but well worth it.

2. Put more hides and cover than usual in the cage. Remember, ball pythons are secretive by nature and you're putting one into a more chaotic situation. Therefore, more cover must be provided.

3. Get a thermostat (A good one, like a Herpstat. They're nearly impossible to set up, but they work very well once you have them ready.) and try your best to make sure that a student never sees it. I don't care what you do to hide it, but you don't want anyone messing with it.

4. Keep everything squeaky clean at all times. What if a student really likes the python and wants one for themselves? Set a good example.

5. Keep handling to a minimum, always supervise handling and do not play "pass the snake". I would have the teacher be the only one handling the snake and anyone else who wants to try it has to come after school.

6. Always supervise live feeding and do any feeding after school. This is to avoid upsetting anyone and making sure the snake isn't injured.

7. Put some money aside in case there's a sudden emergency vet bill. This is important.

8. Make sure you know the temperature of the school at night. It might be cooler.

I think it can be done, but it must be done carefully. Make sure the snake is not stressed and is healthy. If you do that, you should be ok. Don't cut any corners and do things by the book (or caresheet in this case). Set a good example for the kids and keep your pet healthy. :)

My German teacher had a rose hair and science teacher had a rtb and a veild cham. Its a great idea lock cage would be a good idea to

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I like Penultimate's perspective the best.

Classrooms today are chaotic places, at best, these days. With all the other pressures, the snake's needs will likely end up coming last. Just the way it is.

Meanwhile, the students are being inadvertently taught that haphazard care is an acceptable standard.

Wow! Thank you everyone for all your input!

Leo DOES have a lock on his cage so I have that covered :) I will also make sure to keep his thermostat and any other important materials hidden away from the students.

I will definitely not live-feed during the day. I'm planning on Friday afternoon/nights so he has the weekend to digest.

First of all, thank you for taking up the calling of teaching science. I teach college and grad school science, and I cannot even begin to comprehend how difficult it must be to educate high school kids. You are truly providing the foundation that provides thoughtful, creative and knowledgeable scientists for the future.

I think having a BP in the classroom is a great idea. You have obviously thought out all necessary parameters that must be in place to provide a safe environment for both student and snake.

One last thing that im not sure if others mentioned. You could possibly consider having all students who want to eventually interact with the snake get a permission slip signed by their parents. You can outline on this document, that however unlikely, they are aware there is a chance that the snake could bite them. Its unfortunate, but we live in a litigious society. You don't want a pin prick snake bite to turn into a lawsuit.

I can remember two classes with pets when I was in school, 4th grade there was hamsters and after one school break we came to class to find they had produced babies, and eaten them, baby parts all over. In 7th grade science there was a snake which escaped twice and was never found and there was a rat and a gecko. One day a student had the bright idea of introducing those two, it didn't end well for the gecko. My sister is a school principal currently and she's taken home a guinea pig over summer which is a class pet and I've tried to help out a little with a fish tank in another class, both extremely poorly cared for. I'm not a fan of class pets since it seemed like they pretty much end up neglected, injured or stressed. I would think a ball python would be a poor choice for a class snake since they like it dark and quiet. A boa or hognose or something that is fairly active might be ok.

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

I can remember two classes with pets when I was in school, 4th grade there was hamsters and after one school break we came to class to find they had produced babies, and eaten them, baby parts all over. In 7th grade science there was a snake which escaped twice and was never found and there was a rat and a gecko. One day a student had the bright idea of introducing those two, it didn't end well for the gecko. My sister is a school principal currently and she's taken home a guinea pig over summer which is a class pet and I've tried to help out a little with a fish tank in another class, both extremely poorly cared for. I'm not a fan of class pets since it seemed like they pretty much end up neglected, injured or stressed. I would think a ball python would be a poor choice for a class snake since they like it dark and quiet. A boa or hognose or something that is fairly active might be ok.

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Come on now, one of the major tasks that we herpers have undertaken is to try to change the negative precedent surrounding reptiles in the community. Anticipating a negative experience with this class pet, based off of the poor care and husbandry provided by others in your past experiences is exactly the thought process that we are trying to change. The OP is obviously thoughtful about the proper care needed for a classroom pet, and taking the necessary steps to making sure that all bases are covered. If anything, this type of classroom pet is EXACTLY what we need in our schools. To allow youths to learn about and understand snakes from an educated and informed person, rather than sensationalist media or unknowledgeable people.

There is absolutely no substitute for in person exposure to different animals at a young age. I was lucky enough that my family valued owning and properly caring for animals of all kinds as I was growing up. Many children come from families that might have a bias towards, or inability to care for pets. This experience could very well change the lives in a positive way for kids in the OP's class.

If anything is going to change regarding how society sees reptiles, and reptile owners, we MUST expose people to these animals at every opportunity. Hiding our animals away, and insulating ourselves away from the general public only serves to more deeply entrench the misunderstandings and negative thoughts about the animals we love.

To the OP: If you think that you can handle the proper husbandry for this animal in a classroom setting, go for it.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Come on now, one of the major tasks that we herpers have undertaken is to try to change the negative precedent surrounding reptiles in the community. Anticipating a negative experience with this class pet, based off of the poor care and husbandry provided by others in your past experiences is exactly the thought process that we are trying to change. The OP is obviously thoughtful about the proper care needed for a classroom pet, and taking the necessary steps to making sure that all bases are covered. If anything, this type of classroom pet is EXACTLY what we need in our schools. To allow youths to learn about and understand snakes from an educated and informed person, rather than sensationalist media or unknowledgeable people.

There is absolutely no substitute for in person exposure to different animals at a young age. I was lucky enough that my family valued owning and properly caring for animals of all kinds as I was growing up. Many children come from families that might have a bias towards, or inability to care for pets. This experience could very well change the lives in a positive way for kids in the OP's class.

If anything is going to change regarding how society sees reptiles, and reptile owners, we MUST expose people to these animals at every opportunity. Hiding our animals away, and insulating ourselves away from the general public only serves to more deeply entrench the misunderstandings and negative thoughts about the animals we love.

To the OP: If you think that you can handle the proper husbandry for this animal in a classroom setting, go for it.

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Aww, your comments just made my day. Yes, I think that is my major goal: to expose these students to a reptile they wouldn't normally see, let alone actually LIKE. There are so many stories about bad snakes and bad reptiles that they hear about but I think this kind of exposure is really important.

I also think that class pets are a really cool way to connect to a science classroom :)

I have definitely thought about husbandry and will always make sure his temp and humidity settings are where they need to be. I will invest in covers for his tank. Right now, he's in a glass tank with 3 exposed sides. I will buy some kind of background to stick around the two sides and leave the front exposed, since it's a front-opening tank (with a lock! :D)

I also really like the idea about the permission slip. It will set the tone for the students that handling the snake isn't just fun, there are risks and responsibilities that need to be taken into account.

Thank you again!

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Come on now, one of the major tasks that we herpers have undertaken is to try to change the negative precedent surrounding reptiles in the community. Anticipating a negative experience with this class pet, based off of the poor care and husbandry provided by others in your past experiences is exactly the thought process that we are trying to change.

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Oh, sorry I thought this was a thread for opinions on class pets? You seem to think the point of a forum is for your views alone. The class pets I have been around made an impression and it wasn't a good one, nor did having a snake in 7th grade science make any influence in my future reptile keeping. A class pet can be a great thing for education, but choosing a suitable animal, housing it correctly, having long term plans and safety precautions shouldn't be ignored because you think the world needs to be exposed to reptiles. A brightly lit, active loud room is not ideal for a ball python and could stress it out, hence why I suggested a different species.

So you're essentially saying that because you personally had a bad experience with class pets, that there's no possible way that the OP could make it into a nice and positive experience for both snake and students? Your logic, or lack there of us flawed sir.

I spoke to safety precautions when I advised the OP to have permission slips signed by parents. She has already said that she will lock and cover the cage. I'm sure there are parts of he classroom with less traffic, or a back room where it can be kept.

Alright, I'm going to jump in here because this thread looks like it's headed towards becoming a multi-page personal spat over what constitutes a qualifying response to a post asking for opinions, and as much as I enjoy thumbing through internet drama, it's not actually helpful or relevant to OP, so let's wind it back around.

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Originally Posted by gwentennyson

I'm going to be a first year high school science teacher in a few weeks and will be moving my BP into the classroom this Saturday.

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Excellent! As the daughter of a former English teacher, and the birth-daughter of a current Math teacher, good on you for bringing your objects of enthusiasm to the classroom. We need more people like you, who have a passion for their subjects and a vested interest their students' learning experience.

It sounds like you've gotten some sound advice from other members already. The permission slip is a fantastic idea. The lock, also. I assume you have already gotten the OK from the administration to keep a live animal on the premises. Just a couple of other things to take into consideration:

I remember classrooms being cold af. Make sure snek's enclosure temps are not going to be compromised by ice blasting out of the AC. I was ridiculed all through HS, and still today, for wearing a coat inside if there is the slightest breeze. 78 degrees ambient is lovely. 78 degrees with a fan on is the arctic wastes. I can't.

Feeding on Friday and having the weekend to digest could be a good plan, but in the event of regurgitation, that's an unpleasant thing to come back to after it's been sitting for a day or longer. If you can feed before classes on Monday, nobody is going to notice that snek is being antisocial while he digests his meal in privacy. Nobody is awake on Mondays.

Ensure that the cleaning staff is not going to touch the enclosure. I have seen many an irritated teacher complaining about the cleaning crew erasing their boards, knocking down their posters, moving desks, etc. Make sure you don't have a Windex-happy character trying to clean the tank every night - I imagine that a wayward spray into the tank would be v bad for snek.

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Originally Posted by gwentennyson

I was just wondering if there are any other teachers with BP's as class pets and how people generally feel about having BPs as class pets.

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Not a teacher, but I distinctly remember 2 class pets during my sordid years of primary education. The first, in Kindergarten, was a clutch of eggs that hatched into chicks. I remember NOT CARING AT ALL because 1) eggs are not fun or interactive, and 2) when the chicks came out, we were not allowed to hold/pet/interact with them at all, and as a 5 yr old, if you cannot play with it, then WHY IS IT THERE. The second, in the 3rd grade, was a [rodent of some variety], and the teacher would assign a different student to take it home each weekend (with parental permission), it was sort of like a reward for good behavior in class. I remember being very excited when it was my week. And my mom being a lot less excited.

All in all, pretty neutral experiences, which is what I have come to believe is par for the peripheral aspects of the classroom during our educational years. I would take the age and maturity level of the student population into consideration when selecting an appropriate classroom pet. I think the chicks were great... but maybe for an older audience (grades 3-5). The [rodent] was fine. Snek as a classroom pet, for 9th graders? I think that's totally doable. At that age, they're going to have formed opinions about sneks, or regurtitate their parents' opinions about them, but BP is a slow-moving snek, interesting to look at, and not scary in the face. Not super interesting to watch for a long period of time... but your students shouldn't be looking at him for long periods of time, they should be doing their work. ;) And for those few brave souls curious enough to come back after school for some 1:1 interaction, after careful instructions about how snek should be handled, there's very little risk of danger - probably not going to bite, and the students probably won't drop him because of squirms like a Corn.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

To the OP: If you think that you can handle the proper husbandry for this animal in a classroom setting, go for it.

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I think this sums it up nicely. If you feel like you have enough control over the situation to make it a positive experience for your students, and a safe and healthy experience for snek, do it. Do the thing. Be the guy. Score the points. Win the object. GO TEAM.

While I am all for getting kids to learn about snakes, I'm generally against class pets. The main reason is that usually the teacher doesn't really have that much time and energy invested into the care, which luckily doesn't seem to be the case with you. The other reason is that, by nature, you just are not going to be able to take care of the animal the same as you would if it were in your possession.

For example, there are going to be long periods of time when you don't know what exactly is going on with your snake... Going two days every week without being able to see or check temps just doesn't seem great to me. Also, how will you know what the nighttime temps are throughout the year? What if there is a power outage on a Friday evening during the winter and they don't restore power until Sunday night? I just feel like BPs are too finicky when it comes to temp and humidity to leave unattended for that long. Being in a separate building where you have no control over power, temps, ect. when you're not there could just end badly is all I'm saying.

I can see bringing the snake to class, I can't see leaving it there, even over night.

The cleaning crew has been on my mind too. Heck, I've been in buildings when they decided to poison the place DURING work hours. "We're getting rid of mold!" My eyes started watering, I nearly lost my lunch...

That said, we had an excellent science teacher in elementary school. His special interest was Monarch butterflies. He brought in some branches with the actual chrysalises, and we watched them develop. Very memorable. Back a few years ago, when I raised silk worms, I was gathering mulberry leaves from my neighbor's trees while she was telling me her memories of a science teacher who brought silk worms to class.

It does make a difference.

Some of the people here are making excellent points about the cleaning crew. If I'm remembering this right, they tended to mess with the corn snake enclosure once in a while. Not exactly great for the little guy.

Oh, and if you're using an Exo Terra (sounds like you might be, not sure) be wary of the locks. I've had issues with them being faulty. Thought I'd let you know, it can lead to some fun escapes. I've been taking care of that one school's corn snake and he's ended up in a closed cabinet and halfway in a drawer... working on getting him a new cage for obvious reasons...

You know what? I think the suggestion of bringing the snake in once in a while but not keeping it there is an awesome idea. You get the best of two worlds. The students get to see the animal and interact with it, but the snake is still kept in a quiet, stress-free environment. I would try decorating the classroom with pictures of various ball python morphs (and a picture of a normal) with labels and change the morphs a month or more. Start with single genes at the beginning of the year and end with multi-gene masterpieces. Keep a number on the wall of the current number of morphs on WOBP and change it weekly, but don't say what the number means. If a student asks, tell them that it's the number of colors that the species comes in. Everyone who has asked about why I keep snakes is immediately wowed by the number of colors and almost always start asking me questions. Put a list of three ball python fun facts on the wall and change it every few weeks. If you wanted to, you could even put some books on ball pythons out and let students look at them. Combine all of that with bringing in an actual ball python every once in a while, and I think you have the recipe for a curious group of students that will be asking questions about the snakes. It might be even better to only bring the snake in infrequently because it would become more of a novelty for the students that way. I think that's the perfect way to create a classroom of snake-friendly kids while being friendly to your snake. :)

Penultimate makes an excellent point. Maybe you could bring the snek in once a month, on a schedule, and interested parties can set aside time to get some 1:1 interaction with the animal.

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Originally Posted by Penultimate

Keep a number on the wall of the current number of morphs on WOBP and change it weekly, but don't say what the number means. If a student asks, tell them that it's the number of colors that the species comes in.

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This is a great idea - my only suggestion would be to exchange "colors" for "gene-variant patterns and colors", since these are 9th graders (14 yr olds?)... they're old enough get the full explanation, I hope. ;)

I don't know if you cover Punnett Squares in your class, OP, but BPs would be a great way to do it, pics and all! Way more interesting than pea-plants with white and purple flowers, IMO. :| Memories, memories...

My father taught 5th grade and always had class pets. The children did much of the care, under his supervision, and it was overall a very positive and rewarding experience for everyone involved. Animals were only allowed out when a student finished their work for that segment - talk about incentive. I still get messages today, some 20 years later, from folks fondly remembering childhood encounters with the herps and inverts in my dad's class.

Being a high school teacher, your kids are going to have less leisure time as they shuffle from one class to the next. I doubt there will be much opportunity for interactions and caregiving for the students so a class pet will be more of an observational study and less an interactive one.

I suggest going with a local species if you don't mind expanding your collection. The students will learn how to identify at least one animal they might encounter outside of school, possibly saving a harmless species from being needlessly killed. I know around here "the only good snake is a dead snake" mentality was rampant until my pops came along.

I am not a fan of classroom pets. I feel it's too stressful for the animal and opens the animal up to too many risks and possible illnesses.

That said, if you're willing to leap through the extra hoops that having a classroom pet has, then go for it. I agree that our youth needs to exposed to these animals to become less vehement towards them.

I also agree that the animal should not be allowed remain on school property once you leave. Preferably, you'd bring it home every afternoon and for the weekend. You cannot provide proper care if you're leaving it unsupervised half the day while you're at home and leaving it alone all weekend, as well as the risks that distaff brought up.

I have known teachers who bring their class pets home every night, so it's feasible although it may be a pain. I'd say either have two enclosures for the snake, one that you can leave permanently there and one at home and just move the snake, or take the snake and all its equipment with you. If you have a class enclosure and home enclosure, I'd take careful steps to clean and sanitize the class enclosure every day when you come into work.

I wouldn't be constantly moving the snake. That sounds like an invitation for a hunger strike to me and a lot of added stress, especially for a younger snake like this one. I think there needs to be one permanent home for a ball python to truly be happy.

I mean, when you bring a snake home from an expo, it gets stressed out and sometimes won't eat. I imagine a ball python being moved a lot would behave in a similar way.

Then maybe a snake isn't the best sort of permanent classroom pet? It seems to me to be inviting some bad husbandry and chemical risks allowing it to stay overnight.

If I were a teacher, I wouldn't have a snake in the classroom all the time. I'd bring it only on special days, a couple times a semester maybe.

My seventh grade teacher had a ball python class pet. Her name was Phoebe and she was fantastic with everyone. The one not so fantastic part was that my teacher fed her live rats…during class…so that all the twelve year olds could watch. What happened was a bunch of excitement and awe from the boys and the girls were all scarred for life…and I've loved snakes all my life-I made my dad read me books about king cobras when I was little because I was just that cool (read: weird)-but watching that was pretty traumatic at the time. My older sister and I had a king snake at the time who was fed f/t mice, so I couldn't understand why the teacher was feeding the BP live.

I should also mention that this all took place about twelve years ago, and Phoebe is still alive and well and as chill as ever. I think if you can find a way to keep the snake safe and comfortable, it'll be fine.