How to Choose a Classroom Pet

Live pets in the classroom can teach children many lessons about nature and about kindness to other creatures. But you need to make a practical choice for the sake of both the humans and the animal.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Consider space. An aquatic turtle needs a large tank. A guinea pig or rabbit needs a large cage. Do you have enough room? Can you keep the tank or cage in a spot that's the right temperature, not drafty and not in direct sunlight? Will the odor or sound of the pet be distracting when you're doing other lessons? If the animal needs heat or filtration, is there an electrical outlet nearby?
2. Consider facilities. Fish and aquatic turtles will need frequent water changes. Do you have easy access to water? If the children are going to handle the pet, will they be able to wash their hands?
3. Don't forget weekends and holidays. Fish and reptiles can be left alone for the weekend, but you should be prepared to check on them if there is a power failure--lack of heat or filtration can be fatal. Mammals need daily care--are you able to take the pet home or come in and care for it when school is out?
4. Think hard before you choose a mammal. Many cute furry pets are not suitable for classrooms. Rabbits are skittish and living in a classroom is too stressful for them. Hamsters are nippy. Guinea pigs can be suitable, but their cages are smelly unless cleaned quite frequently. All mammals will need to be cared for on weekends and vacations. Finally, some children may be allergic to furry animals.
5. Do your research on reptiles. They differ a lot in care requirements and your pet store may not give you the best advice. See "How to Choose a Reptile Pet for a Child."
6. Consider the Creepy Crawlies! Bugs make some of the best and easiest classroom animals. To start, try looking in your own backyard. Even in the city, the ground is full of a variety of small creatures, and most children are fascinated by bugs. They don't take up much space and you can "return them to the wild" when the lesson is done.
7. Raise your own! If your class pets are bugs, you can actually breed or at least raise them, which you can't do with other types of pets. Also, insects go through the fascinating process of metamorphosis. You can buy kits to raise butterflies and praying mantises, or just start with mealworms from the pet store. See "How to Keep Mealworms."

Tips & Warnings

• Don't forget to check whether your school or school district has rules regarding live animals in the classroom.