class pets

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Home : 2003 : July : 18

class pets
By Melisa

I agree with the hermit crabs--very easy to take care of and the kids love them! Just be sure that the sponge in their "home" stays wet...our classroom is very dry, so we had to be careful with this!
I recently bought
a beta fish and plan to bring him to school in the fall. He lives alone in a small fish bowl (must not be with other fish---they are fighters) and the water does not need to be cleaned very often. These fish even make their own oxygen, according to the woman who helped me at PetSmart! You can purchase one at PetSmart for $2.99...the bowls and food are also inexpensive! They are very

pretty to look at so I am guessing the kids will enjoy it!

I have also had African Pygmy Frogs in my classroom--these tiny frogs live underwater like fish. They are tiny and also inexpensive. When I had them, they lived in a small fish tank with a filter that I purchased for under $15 at Wal-Mart. They were easy to maintain and I did not have to clean the tank as often as I expected. the kids loved having them in the classroom.

Finally, you can purchase a "Grow a Frog" kit from many of the teacher stores/catalogs. In the kit, you receive a small tank, food, and a certificate that entitles you to a tadpole. The tadpole will grow into a frog while in your classroom--the students enjoyed watching the changes! (good science lesson) The frog is also an underwater frog, although will grow to be a little bigger than the African Pygmy frogs.

Finally (I know I am long winded), make sure that if you decide to go with an animal with hair to be aware of allergies and school policies. Good Luck!