classroom bird?

[Sulphiria]

Is there a particular bird or birds that would be good in a classroom? My 11 year olds teacher was asking about them. I have a tiel and think they would be neat...but would they be ok being alone on weekends?

 

[KatherineI]

Yikes! Unless the teacher is willing to take responsibility for the bird on the weekends and not to mention the summer, I'd say a bird is a bad idea. I don't think they should be alone all weekend, not to mention they need FRESH water DAILY, and they should only be given enough food for that day, each day. Once in a while I can understand if you have to go away overnight, giving the bird food and water to last until you get back, but for an entire weekend? I'd definitely have someone coming and changing water/giving food. Can't do that at a school, so the bird would have to go somewhere each weekend. Not to mention 3-day weekends and school holidays! Not to mention that there's always that one kid who has to torment the animal. Always.

If she's looking for something different than a hamster/guinea pig/gerbal, maybe she could look into a Corn Snake? My daughters Kindergarten class had one and we babysat her all summer last summer. We're actually adopting her at the end of the school year because she's gotten too big for the kids to handle, but it's been over 5 years since the snake was brought in as a class pet. Fed once or twice a week, they can certainly do fine over a weekend.

 

[BillsBirds]

I agree with Katherine. Teachers who've had me & my birds in for "Show & Tell' type presentations always ask about this. Other than the issues already mentioned, heat & AC is turned down at night, custodians use floor cleaners and other chemicals, children spread all kinds of germs between each other, and some kids, when momentarily unsupervised, can be cruel & vicious, even unintentionally. I always advise against it.

 

[Sulphiria]

Yeah, i was worried about weekends too, and if the kids get riled up, the bird can be noisy.

Thanks!

 

[IcyWolf]

I think a young, handraised tiel would be great but only if the teacher is willing to take the bird home with her when she's not at school. Most elementary schools let out around 2:30-3:30, I'm sure the teachers are usually there a little later than that but I think it would be kind of mean to make the poor thing used to having a bunch of people around giving it attention and then leave it by itself in a dark classroom for the entire evening and night. And there is no way I would expect any bird to go from friday to monday with no care, that's just not feasible at all.

I like the snake idea but my vote would be for a ball python, they stay small and don't require any larger of a tank than a corn snake but they are a lot more mellow, baby corn snakes can be quite nippy, wiry, and very fragile. Balls are short but they are heavy bodied and they are really slow moving. I've accidentally fallen asleep with mine out and when I woke up they were still just laying on me lol.

 

[Sulphiria]

Show and tell. Thats a neat idea!

 

[Safira]

I second the ball python idea! I love them.

 

[KatherineI]

I haven't had much experience with Balls which is why I suggested a Corn snake, but a Ball Python is another really good suggestion. Snakes are also hardier! They aren't as bothered by the chemicals that the custodians use (Thanks for that reminder BillsBirds, I forget not every town is as "Green" as Seattle and still uses really harsh chemicals) and their temperature can be managed via lights. Not to mention, it's hard to tease, taunt or otherwise torture a snake because the teacher would have to be supervising any time the snake is out, so not chance of little fingers being bitten because they stuck them in the cage at the wrong place/time or of the bird getting freaked out because one of the kids shook the cage on purpose.

 

[Mozzie]

Show and tell. Thats a neat idea!

My parrots have gone to several show and tells at my grand daughters school. It was really fun! The kids go crazy over the birds, and my parrots actually really liked it too. They were quite the show offs. It was fun educating the kids a little about the care of parrots as well. It was a good experience.

 

[osnyder]

We have a good friend who's a montesouri teacher who is going to bring in Geordi for a day as a show & tell/educational thing-- I want to try to go too! He and his family took in G. when we went away last month and totally got into him.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I don't think a classroom pet bird would be good, the only exception is if it's the teachers personal bird and they bring him/her with them some days.

 

[madatter]

Someone asked this questain last year and based on It I got a Senegal.