What is the best pet to have in a sixth grade classroom?

Question

I really want my children to have a class pet to share and play with. I don't know what kind to get but they keep asking and I think every sixth grade teacher will get one with this asking constantly! I would also like to have one to keep me company sometimes and I would like to play with it too. It will not go home with anyone no matter what kind of pet it is. It will only go home with me on the weekends to be fed and so my kids can play with it. I have 15 students and might get one more soon. They do not want fish they want one to hold and it is fine with me if they do the circle routine for the last and first 2 minutes of class (if well behaved 5 minutes extra). I would personally not like any chinchillas but bunnies are okay, just matters what type of them it is. Any suggestions would be great and I hope everyone reads this!

Here are what the school allows, I showed them what I want and they do not allow cats or dogs but they do allow the pets I will list below.

-Rabbit
-Mouse
-Turtle
-Snake
-Lizard
-Rat
-Crayfish
-Flying Squirrel
-Sugar Glider
-Fennec Fox
-Frog
-Hamster
-Gerbil
-Caterpillar
-Crab
-Kinkajou
-Raccon
-Opposum
-Praire Dog
-Fossa
-Guinea Pig

All these pets are listed on http://www.exoticpets.about.com and if not on http://www.google.com.

Answer 1

I kinda like guinea pigs. They are really low maintenance and very friendly. So... if you have timid kids, guinea pigs are great, but they're still fun for more outgoing kids. They are not escape artists, so if you have a tile floor it could easily run around. They make cute (in my opinion) chirping noises if they hear you getting treats... they love carrots. I see a lot of hamster answers... my experiences (with I think a male hamster) were not good. He tended to bite and just wasn't cuddly. They also sleep a lot more so aren't that fun to watch. I don't know if rats are on the list, but they are really fun even though 6th grade girls would really freak out, so maybe that's a bad idea. Here is some basic info on guinea pigs.

Anyway, periodically clean their cage. You probably want to wash it every 1 - 3 months. I really prefer wire cages, with plastic bottoms, and clip on tops of wire. The guinea pigs like them more, they are easier to clean, and they don't get so smelly and icky. They are more expensive, but invest in one, you'll be happy. Also, if you have a big lawn you can put the wire top on the lawn and let the guinea pigs eat grass. You'll want to get them some timothy hay in the winter and fresh greens in the summer. They love treats like carrots too. They definetly need fresh water. We always got those water bottles with the little ball in them but eventually they would drip constantly and really badly so experiment with different types. They will eat standard guinea pig pellets. You can get them at any pet store and even farm supply stores. They will also need some sort of house. Make sure it's big enough. And they need chew sticks to wear down their teeth. This is a big must! These are available at any pet store. Leave one in the cage at all times. We actually had a wooden house - which was nice, they could chew on that a bit too, along with their stick. I suggest a short hair breed. They don't have all that hair to deal with. Oh- they'll need their toenails clipped periodically. Have someone hold the guinea pig while you gently clip their nails. You can use a really large human nail clippers. Make sure you look for the vein and do not clip where that is - you will get blood everywhere! It's best to clip a little at a time. In case you do clip the vein, keep baking soda nearby to dip the toenail in. That's all I can think of...

Answer 2

Try a guinea pig. They are big enough to not be hard to handle and also to let you know if they are being mishandled by a child. Care is not to hard : water and feed every day, change bedding once or twice a week (or as needed). I've been in several classes that had a guinea pig as a pet. They can be pretty vocal animals, though.
Go to www.guinealynx.com for further research.

Answer 3

A rat might be good, they usually really like to be held and handled, and can be cuddly. Or maybe a turtle, tough enough for lots of handling since it can hide in it's shell. Hamsers tend to bite when handled too much and they can be cranky in the daytime as they are nocturnal and can get quite nasty if not allowed to sleep in the day.

Answer 4

Bunnies are no good b/c they get really quite and scared very easily, mice are too small, and hamsters bite alot. I would try to get a rat or possibly a guiena pig. Rats are truly the best b/c they learn your schedule and get excited when they know you are coming to play with them or feed them. They love attention and will beg for it all the time. They are very sweet, clean, and cheap animals.

Answer 5

Try a hamster the males are really friendly and as long as you keep them on a day time table than they stay up all day. Plus they real easy to take care of! I rember my sister had one in her class the kids loved it.

Answer 6

hamsters, snakes, bunnies, spiders, lizards, guinea pigs, or even a pair of love birds would all make great pets.

Answer 7

a snake or a rabbit because they are not much trouble like other animals need taking out to the toilit you see a snake or a rabbit can poo and wee in the cage.

Answer 8

bunnies make wonderful pets!
they are very quiet so won't make any noise in class.
nice to hold, fun to play with.
A cute dwarf bunny would be great.
i'm sure your students will have a wonderful time with it ;)

Answer 9

you can buy a bunny or a hamster. you can also get a turtle

Answer 10

a chinchilla, i have an eight grade classroom and they absoulutly love chinny. they are very social and kids love them.