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Post by kitty on Mar 23, 2005 5:04:07 GMT
Hi Crittermom! Couldn't find the "reply" place in your other message so....Your boys are so cute! Mine LOVE cilantro too and often have cilantro-breath! Thanks for taking such good care of them and teaching the children to do it also.
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Post by crittermom on Mar 23, 2005 9:24:15 GMT
LOL! You couldn't find it because the darned photo is so big you have to scroll sideways about a mile to find the reply button! I'm embarrassed. Gotta find out how to shrink it to life-size. This is all new to me. Anyway, thanks kitty, look forward to chatting with you!
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Post by Clover on Mar 24, 2005 5:55:12 GMT
Lol Aww don't be embarrassed crittermom, your doing really well, my daughters had to teach me how to use the mouse when I first started using the computer, it took me ages to control it ;D
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Post by Susie on Mar 29, 2005 0:15:31 GMT
Hi all. I'm in my final year teacher training (Primary) & am very interested in this. would take my piggys in to school to meet class as a one off but can't see how a noisey class room would suit the nature of guinea pigs. Where I have seen classroom pets I have suggested there should be 1 primary caregiver (THe Class Teacher) who is responsible for taking the piggy home at night & holidays. Its not fair to leave them in a deserted school (with no heating/air con because the kids aren't there). The need more than 5 hours daylight & attention they would get as classroom pets. Hope to do a page on this on my website. Crittermom your imput would be much appreciated as you seem to have experiance here PS Al those piggys are seriously sweet. I would be pignapping!
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Post by Clover on Mar 30, 2005 5:14:05 GMT
Oh thats excellent Susie, good luck with your final year of training! and its good you'll be doing a page on classroom pets
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cavy13
Bronze Member
"What?.........This doesn't look like my hut!"
Posts: 448
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Post by cavy13 on Apr 2, 2005 0:34:59 GMT
I'm glad your father is trying to help any updates?
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Post by crittermom on Apr 2, 2005 16:03:52 GMT
Sorry Susie, I haven't been on the computer all week! Light exposure would be influenced by the length of the teachers' workday. I arrive between 6:45 and 7 am and don't leave until after 4:00 pm. In addition to the room light, an entire wall of my classroom has large windows letting in bright daylight (I'm lucky). Now to the noise concern. Curiously enough, they seem unaffected in large part. Here's a funny......when we sit on the floor for circle time (which happens to be next to their cage), they've been known to stand up on the bars and wheek (probably for more food/attention, I'm sure) while we sing songs and such. It's quite the show-stopper when Ben and Jerry sing with us. Since the noise is fairly regular, they tend to ignore it unless it's out of the ordinary. What does make them scurry is sudden movement next to their house.....again, I've trained the kids to handle themselves calmly and respectfully while they watch the piggies. They learn immediately that nothing brings Miss Alice's wrath faster than yelling or thumping on the cage. Children respond to pets with attention and awe, and with proper ongoing supervision and training the kids' natural nurturing abilities soon flourish. I've had classes both with and without pets, and having pets actually produces a calmer, more focused classroom in my experience. BUT, and here's the big condition, the teacher has to be a pet-friendly kind of person who considers the animal to be his or her pet first and is glad to share the love with the kids. The children can tell the difference between a loved and cherished pet and one who sits neglected in an aquarium in the corner, and they can't be faulted for following whichever lead is presented.
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Post by Susie on Apr 2, 2005 16:53:02 GMT
Thankyou for the reply. Its nice to know it can be done well... as its reasonably common to have guineas as class pets. Thankyou so much for you reply & well done for showing your class a GOOD model of pet ownership.
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Post by crittermom on Apr 3, 2005 13:56:11 GMT
One more thing I forgot Susie - allergies! I use Carefresh and that's supposed to take care of bedding allergies, but if a child is allergic to the hay there's not much that can be done. I've taken guineas home for the duration of a class year because of this. And allergies are popping up more often these days it seems. That would be the biggest roadblock you might encounter.
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Post by Janet on Apr 27, 2005 0:59:03 GMT
Hello, I'd like to chime in on this topic. I have been a teacher for 26 years. I have had my two piggies as classroom members for the past two and a half years. The boys live in my house and travel to school with me, and do not attend school daily. They never go home with students. The boys teach just as much as I. My students are ages 10 and 11. The students are taught careful love and care of these glorious creatures. I would be glad to share what I do with any other teacher.
I cannot begin to tell how much love and respect these children have learned from two little guinea pigs. Two years ago we had a foster child who was enrolling as a new student in our school. She cried and cried. She had just recently been removed from her parent by the courts. This child refused to come into the classroom. We put a chair outside the door for her. Some of the students sat with her. One of the girls said, "Would you like to meet our guinea pigs?" That turned everything around! Two years later she still comes to visit her boys.
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Post by jennawing on Apr 27, 2005 7:38:12 GMT
Under these conditions I've heard described, I can only commend you teachers that let children share in the joy of your pets. As a mother with a young teen with friends in and out a lot- I am constantly shocked and saddened that so many kids can't even identify an animal when they see it. I have pigs, rats, mice, hamsters- and most of my daughter's friends don't know which is which- among these are two sisters that volunteer at the local humane society! If people can't even tell a guninea pig from a hamster- think of how dismally far they are from knowing about proper care and handling! So many people, too, I encounter with prejudice against anything but a dog or cat- and the common misconceptions like hamsters bite and guinea pigs stink and rats and mice attract wild rodents to your home! It is nice to know someone is introducing them to animals properly- as their parents don't seem to be doing it!
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Post by Clover on Apr 27, 2005 11:23:58 GMT
So many people, too, I encounter with prejudice against anything but a dog or cat- and the common misconceptions like hamsters bite and guinea pigs stink and rats and mice attract wild rodents to your home! It is nice to know someone is introducing them to animals properly- as their parents don't seem to be doing it! I've found even some veterinary nurses and vets don't always see guinea pigs equal to a cat or a dog. One nurse was amazed that I was willing to pay a large vetrinary bill for one of my piggies.
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Post by kitty on Apr 28, 2005 19:30:22 GMT
I find most people think I'm crazy to love a "big rat" and to be willing to take such good care of them too, Clover. Luckily my veteriarian is a special one for exotic and small pets so they all are quite wonerful about my girls. They understand they are as important to me as the cat and that I too, am willing to spend money on their care.
Jennawing, my husband came from a home where pets were NOT ALLOWED and it's taken me 30 years to show him the love and joy thay can bring. I can't believe some people whose carpets or furniture are more important than a living creature! So sad.
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Post by Clover on Apr 29, 2005 8:36:11 GMT
Our vets is a shared practice Kitty, they have several vets there, so there's only been one so far thats not had a good attitude. Unless its an emergency, I try to see my favourite vets. One vet talks to my piggies and strokes them while hes getting the bill ready A couple will put a towel on the table without me even asking, so there are caring vets, but theres always one bad apple.
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Post by kitty on Apr 30, 2005 2:27:06 GMT
Thank goodness my vet and the staff gurgle and coo over my girls and put down towels for them and actually KNOW who I am and who the piggs are when I call. When I say "Milano" they know who it is or I wouldn't go back. Or maybe I'm just in there a lot spending loads of money that makes us memorable!
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