Taking chameleons to work

[Iris]

Hi...I am a 3rd grade teacher, and school starts for the kids on Friday. I have the new Jackson's babies (born on July 19th). My dilemma is what to do with the babies while I'm at school. I'm thinking about taking them back and forth each day. I don't know if the traveling will harm them. But, I know for sure that staying at home all day with no food or water will harm them. What do you guys think?
If I take them to school, it will be a great experience for the kids to watch them grow. I will have to keep them by my desk so the kids don't stress them out, though.
I think I'm going to do some chameleon activities on the first day. Some of the other teachers helped me come up with some ideas. One thing I'm going to do is have them cut out and color an outline of a chameleon in their favorite color, so we can graph their favorite colors. But, I am having a hard time finding a good outline of a chameleon. Does anyone know where I could find one? There are also some cute stories about chameleons...I'll read those and some non-fiction books. They will love it.
Well, if anyone has any advice or ideas, I would sure appreciate it.
Thanks,
Brandi

 

[voxxom]

Uh..

the more you move the chameleons, the more stressed out they become.

and not to be offencive, but since you would be dealing with 3rd graders and lizards, the children would want to hold the chameleons, which should only happen every once in a while. i hold my chams for about 4 minutes a day, every other day.

although i think if you left the chameleons there overnight, and left them there for the remainder of the period you want to have them there, it would be better because there would be insured feeding and watering of the chameleons every day.

but all in all, if you are going to be moving them back and forth, Dont do it.

if they will remain in the classroom for at least a month or 2 at a time, id say its ok

 

[Iris]

I did not take your comment offensively, but I would definitely not let the kids hold the chameleons.

 

[Will Hayward]

Just take one into the class room. Set it up with a very densly planted vivarium- With a locked door! You'll need automatic misters and timers for lights and the pump.

Also, you'll need a parralled setup at home so you can work without taking them all in. So again, automatic misters and timers for lights and the pump. Youll have to set up strick rules and keep them written somewhere in the class. Also keep the cage above head level of the kids- AND secured onto the table. NOONE ever said it would be cheap to keep chameleons.

If the chameleon in the classroom dies (hopefully not) you can adjust the habitat and care and replace it with one from home without the kids even knowing.

Ebay has not only great cham info care books for only a few dollars each, but also kids stories about chameleons. I agree, there is a very big risk taking one to school, but there is also great gain in teaching children about reptiles so early.

 

[lowendfrequency]

I remember back in grade school one of our teachers had a jackson's in the back of the room. Aside from the horrible care it recieved, one thing that I vividly remember is the lack of respect students had for it. They would shake it's cage, yank it right off the branches and even spit on it... yes literally spit on it.

IMO your animals would greatly benefit being left home. Feed and mist before you leave and immediatly after you return, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[Iris]

I definitely cannot afford the automatic misters. Remember -- I am a teacher. And, I am a teacher that needs to replace my roof after the last storm. I don't know if you remember my other thread, but these babies were unexpected. I was expecting to just take care of one grown female. If I leave them at home, they will be left about 10 hours. Is that ok for babies this young? If I leave them at school, they will be left about 15 hours. That just seems like a long time for them to go without food and water.

 

[ChameleonsTree]

I definitely cannot afford the automatic misters. Remember -- I am a teacher. And, I am a teacher that needs to replace my roof after the last storm. I don't know if you remember my other thread, but these babies were unexpected. I was expecting to just take care of one grown female. If I leave them at home, they will be left about 10 hours. Is that ok for babies this young? If I leave them at school, they will be left about 15 hours. That just seems like a long time for them to go without food and water.

When do you go back to school...if it's not for another month it won't be so bad for them to be home alone

 

[Iris]

The kids come Friday.

 

[jvillereptile]

here is a website you can go to for the chameleon lesson. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/reptiles/lizard/Veiledchameleon.shtml. i used it at the elementary school i work at and the kids love it. jackson would be better off left at home just feed them every morning and keep them in an air conditioned room to prevent over heating you can take ice cubes and place them on top of the cage for water just put shallow bowl to catch the water.

 

[Will Hayward]

here is a website you can go to for the chameleon lesson. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/reptiles/lizard/Veiledchameleon.shtml. i used it at the elementary school i work at and the kids love it. jackson would be better off left at home just feed them every morning and keep them in an air conditioned room to prevent over heating you can take ice cubes and place them on top of the cage for water just put shallow bowl to catch the water.

Don't forget about a cool air humidifer. Rooms with A/C tend to be able to become quite dry. These cool air humifiers sell for under $20.