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Parrotlet school/home pet

Auntaly

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I'm considering getting a parrotlet as a classroom. Should I bring him home every day after school, or is it okay to leave him in the classroom overnight. He would come home for sure on weekends, holidays...
 

madison nicole

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I'm not sure if that's a good idea...I feel like the constant flow of kids could be stressful for the bird. Plus you have to worry about always traveling with the bird and I wouldn't recommend leaving it at school over night. Plus what would you do if it decided to have a fit and yell for the whole school day lol. I don't mean to sound rude but there really doesn't seem to be any good points to having a bird as a class pet
 

Bartleby

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I feel like this has the potential to be great, but....there are things that need to be considered. The bird should really be your personal pet that "goes to work with you". Instead of a classroom pet that comes home with you on the weekends. Some questions: what grade range are we talking about for your classroom? What is your expectation for this bird? Are you wanting the students to interact and help care for it?

My highschool had a biology teacher with a classroom full of animals. He brought his cockatoo to school everyday and it lived on a stand next to his black board. I never took the class, but everyone loved that bird.

I know Rip would absolutely love to go to work with me everyday. She'd be with her flock and all the new and interesting sights and sounds would keep her mentally stimulated far more than any toys I could provide at home. However, Sterling would be a horrendous candidate for something like that. He would probably die from the stress it would cause him. So species is a place to start, but you really have to objectively think about the individual and how they would handle what you're throwing at them.
 

iamwhoiam

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Depends on the bird, your students, your school district policy but I wouldn't personally recommend a bird as a classroom pet. Maybe just bring the bird for a visit every now and then. If you do decide to have a parrotlet as a classroom pet probably best to take him home daily.
 

Tweet

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I would suggest a smaller bird like a canary, finch? Something small that you wouldn't have to transfer everyday. What if you have a sub or something happens? you are stuck with the bird you bought for your class?
 

Auntaly

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Thanks for your replies. My classroom is not a regular classroom, so at most there would be 9 students. I work with small groups of students throughout the day. I don't plan on having the students care for or handle the bird. More like she/he would be mine and visit the classroom.
Would it be better to have parakeets? I do know other teacher who have had success with them at school. Thanks again!
 
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Tweet

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Parakeets could be quiet, I'm just worried that the bird will cause the kids not being able to focus if it gets noisy. Best of luck!
 

Bartleby

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I think I would start my research by first thinking of the qualities you would want and need in a pet. This will be a personal pet first and foremost so getting that fit right is most important. After you've narrowed your search down, I'd then look for a species that is typically bold, inquisitive and confident. A species that is known for being shy, skittish or "spooky" will not hold up well to the back and forth......an outgoing individual could thrive on it. After you have a few species candidates then you have to find the right individual. Confident, well socialized, outgoing are all traits you'd be looking for to make this venture a success.

Not that I've met a ton, but for what's it's worth all the well socialized parrotlets I have met would absolutely thrive in that sort of environment. They were all busy, fiesty, bold, confident to a fault and keen on doing and seeing everything they could. Which brings up another point, be careful with an overly confident and inquisitive bird in an environment with many other people coming and going. A bird that is too friendly and inquisitive could get themselves in trouble very quickly.

ETA: The last piece of the puzzle for me is being able to constantly evaluate the arrangement and willing to make changes as they are needed. Are you going to be able to continue to meet his/her evolving needs throughout its lifetime?

What if you don't have the right mix of students one year and it's just not safe to continue to bring your pet with you? What if your pet starts to show stress or otherwise indicates that this is just too much for him/her? Are you going to be okay not bringing the bird with you anymore? What about deciding to only bring him/her once or twice a week instead of every day? What about when hormonal and cranky? Will you leave him/her at home during that season?
 
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pinkdagger

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I personally do not like the idea of pets in the classroom at all. I think no matter how "simple", small, or quiet the animal, it's not going to be an ideal setting for a pet. Additionally, if a child develops an allergy, gets bitten, or becomes anxious, what happens to the pet? Whether it's a bird or a hamster or a turtle, you need to accept the very real liability that curious children can and will get bitten. As an adult who gets bitten, I can say a) it hurts, and b) it sucks. I think fish would be an okay pet as long as you were able to buy and maintain a proper aquarium, bearing in mind that even common goldfish are capable of living ten years.

What is the purpose of wanting a pet? If it's going to be based on teaching children gentle handling, responsibility, and caregiving, plants are a better, safer, cleaner, and easier resident for a classroom. If you want the children to be able to develop a bond or have a classroom mascot, a stuffed animal is easier and safer too. The bonus of a stuffed animal is that the kids can take turns taking it home for the weekend and journaling the adventures they had with it and such. I think this was one of my favourite gradeschool activities.
 

allison

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I have two parrotlets and they can be very aggressive and nippy. I think a cockatiel or parakeet would make a more suitable classroom pet but it depends on the age of the students as they are very fragile. And I would bring them home at night and maybe have a bigger cage at home so they have more space, especially on weekends.
 

karen256

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When I was in middle school, one teacher always brought her cockatiel to class. He spent the day on a large playgym she kept on a table near her desk. I heard from a friend who had that teacher the previous year that she'd tried leaving him in the classroom overnight, and he set off motion detectors for the alarm system... hence she brought him home with her at night. He was a well-behaved bird and I don't remember him ever being a distraction to class. He was not afraid of kids or aggressive in any way, but wasn't terribly friendly to anyone but the teacher, either.
There was also someone on another conure board who was a kindergarten teacher and brought her sun conure to class. That sun just loved kids and she had so many adorable pictures of kids cuddling him. Everyone loved that sun and he's get so excited at the sight of kids, especially during the summer when he didn't see as many. As far as I know she's still bringing him to school.
Anyway, it can be a positive experience if the bird is ok with it (some love kids, some find them too active and scary, most are somewhere in between), if there will always be some sort of supervision (so kids don't tease the bird), and if the bird gets enough cage free time, attention, and care. I think it's better to take the bird home with you when you leave and think of it as your personal pet that you just bring to class.
And if possible, I'd look and try to get one from a breeder that socializes them with kids, or find a rehome that's show to be good with kids. And be sure kids aren't too pushy trying to interact with a bird that is uncertain of them.
 

lexalayne

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Our school is no longer "animal friendly" coinciding with the new principal. However, when it was my daughter was more interested in everything that was taught. I love the idea.
 

Auntaly

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Thank you for your replies. I will take all thoughts into consideration and make the decision based on what is right for the bird, myself and my students.
 

Kiwibird08

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I like this idea at first glance, and I think the students might be distracted the first few days (the excitement of the new bird) but after a while they'd tune out the noise. Most properly socialized birds would also likely prefer spending their day around a lot of excitement and people. Parrots are flock animals and like excitement. Definitely would need to take the bird home at night though (what if there was an emergency situation?) and would need to be able to position his/her cage in an area generally out of reach of the students for everyones safety:)

My biggest concern would be one of "those" parents who looks for ANYTHING and everything to complain about:madwife: in some kind of attempt to suck any and all the fun out of school for the kids:bored: When I was in school once a week (for the younger kids who did the student of the week thing still) if you were the student of the week, your parent could bring in your pet on Friday afternoon when you did your "about me" presentation. My mom even brought Lucy the DYH in once or twice and everyone was fascinated with her. That had been happening for years and years at the school without a single incident, and then some busy body such and such parent complained and ruined a fun thing for everyone.
 
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Lady Jane

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How would you know if the heating system is working and is warm enough for the birds? And the same for the summer because many schools do not have AC.
Parrots and children is just a bad mix for many reasons, no matter how small the bird is.
 

RoxieW

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I have a parrotlet and like most of them he is very cage aggressive. Once you have him out he is fine. My concern would be getting him out of his cage, they require at a minimum 1 hour out a day but more is better. Also what is weather like where you live? If you have winter then taking him home would be hard in the winter. You would have to make sure your car is warmed up before you take him out and his cage would have to be covered very well. I know in winter here my avian vet is very adamant about making sure car is warmed up and cage is covered completely if I have to take Figgy in during winter months.
 

Nyx

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If you do decide to have a classroom pet, I highly suggest having it as your pet that comes to visit class; we had a guinea pig come into our clinic recently that was literally dying of an abcess on its face that had to have been 'brewing' for quite some time, all due to lack of care when the main caretaker had been absent for a while for medical reasons (she came back to work and found the poor thing in that condition).
 
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