Science enrichment project for my students next year. I need some input from the gro

[BoidKeeper]

As some of you know I keep a Leopard gecko in my class now and in the past I’ve kept Beardies and a corn. Well next year I’m planning on taking it a step further. I’m going to take two corns into the class and have the students go through the process of raising them and breeding them. This project will have use a multitude of academic skills including reading, writing and math.
The students will be responsible for keeping feeding and growth records for the snakes. They will also learn how to brumate the snakes and then pair them for breeding. In conjunction with learning how to care for and breed the snakes in captivity they will also learn how to construct a simple incubator. In the fall when they return to school with any luck they will be returning to a health clutch of neonate corn snakes.
So here are my concerns. Once school is done I have to move those eggs home because I will need to monitor the incubator and eggs for temp and humidity. Any thoughts on moving the eggs would be appreciated. I thought I would have an incubator at home ready for the eggs and then move the eggs home in their egg box inside of a shipping styro. I wouldn’t try this with python eggs but with corns I’m not too worried.
Finally I thought it would be nice to send snakes home with the students who take part. To do this I thought that students who wanted a snake could receive parental consent first and foremost. Once I have a list of students who have parental consent I could conduct a lottery after the snakes are born. Snakes then only go home with those students that have proven that they have an appropriate cage ready and waiting at home.
What pit falls if any do you see with this way of distributing what the students helped to produce?
Thanks for your time,
Trevor

[ChokeOnSmoke]

Sounds like a great idea to me. I wish I had a teacher like you when I was younger.

[Dragon_Slave]

That sounds awesome!

Man, what I wouldn't give to have a teacher like you!

[DragnDrop]

I can't help with moving snake eggs, but I too wish I'd had a teacher like you. My grade 12 science teacher had a class pet - a rock. I'm sure he started the pet rock craze way back when.

I've moved leopard eggs about 30 miles by car, about 2-3 weeks into incubation. It's possible with geckos, so unless snake eggs are finickier, it should be possible if you package them up carefully.

[BoidKeeper]

Thanks for the kind words guys.
I think moving the eggs should be fine. It's not a long drive and I'll pack them well.
Cheers,
Trevor

[DragnDrop]

Allowing the kids to take the snakes home if their parents allow sounds fantastic. Talk about a bonding experience. Nothing beats taking home a new snake (or gecko etc), but if you were partly responsible for it being born, watched the egg, etc etc , it's an even bigger thrill. I would think those students will be more attached to the snake than one they'd go and buy. And knowing you're available to contact for help would be a big plus.
You do realize if you pull this off, the next year you'll have every kid in school wanting to be in your class. Just how big a class can you comfortably teach? :)

[drewlowe]

I agree where were teachers like you when i was in school??? Your going to leave a lasting impression on every kid that comes into your class, were's my time machine i wanna be one of those kids. LOL

I think you pretty much have it all figured out, have you talked to the school about what your wanting to do? Hope it all works out for you and i'm sure most of us would love to see pics of "Herps in the Classroom"...

[BoidKeeper]

Oh yeah it's a go. Just working out the logistics.
Thanks again guys,
Trevor

[Simon]

Trevor,

As long as the move isn't too long so that the temp change isn't too long, and that the eggs are not turned in any way the move should be alright.

As you know the eggs turning could result in drowning the eggs and too long of a change in temp could affect the eggs.

But heck...we all know that you know what you're doing....

I wish that there were more teachers like you so that the herp community could grow a bit more...

[BoidKeeper]

Thanks Simon. What I thought I would do is just drope the egg box into a styro and move the box from one incubator to another.
Cheers,
Trevor

[Greg West]

The onlt problem I can see is the kids who don't get to keep a snake might have a problem. In a perfect owrld everyone would be happy but might not be the case. Its a great idea and I too wish I had a teacher like that when I was in school, but you will probably have some unhappy kids that didn't get to take a snake home.

Let us know how it goes,

Greg

[vanderkm]

Like everyone else - I think the raising and breeding corns is a great student project. Only potential drawbacks are in how the lottery would be handled to be fair - always potential for conflict when the snake color and gender ratio doesn't match what kids want - conflict over who gets what, who merits first choice, and whether it is a random draw among those eligible or do they pay for tickets.

I am not as generous as you are and I would keep the students working to extend the learning experience - make them responsible for a marketing plan, establish advertising costs, figure in maintenance feeding costs and actually maintain these babies til they are sold. Of course students could be eligible to purchase them. The money made from sales could be used as a donation to a habitat protection program (or some other ecological good cause). Not sure what age group you are dealing with - might be too much for them, but I see a lot of potential parallels with a 4H program where kids raise a calf to sell it.

Good idea - look forward to hearing how it turns out.

mary v.

[BoidKeeper]

First the students who want a snake must receive written parental consent.
Second I must be satisfied that they are set up for the snake before it leaves the school or my home.
Third they will have a grace period in which they can try it out. If it's not for them or their parents feel that it is not being cared for they can bring it back.
The lotto will be just that. All those who have permission will receive a number between 1-75. Then I'll use our school bingo game to randomly select the numbers.
The school is in a small rural community and I know that not a lot of families will have the resources needed to get equipped for a snake.
Thanks,
Trevor

[K1LOS]

sounds like a great idea to me. I don't think you will have a conflict with the draw. Not every child is going to want to take one of the snakes home. Not every child that does want to take one home is going to be allowed to. I'd say there is a strong possibility you might have more snakes then you do student homes. You might end up selling some!

fantastic idea, a great learning experience, lots of fun, and a new generation of herpers.

Geoff