Spaghetti
03-10-12, 01:34 AM
So, I went to visit my mother for a week, and I brought my snakes along because my neighbor who normally watches them was out of town (I only brought the snakes that were due for feeding during that week, and of course, Giovanni, because he needed to be medicated). While I was in my hometown, I volunteered at the local elementary school I attended (I always do this, the teachers I had when I was young still work there). Everyone in this small town knows that I keep herps, and that I brought some to mom's house, and currently the whole school was studying the rainforest. I was asked if I would bring in some of my animals for the kids, and so I picked Jack, my male BCI that does not stress easily and came to the school to teach the kids.
I only brought him to one (sometimes two) classrooms a day, to keep his stress to a minimum. I lectured the kids on how the windpipe of a snake is on the bottom of its mouth, what it means to be cold-blooded, etc. The kids had a blast, the teachers loved the opportunity it provided (I did it for free).
Afterwards, the principal mentioned that normally reptile educators charge a pretty penny, and that I should look into this as a part-time job (I'm in college right now). I'm toying with the idea...though, if I was going to do that I'd have to get more herps. Never a bad thing, hahaha!
I dunno if I'd ever actually try to do that...all herps are different in the amount stress they can tolerate. But when I was talking to those kids about reptiles, I just felt so good. It was so natural to me, I'm not shy about public speaking, and I love working with kids, their faces light up when they learn something new. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good, and I'd thought I'd share it with you guys :)
As for updates: Jack, the snake I brought to the kids is happy and just ate a big ol' rat. Giovanni had his final shot of baytril today, the clicking is gone, but I finished the antibiotic course just in case. All in all, everything's great :)
I only brought him to one (sometimes two) classrooms a day, to keep his stress to a minimum. I lectured the kids on how the windpipe of a snake is on the bottom of its mouth, what it means to be cold-blooded, etc. The kids had a blast, the teachers loved the opportunity it provided (I did it for free).
Afterwards, the principal mentioned that normally reptile educators charge a pretty penny, and that I should look into this as a part-time job (I'm in college right now). I'm toying with the idea...though, if I was going to do that I'd have to get more herps. Never a bad thing, hahaha!
I dunno if I'd ever actually try to do that...all herps are different in the amount stress they can tolerate. But when I was talking to those kids about reptiles, I just felt so good. It was so natural to me, I'm not shy about public speaking, and I love working with kids, their faces light up when they learn something new. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good, and I'd thought I'd share it with you guys :)
As for updates: Jack, the snake I brought to the kids is happy and just ate a big ol' rat. Giovanni had his final shot of baytril today, the clicking is gone, but I finished the antibiotic course just in case. All in all, everything's great :)