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School Pics

beardiedragon Apr 16, 2004 06:05 PM

I spent some time at a local school today letting the kids see and touch reptiles. Everytime I do it I get such a thrill out of watching the kids interact with "wild" animals. I usually bring a couple lizards, snakes and torts.

As always they love the BDs

The Tegu gave this girl a thrill by licking her face
Image
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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

Replies (8)

heartmountain Apr 16, 2004 06:11 PM

I used to really love doing this, unfortunately our schools passed a policy banning any animal (except the drug dog) from school grounds because of allergy issues. You can really tell that fear is a learned behavior though. When I would take snakes to K-2 they all would just be entranced by them and then somewhere around 3rd grade you would start getting kids that were terrified of them. Keep up the good work, it is very important that we educate the next generation.

Sean
Heart Mountain Herps

beardiedragon Apr 16, 2004 10:04 PM

But thats the beauty of owning herps, NO ALERGIES!

You couldn't be more right about learned fear. Today even the younger kids were not afraid until they saw the big kids backing up.

I always close with a little talk about respecting nature and responsable pet ownership.

Fight the good fight!
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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

clickman Apr 16, 2004 07:50 PM

I was planning on doing something like this with my reptiles. I need community service hours (40 total, 10 each year) to graduate, so I'm planning to do 30 next year to make up for the other 2 years, and then another 10 my senior year sometime. (Am a sophmore ATM) My moms a 2nd grade teacher in a poorer community, and this year she has really good kids who really appreciate her, something she usually doesn't get. So, I'm planning at the end of the school year to do a reptile education thing, and bring in my kids as part of it.
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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Zeo)
0.2.0 Leopard Geckos (Vienna, Chomps)
1.0.0 Golden Retriever (Rocky, 11 y.o.)

Christyj Apr 16, 2004 08:16 PM
beardiedragon Apr 16, 2004 10:00 PM

one of the 12 year old girls got in line to get a kiss from Fred (the red tegu) and she started to say something as fred started to kiss her... well, have you ever seen a 12 year old girl frenched by a 20lbs lizard? The faces she made were the best. (slow camera man missed that one though)
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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

barker109 Apr 16, 2004 10:00 PM

I've been wanting to bring some of my lizards to school for a while now but my principal won't let me. I have one tame tegu,(the other boy is wild) 13 beardies and two monkey tailed skinks. The school has a yearly event where the Ag. students set up a petting zoo and all of the classes get to go and visit the animals. But yet, I can't bring my lizards. I just get so mad when people are so close minded. Anyway, I think what you do is great and a wonderful experience for the kids.
Take care,
Karen

beardiedragon Apr 16, 2004 10:10 PM

Thanks, I work hard at educating as many people as I can, especially with all the anti-herp laws and rules out there. My kids school passed a rule about no pets because we would always come to drop off or pick the kids up with a beardie or a snake or something. So now we have to settle for bringing them to carpool. I have managed to get a couple of teachers to have me in for their science classes and I bring about a dozen different animals for the kids once or twice a year.

BTW, have you tried getting the kids and parents to sign a petition?
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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

Gunilla Apr 17, 2004 03:52 PM

>>I spent some time at a local school today letting the kids see and touch reptiles. Everytime I do it I get such a thrill out of watching the kids interact with "wild" animals. I usually bring a couple lizards, snakes and torts.
>>
>>As always they love the BDs
>>
>>
>>
>>The Tegu gave this girl a thrill by licking her face
>>
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>>Bennett
>>
>>
>>
>>www.beardiedragon.com
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