Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My wife is thinking about purchasing a tortoise for her 5th grade class. I know quite a bit about snakes and lizards but am looking for some advise about which species to get, dietary requirements, and enclosure needs for tortoises.

We live in Michigan so it will have to be housed in an aquarium most of the year.

She seems to like some of the more ornate species (or at least the ones we see in the pet stores or shows in our area).

Any input will be greatly appreciated. Is there any one book that is recommend for the care or Tortoises?

For your area a tortoise table with an area of 2X4 feet could easily house a pair of Russian tortoises which would work nicely in a classroom setting.

The smaller graecas would work also.

The more ornate species like the leopards, stars... would not be a good choice because of the care requirements and in the case of the Leopard, it's size.

I'm sure you might run into some legal issues but if presented properly would be easy to address.

>>My wife is thinking about purchasing a tortoise for her 5th grade class. I know quite a bit about snakes and lizards but am looking for some advise about which species to get, dietary requirements, and enclosure needs for tortoises.
>>
>>We live in Michigan so it will have to be housed in an aquarium most of the year.
>>
>>She seems to like some of the more ornate species (or at least the ones we see in the pet stores or shows in our area).
>>
>>Any input will be greatly appreciated. Is there any one book that is recommend for the care or Tortoises?
>>
>>
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Which species will stay small and be hardy enough for a 5th grade classroom? I was looking through the rest of the forum and say some pretty big specimens that will not work in a class.

Does anyone have pictures or the smaller species and an estimate of their cost? In my area the only species we see are the leopards which run around $100 (if my mind is remembering right).

The cost is not a a factor but finding a species that is hardy and meets my wife's small size requirement.
Are most of the tortoise species pretty mild mannered? or are there a couple that are more aggressive?

I feel pretty ignorant about this group of reptiles as pets but want to make sure I educate myself before helping to select one for my wifes class.

I would look into the European torts as EJ mentioned. Questions about hibernation not withstanding.

I would stay clear of the leopards for a classroom. They do get large, but that wouldn't be problematic for about a year or more, if you get the slightly smaller subspecies. Like stars, though, leopards are prone to respiratory infections created by the very bacteria that are quite prevalent in classroom settings (read: kids are walking petri dishes).

>>Which species will stay small and be hardy enough for a 5th grade classroom? I was looking through the rest of the forum and say some pretty big specimens that will not work in a class.
>>
>>Does anyone have pictures or the smaller species and an estimate of their cost? In my area the only species we see are the leopards which run around $100 (if my mind is remembering right).
>>
>>The cost is not a a factor but finding a species that is hardy and meets my wife's small size requirement.
>>Are most of the tortoise species pretty mild mannered? or are there a couple that are more aggressive?
>>
>>I feel pretty ignorant about this group of reptiles as pets but want to make sure I educate myself before helping to select one for my wifes class.

Before considering adding tortoises to a classroom, you have to make sure that someone will be able to care for them over the weekends and holidays when no one is at school.

Or bring them home every holiday like I did. This is easiest if you have 2 set ups. Then all you have to do is find a good box to transport them back and forth. I did not have two set ups and wished that I had very quickly. This year is a lizard year for me and I do have two set up for my collard.

Make sure lights are on a timer, leave plenty of food and water for the weekend, they should be fine.

My girls actually slowed down considerable in the summers when I brought them home. They seem to enjoy the activity of the classroom.

Angela

Yes, please make sure someone is going to take care of them when your not there! I am a custodian at a school and the animals are just left! I take care of them when I can but please dont just assume your custodian will. Plus if the kids are going to handle them there are germs and such. I have heard of alot of animals die becaue of lack of care at the schools with animals.

Reptiles in the classroom are the perfect catalist for questions for many reasons.

Even turtles/tortoises can go quite a few days without any attention if they are set up properly. In the case of tortoises, if you have them on a hay supstrate and dump in a bunch of greens (kids collected from yard... good lessons there)... Make sure there is clean fresh water and a source of heat if you expect cool temps and you are good to go. They can go 3 or 4 days without being looked at. For extender periods they are going to need more but that is the case with any pet.

There is no substitution for the real deal.

To drive the point home... which teachers do you remember best? Those that brought in the tortoise or those that brought in the picture of the tortoise?

>>My wife is thinking about purchasing a tortoise for her 5th grade class. I know quite a bit about snakes and lizards but am looking for some advise about which species to get, dietary requirements, and enclosure needs for tortoises.
>>
>>We live in Michigan so it will have to be housed in an aquarium most of the year.
>>
>>She seems to like some of the more ornate species (or at least the ones we see in the pet stores or shows in our area).
>>
>>Any input will be greatly appreciated. Is there any one book that is recommend for the care or Tortoises?
>>
>>
-----
Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Thanks for all the information. I know what each of you are saying about care of reptiles in the class room. I currently keep 15 corn snakes and a ball python in my class room. The corns are a genetics project that I run for my 7th grade science classes. Our genetics unit is only about 6 weeks but I use the snakes to raise awareness and teach responsibility the rest of the year. They are a large time committment, but are worth every second. I normally train a couple kids to care for them when I am not available because of a summer vacation and our custodians let the kids in to take care of the animals.

The my wife has kept day geckos in her class with great success but her last one died a couple years ago at the ripe old age of 6. She tried a chameleon last year which proved to be too sensitive to the activity in the room.

If anyone thinks of anything else please respond and I will check this forum every couple of days.

If you want to check out my snake site I am going to include a link. If you have fast connection and quicktime you will be able to check out the video I made of last years students and the snakes.
Link

Thanks for all the information. I know what each of you are saying about care of reptiles in the class room. I currently keep 15 corn snakes and a ball python in my class room. The corns are a genetics project that I run for my 7th grade science classes. Our genetics unit is only about 6 weeks but I use the snakes to raise awareness and teach responsibility the rest of the year. They are a large time committment, but are worth every second. I normally train a couple kids to care for them when I am not available because of a summer vacation and our custodians let the kids in to take care of the animals.

The my wife has kept day geckos in her class with great success but her last one died a couple years ago at the ripe old age of 6. She tried a chameleon last year which proved to be too sensitive to the activity in the room.

If anyone thinks of anything else please respond and I will check this forum every couple of days.

If you want to check out my snake site I am going to include a link. If you have fast connection and quicktime you will be able to check out the video I made of last years students and the snakes.
Link

The link does not work for some reason. If you want to check out my site try the old cut and paste method.

www.caledonia.k12.mi.us/middleschool/gradelevels/7th/petrosky/snakewebsite/kmmscornsnakegeneticsproje.htm

Thanks again