Class pets can be problematic. A generation ago, it was common for a teacher to keep a gerbil or a turtle in the classroom, but besides being annoying to clean and difficult to care for over weekends, it is now considered unethical to keep many types of animals in a classroom setting. So what are teachers to do when they want to enrich their curriculum with living animals?
Lady Buggy has a solution! We offer one month rentals of isopod colonies. Isopods are also known as pillbugs, roly-polies, or sowbugs, and are approved in the CBE’s document “Keeping Animals in the Classroom”. You get all the benefits of a class pet including curriculum tie-ins, teaching compassion, responsibility, and observation skills etc., without the hassle of buying special food, cleaning cages, or figuring out a plan for the summer.
Isopods can be gently handled and there are a variety of classroom investigations you can do with them. They do not bite, sting, or carry germs, and since they can’t fly or climb smooth surfaces, they can’t escape either. Plus, they’re downright cute!
Rent a Pet Isopod Kit has the following convenient features:
-a mini-habitat furnished with substrate, sticks, leaves, decorative plants, and of course a healthy colony of adorable zebra isopods (Armadillidium maculatum).
-comes complete with all food necessary for the month they will be with you, which is dead leaves and fish food. You can also feed them fresh food scraps from students’ lunches such as apple cores.
-A detailed care sheet (but don’t worry it’s very easy).
-Teaching resources such as lesson and activity ideas, as well as 2-3 fiction and non-fiction books to share with your students.
-Three magnifying glasses for up-close inspection, and a couple of plastic spoons for those who do not wish to use their bare hands.
-drop-off and pick-up available for a fee.
Is there a homeschool option? Yes! The rental period for homeschools is two weeks, a printable journal for recording observations is also included, and delivery service and fees are modified.
Questions about fees and policies? Click here . Any other questions or ready to book your rental? Contact. Looking forward to sharing the love of “‘pods”!
Lady Buggy 