Classroom Pets

In 3rd grade we had two mice as classroom pets. They were there to illustrate how eating habits effect your body. One we fed vegetables and healthy mouse pellets. The other one we fed a lot more stuff, and gave it junk food. I don't remember exactly what we fed it, but I do remember them ending up looking something like this:



In 4th grade we each got 2 green anole lizards and a cage to take them home in. We kept journals and charted their growth and behavior. I named mine Big Jim and Little Jim. Yes, I know, I'm very creative. Anyhow, one day I found little Jim dead and brown, covered in ants. I guess that means I didn't take very good care of them. Thank goodness our "real" pets fared better. Anyhow, here's what they looked like, when they were alive that is:



I also remember my 2nd grade teacher brining in a friend's boa constricter for us to see and learn about snakes. I thought it was the coolest thing ever and remember how much that freaking thing weighed when he put it on my shoulders. I still like snakes. Lizards are fine. Rodents okay, unless it's a mouse in my house. Spiders and centipedes though will be killed on site. Maybe I would feel differently if only I would have been forced to interact with one? I doubt it, since my neighbors had a terrarium filled with tarantulas. I was fascinated with it, but also scared to death that they would get out and somehow make it next door to my room at night. You know, like that Brady bunch episode in Hawaii where the tarantula is crawling up Peter's chest as he's sleeping? Freaky.