[Gpdd] Misc: Re Taking Piggies to school

[Ann Waite]

By far the best thing we have found when sharing guinea pigs in the 
classroom is to take your cage or a temporary cage if you use a c&c into the 
classroom in the am.  Put it in a corner where the piggie has two walls to 
help minimize everyone crowding.  Tell the children everyone will get a 
chance to pet/hold later in the day so no putting fingers in their cage now. 
Also tell them that loud noises scare them, so you'd appreciate it if they 
could keep their voices down.  Then you leave and come back in the 
afternoon.  By this time, the kids have had a chance to see them, and they 
have calmed down a bit.  They are ready to sit down and listen a bit, and to 
be gentle when it comes time to pet or hold (depending on their ages).

Judi's description of the time with the kids and the floor pen arrangement 
was great.   We have taken our piggies into both kids' classrooms every year 
that we've had pigs, they are always a big hit and for the most part the 
kids are very well behaved.

HOWEVER, you will find that if you only take part of your herd, the ones 
that go to school willl taunt the ones who didn't about how they are the 
smartest pigs in the herd because they have been to school.  Only smart 
piggers go to school.  This behavior must be nipped in the bud quickly or 
you will have the rest of your herd begging every wheek that they want to go 
to school too.  Its like having a kid not old enough to go when you put your 
older child on the bus to kindergarten.  *shudders at the memory*  So be 
sure to explain ahead of time that school visits are for everypig that has a 
sweet temperament but you can't take them all at once.

Ann