Possible SCABIES Show and Tell for So-Cal Elementary School!

Paradox51483

Hey guys,

I am talking to a teacher from an elementary school that is interested in the SCABIES group coming to her class and bringing some inverts to do a show and tell. I thought that it would be a good idea and a great way to start getting ourselves more exposure with some community service. Let me know what you all think!

What

Make sure that you have written permission from the principal before bringing any inverts on campus...

Paradox51483

ABSOLUTELY!

I was just throwing the idea out there to see if anyone might be interested and if so then maybe we can go through with it as a group? I definately dont want to do this on my own because I think it is a good thing for everyone in SCABIES to participate with.

ftorres

I can supply some cool Invertebrates that are always popular in the classroom.

francisco

Paradox51483

That would be great Francisco.

Remember everyone...this still has to be ok with the Mods and Admin and whoever else are Big Wig's.

cacoseraph

hmm. provided the principal has given written permission it should be fine.

don't have any ventilation in NW tarantulas travel cages so that no hairs can get out

don't open any cages, period.

you might want to bring molts glued to the inside of a non-ventilated clear plastic box to pass around for the kids to look at in depth (vice passing animals around)

very cool man! i tried to do somethign similar but it fell through on the teacher's end

just like the smoking industry.... we want to get them hooked while they are young!

Celeste

I do (volunteer) reptile shows in public schools a couple of times a year, including ones at my son's school and others through the L.A.'s BEST Program. And I usually take a couple of inverts (Hisser roaches and giant millipedes) that I allow the kids to handle. But I tell the teachers that everyone MUST wash their hands after the show, and I often pass out disinfecting hand wipes after they've handled the millipedes as well. And I explain about possible dangers such as salmonella from the reptiles and possible allergic reactions to the millipede excretions so everyone understands why they must wash their hands and absolutely must NOT put their hands in their mouths or eyes before they wash them. Make sure the teacher understands that rule, and agrees to follow it. ('Though in 34 years of keeping reptiles and 30 years of doing reptile shows I have never EVER heard of anyone I know getting salmonella from a reptile... knock on wood).

I have never gotten written permission from the principal before, but I suppose it couldn't hurt.

Good on yer, mate! Have fun! And when we start our invert business, you can do the shows! ;-)

-- Celeste

WBurke17

Let me know when and where and i'll see if it fits in my schedule.
I've done shows for my kids schools for the last 5 years and the principal is notified and notices are sent home to the parents of the kids involved, that way it covers them under there insurance policies..
A good selection is needed to keep them occupied and something big for the finale always gets them going, I use to take my 6' iguana or my 8'red-tail, last year i borrowed a moniter from my L.P.S. (pet & Jungle)..
Keep us updated..

cacoseraph

my dad got salm from our turtles. he looked like death just slightly defrosted. he was so sick he actually looked scared!

NBond1986

i give girls salmonella all the time.

cacoseraph

is *that* what that smell is?

Celeste

cacoseraph

Red Eared Sliders. we kept them in a large (100G?) plexiglass tank. i'm not sure how often you are supposed to clean those out but i sort of gather we did it about once a year. i'mthinking that might have made a difference

Paradox51483

Caco, did your turtles have eggs at the time your father contracted Salmonella? I am just asking because it could have been from raw chicken juice on the counter in the kitchen that was missed during cleanup or from any other type of food containing eggs. There are just too many types of food out there that you can actually get salmonella from anymore.

I do know for a fact that in order to contract the any diseases in the Salmonella enterica family there has to be eggs present. Keeping and breeding 1000 snakes at a time has made me do too much research into these diseases. Now if the Trachemys scripta elegans that you had laid eggs anywhere in the enclosure providing you had land to do so then that would be a definite possibility but on the other hand if the turtles ate any poultry or egg based items that could also start to form Salmonella in their water.