# Help Needed - Exotics for a school



## GothGirl (Apr 9, 2008)

Hey,

I'm going for a job at a school / college, and If I get it, I will be running their exotics unit, and my first job will be to buy in new species.

For furries I considered, APH, Spiny Mice, Sphinx Rats (Not very furry though LOL), and budget providing skunk. (Me dreaming)

All of which have their own advantages and disadvantages, and we all know what they are so theirs no need to discuss them :smile:

One or two of these id probably what I would go for if given the job, but out of interest I wanted to ask other peoples opinions.
Please bare in mind that students will be 16-60, some with a phobia of snakes, and some special needs students though the students will never be in there without supervision.

They are also considering birds, though only to fill out criteria, the idea of an aviary was suggested but I said there won't be much interaction with aviary birds other than cleaning and health checking.

What I suggested if they were serious about having birds, the only way really is getting a parrot / cockatoo, I told them the extreme social needs they have and said the best/only way to do it would be to have it as a house pet (All the classrooms are in a big converted farm house, and all the staff are live in) and allow it to bond with me as I'd be its primary care giver, and the other live in staff, and by keeping it in the house and giving it free roam of a couple of "parrot proofed rooms" is the only way it would get the enrichment/socialisation/exercise it needs. Please dicusss opinions on this, one of the species I considered would be sulpher crested as I have spent the most time with these (If we were to get a parrot, I would DEFINETLY give a second chance to a bird from a rescue.) :smile:
Opinions especially on this please 



Thanks for the help x


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## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

Just a thought but what would happen if you ever wanted to change jobs? You may want to stipulate a condition where you could buy any parrot you had bonded with if and when you leave... 
I have a school rabbit but he actually belongs to me (I paid for him) so I know that if I ever had to change jobs I could take him with me.
Good luck with the job - it sounds fantastic.


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## GothGirl (Apr 9, 2008)

jerboa said:


> Just a thought but what would happen if you ever wanted to change jobs? You may want to stipulate a condition where you could buy any parrot you had bonded with if and when you leave...
> I have a school rabbit but he actually belongs to me (I paid for him) so I know that if I ever had to change jobs I could take him with me.
> Good luck with the job - it sounds fantastic.


Good Point There, it wouldn't have to be me though, it would probably be under the member of staff with which it bonded most, it won't necessarily be me if I get the job.


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## connor 1213 (Apr 6, 2009)

i hope there not for experiments


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## GothGirl (Apr 9, 2008)

connor 1213 said:


> i hope there not for experiments


Experiments?

It's for a school / college......learning how to handle and care for them.


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

connor 1213 said:


> i hope *there* not for experiments


I think *they're* going to be used to teach spelling. :whistling2:


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## stubeanz (Mar 28, 2007)

is this for an animal care course? mammal wise id sugest chinchillas, rats, mice, ferrets, pygmy hedgehog,tenrec. there is lots of animals you could choose just depends what type of job they will be going for afterwards exotic/petshop/kennel etc
stu


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Millipedes are wicked for handling especial for special needs


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## GothGirl (Apr 9, 2008)

animalstorey said:


> Millipedes are wicked for handling especial for special needs


Why especially?

They already have milleipedes there anyway x


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

STOs are pretty awesome.... Might be a possibility.


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## GothGirl (Apr 9, 2008)

Amalthea said:


> STOs are pretty awesome.... Might be a possibility.


STO? 

huh?


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Short tailed opossums


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## GothGirl (Apr 9, 2008)

Amalthea said:


> Short tailed opossums


Ah :lol2:


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

I personally would not recommend ANY large parrot in a school.

There is no guarantee it will bond with you, its primary caregiver - I was our parrot Choco's primary caregiver until she decided that she vastly preferred my ex-husband. When hubby left, she didn't bond with me OR with my partner - she was lonely and miserable until we moved her into a new home. Apparently she's been shifting allegiances there, too. There's a good chance that any bird you chose might well bond with someone else or worse yet with one of the students.

And if something like a cockatoo bonds with a specific person, jealousy is a major concern. It wouldn't be great if Tooey went for a student who just wanted to ask their tutor a question, would it? 'Toos are *notorious* for being jealous birds and attacking people they see as rivals. And even a casual quick chomp can do damage (I got glomped by a Moluccan on Thursday, just a small nip, and it drew a fair bit of blood). 

If you did go for birds I'd have said something like conures or cockatiels (plural, so they bond with *each other* rather than humans) would have been a better idea.


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## stubeanz (Mar 28, 2007)

Ssthisto said:


> I personally would not recommend ANY large parrot in a school.
> 
> There is no guarantee it will bond with you, its primary caregiver - I was our parrot Choco's primary caregiver until she decided that she vastly preferred my ex-husband. When hubby left, she didn't bond with me OR with my partner - she was lonely and miserable until we moved her into a new home. Apparently she's been shifting allegiances there, too. There's a good chance that any bird you chose might well bond with someone else or worse yet with one of the students.
> 
> ...


totaly agree with this .... we have a parrot at work and it only likes 3 people including me if a new person comes in she will go mad and go for that person, theres noway id take that parrot to a school. 
But saying that there are also lots of animal entertainers that take parrots to schools regularly and have no problems so it depends on the parrot and handler tbh.
another good bird would be a budgie (easy to care for, small, bond well)
stu


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Why are millipedes good for special needs? Well some of the less able respond to touch. The tickley legs often if trailed on back of hand or arm gets a responce from the. Often a laugh. I've use them a lot in this situation and it's really good. the good old rabbit is also a good one to use


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

stubeanz said:


> But saying that there are also lots of animal entertainers that take parrots to schools regularly and have no problems so it depends on the parrot and handler tbh.


I'd say this is likely because the entertainer has obtained the parrot and bonded with it *before* it ever goes to the schools - often these birds are trained, which will help with the bonding process - rather than being an educational animal with multiple possible bondees from day 1.

That said, given a choice between taking a large snake into a school and a large parrot into a school, I'd rather take the snake - it'll do a lot less damage if it flips and bites me.


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## Vase (Jul 14, 2007)

I wouldnt get a large parrot either. Or any parrot for that matter. If you dont know how to read a parrots behaviour one could take your finger off.

Not only that, they need so much time and care its unreal. I worked at a local college when I was 17-18 and its the last place I'd house a parrot.

Apart from that though the other suggestions are awesome. Should be a cool job :2thumb:


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## Twiglet (May 6, 2009)

Regarding parrots, maybe if the college really wanters one a senegal or meyers would be better. they are smaller and usually less demanding. 

Mammal wise... When I was studying Animal Management I'd have loved to have had a better mammal section. Here's what i'd do:

*Domestics*

Fancy Rats (get unusual colour like husky, Blue etc so the kids have something 'different')

Fancy mice (great for practicals when teaching genetics... they breed quickly!)

Syrian hamsters (even better for teaching genetics... I can give you all the info you need on syrian genetics if you go for them)


"Exotics"

Spiny mice - go for arabians (black spinys) as although they are a bit scattier (think gerbil rather than hamster) than the egyptians they are FAR less inclinded to use their teeth at every available opportunity. 

Steppe lemmings. Friendly, cute, different!

african pygmy mice - how cool for the kids tobe looking after the smallest mammal on the planet!

STO's - very friendly and NOT a rodents so provide the sprogs with something total different husbandry wise.

Zebra mice (be really careful about trying to keep these on a colony basis as they tend to be quite volatile towards each other)

Chinchillas - again, different but reasonably simple to look after, great for getting the kids doing environmental enrichment projects!

going back to birds, maybe some little lineolateds or some celestial parrotlets would be better?

I envy you hugely, would love to do what you're doing! best of luck!!

Kat


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## deni (Nov 11, 2008)

*conures (parrots)*

we have pair maroon conures for sale with large cage, they are about 6 months old, lovely little birds, can be a bit noisy, but ok when let out! selling these as my staffie as just had puppies and we dont really have the time spare to spend with them at the moment!!
200 pounds 
deni


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## bluefront (Nov 9, 2008)

why not the delightful little north american flying squirrels, i have them , the are fantastic to keep and breed , rough costs go around £250 - £350 each, i have 2 pairs available for sale , unrelated, i keep them in wire upright rat cages / or large chinchilla cage, easy to keep. regards richard


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