Need opinions....

[qtpie61282]

I was sent an email from a potential buyer who has had chinchillas before, currently has 1 male and is a teacher. The chin she is looking to get would be a classroom chin. It would live strictly in a class room.
I am not keen on the idea of it living in a classroom, lots of noise and commotion during the day when the chin would want to be sleeping...and no stimulation at night, let alone anyone in the building.
Also no one there on weekends.

She has experience which I like, but I am also concerned about liability. She is looking for a nice chin one who is used to being held and is tame. I can provide calm and handled chins but if it ends up biting a child anyway for some reason? what happens then?

Anyone have any thoughts on this? What I should do or tell her if I am concerned about the arrangement?

Has anyone ever come across this situation themselves?

 

[caiti]

I would not want to sell it unless she is willing to bring it home every night and weekend. I don't think any classroom pet should stay in the room 24/7. Someone needs to bring it home and actually take care of it. It's not like animals stop needing care when the school bell rings. What if the chin gets a leg caught on something and ends up dying only to have 25 small children walk in on a dangling dead chinchilla in it's cage?

And school temps always vary a lot, at least in my experience.

I think it could get used to living in a classroom environment but I don't know if it would like being picked up by kids all day and honestly, they might get bored of it if the chin's just going to be sleeping every time they see it.

I think you should tell her there are animals more suited to classroom life if she was willing to actually be responsible for them as well.

 

[Tillygizmo]

I agree with Caiti. I dont agree with classroom pets at all. Children arent always monitored around them and you have no guarantee that someone will be caring for them after hours. I wouldnt do it

 

[Anfsurfer]

Who would supply water, hay and pellets on the weekend? We all know how fast they go through their food and water. I don't think it's a good idea personally.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I too would not do it. Explain that you care about your chins and you feel it is not a good environment for them so you can't sell to her under the circumstances

 

[lolanu]

I too dislike class pets, but chins seem to be an espescially poor choice. Every one I've met gets skittish around more than three or four people, and they're pretty delicate and wiggly. I'd just worry about its health/safety. But everyone else has already said this

 

[rainey]

My first chin was a classroom pet for a little while, during the transition time of it coming from his old owner (a teacher) to me. He bought a new dog and didn't have a good way of separating them I guess so he brought it to the school until I could take him. I worked at the school too, but this is a school for teenagers with developmental disabilities/brain injuries....not a good mix around a delicate pet who needs to sleep during the day.

When I took him home, he wouldn't let me touch him for a YEAR. Or get near him. Or anything! Then he started to warm up to me and is the most loveable chins ever. Although he did endure trauma/abuse before the time he was a classroom pet, I know it was hard on him and really affected him. So I would tell her to consider getting a different type of pet that doesn't have as many needs (if a pet like that even exists!) because a classroom environment wouldn't be suitable for a chinchilla.

 

[obcsed]

As a foster, I get this all the time. I had my first chin in my classroom for 3 years. So I can speak from experience when I do my best to discourage them. I have found that the best way do it is to simply explain that: 1) Chins are nocturnal and sleep all day so the kids will rarely even see it. 2) Chins do not like to be held. 3) They have delicate bones and won't survive rough handling. Finally, I mention that my kids had more fun with my Bearded Dragon. They loved feeding him crickets. If you gear your arguments towards the benefits to the kids, they are better received. I won't adopt out any of my fosters for classroom use.

 

[mrh1980]

I agree with obcsed. I am a teacher and when people find out I have chins they often ask if I take one to my classroom. I tel them, "no. The kids are to loud during the day when chins like to sleep and it would be a pain taking it back and forth, especially when it is hot outside." Also, school temps often fluctuate, one day it would be hot in the room and the next freezing. Not a good idea for chins. I would suggest that you ask her what she would do in these situations. Maybe she just has not thought of them yet because she is too excited about getting one and justifying the adoption by saying it's for her class. We teachers often justify a purchase due to use in our classrooms.

 

[ChinnyMom]

i would never suggest a chin for a classroom pet, for all the reasons stated above.

tell the teacher that a fish tank is a much better choice.

 

[Encantadora]

I would think that multiple children handling them (nicely and roughly as kids are both) would make them unfriendly.

Any teacher needs to be prepared for basically a pet that's theirs, even if shared with a class. IMO a guinea pig is more easily handled by children.

 

[Cuddlebug]

I would think that you would be taking a big chance with the chin's health. Often, children are sent to school with all kinds of viruses. I can see the poor little thing coming down with URIs or herpes. Not a pretty picture.

 

[amignatowicz]

in my opinion, leaving it in the classroom over night (of course with a proper cage) would be okay. my problem would be over the weekends, holidays, and of course the summer. i would say if he(?) would be willing to take it home for the weekends and such, it would be okay. i have had teacher contacting me, and my little sister's animal science teach actually has one as a class pet. but again, she takes it home every night, weekend, etc. i would try to get more info on how he plans on caring for it outside of school hours.

 

[lishreese]

You would be taking a serious risk with the chin biting a kid. We all know that they nip every once in a while, even if they don't mean to hurt you. Animals that are considered "exotic" like chins have much stricter laws attached to them than common animals like dogs or hamsters. While I don't know the exact law regarding exotic animals, there would be a significant risk of the chin being required to be put down if it bit a kid, even if the kid was the one being mean to the chin. It is cruel and unfair, but the law doesn't care, and neither would an angry parent. The teacher may not know this. Something like a hamster or guinea pig with less stringent laws might be better, and even then only if the kids are old enough to understand its needs.

 

[Dolyphinm]

I would tell this potential buyer about your concerns especially a chin being in the fluctuating temps and also of it biting a child.

 

[starleomach]

IMPO depends on the situation. My mother had a classroom chinchilla and I had one as well. Never had issues. they came home every weekend and AJ my mother's live to be 19 was happy and well adjusted. Neptune who was in my classroom for 8 years is alive and well at 13. the only reason the chinchillas stopped going was Mom switched schools to lne against pets and I no longer teach pre-school

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

My only concern is allergies. Some kids are allergic to the dust and hay. That may be an issue for school. Or schools do not allow pets in classrooms for the above reasons to include bites and allergies.

 

[chinsNdobermans]

Two of my four "original" chinchillas were former classroom pets... their conditions were appalling - tiny little cage, no ledges, tiny hidey house... oh, and they were mother and son caged together.

I won't sell for classroom pet purposes, that's just my preference. I know some people are great about taking them home during the weekend and on breaks and some environments are better than others but I am not comfortable with it.

 

[qtpie61282]

Thanks so much everyone! You all pretty much just reinforced why I had concerns with the whole idea.
But now I am more confident in expressing my fears to this person.

I just don't agree that they would make great classroom pets. We had gerbils when I was young and in school. We were all scheduled certain days and nights to take them home and care for them. But even when I had them, I admit I didn't know what I was doing. I can't imagine if this woman ended up scheduling her kids to take care of the chin on their own like we were supposed to.
I remember I even dropped the travel cage once and they fell to the floor. They bit me all the time, I hated it, lol

Thanks again everyone for your opinions and experiences!

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

While I agree that a chin is NOT an ideal pet for the classroom, neither do I agree that a guinea pig is suitable either. They have almost the same dietary needs as a chin: they need veggies and fresh water every day and they can not have it more than 80 degrees in the room they are in. And they are personable little guys, who need a lot of attention from their humans. And to leave any animal, whether chin, GP, hamster or rat in a classroom where it can come in contact with all the sicknesses that children bring to school, is cruel.

That being said, I would do what every one else has said and tell this lady your concerns and tell her that you can not, in good conscience, sell a chin to her with the premise that it be a classroom pet.