Class Pets, in the classroom

Many people believe guinea pigs and classrooms don’t mix and you wont change their minds. Always take care of any of your classroom pets. It's the teacher's responsibility. The best arrangement is a pair of same-sex cavies that are the teacher’s personal pets, returning home with him or her at the end of each week.  Intermittent visits to the classroom are preferable. Less distractions for rewarding day trips and special occasions.  Before you leave any animals in the school overnight check with the building engineer to find out the hottest and coldest temperatures in the school at night. Sometimes they may be not be kept comfortable during off hours, at night. Check with the maintenance supervisor for any details on chemicals they use for cleaning schedules. 

It's also not a great idea for students to take them home on weekends because too many variables in a new location may stress them out and cause illness. Other pets may accidentally get access to the guinea pigs and that could be tragic.

As long as they get special attention in the morning and at the end of the day they will make excellent weekday classroom pets. They should, of course, be in a pair and each has somewhere to hide if they want. Fresh Food and Water every day... and maybe even some soothing music if you feel like spoiling them. 

Remember:  Always wash your hands before (and after) picking up or petting guinea pigs. Keep them dry and don't let them fall from a table or unsupervised surfaces.