Sometimes class pets are not as lively as some kids would like them to be (don't want those children to be over stimulated by puppies and kittens so let's just get them a slug and put it in a fish bowl and watch it slowly move from one end to the other).
Sidenote: I've never once seen a slug as a classroom pet.
Anywho, I was subbing for a friend of mine and she had a class pet that happened to be a stick bug. Not the most exciting of class pets, not the best looking, and to be honest, when you aren't expecting it to be sitting there (right next to the teachers desk) a little scary too.
Well the kids come in and the day goes on and eventually it's recess so I decide to get a closer look at this bug of theirs (no I do not let it out of its fish bowl.. I'm not crazy - I just observe it from a safe distance). I noticed it hasn't moved since the beginning of the day but assume stick bugs are lazy and this one is probably the laziest of them all.
The day goes on and it is now afternoon. Stick bug over there to my right still hasn't moved. At this point I'm wondering if it is alive or not.
At one point a student comes up to me and asks why the stick bug hasn't moved all day "it's sleeping" I reply as I quickly send of a text to my friend alerting her that I think her stick bug has gone up to stick bug heaven. The kid decides to squirt the bug with water in an attempt to wake him (and maybe feed him?).
I get a text back before the next child asks me about the stick bug.
"Yes" my friend says "I think the bug died last week, I've been telling them he is just sleeping".
Whelp. If that's the story the teacher is using then that's the story I'm using.
"He's sleeping" I tell them all.
"It's like when a bear hibernates... he just really loves to sleep, he is probably dreaming of all his bug friends, too deep of a sleep to feel that water, to deep of a sleep to hear your chatter, maybe he will be up tomorrow, when your teacher is back"
Ah... handled that one like a pro.
May you rest in peace gross looking stick bug.
I was once in a classroom that had a tank of Banana Slugs. They went on a field trip where they walked through the forest looking for slugs, and had banana slugs for snack. Bananas with carmel syrup and chocolate chips! Did I mention the word slug makes we want to vomit? Yuck!!!!!
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