After a long wait by the patient students in Room 9, we finally have our new class pet!
Kevin is a Long-necked (chelodina longicollis) Turtle. Mrs Baldwin bought Kevin when he was a baby 3 years ago at a pet store. He would now be about 3 and a half years old.
He will now be living in a tank out the front of the classroom for the remainder of the year. This will mean there will be 2 pet monitors who will care for him by feeding him daily and cleaning his tank when required.
Here are some interesting facts about turtles…
The Long-necked Turtles shell can grow up to the diameter of 25cms.
They are found throughout Australia and are commonly known to live in the River Murray.
They can live well over the age of 50 years.
Turtles are interesting as they can retract their head and limbs up tight. Unlike most cartoons though, they don’t actually pull them right inside their shell, instead they are folded up. This makes it hard for predators to attack them.
The Long-necked Turtle can also produce an unpleasant smelling fluid when handled, or when it wishes to frighten off predators. This fluid comes from “musk glands”
There is some confusion between a”turtle” and “tortoise”. In general, tortoise refers to a land only reptile that has feet rather than webbed feet. While turtle refers to a water based reptile that has webbed feet. Long-necked Turtles can spend several months on land and they are also at home in the water.
Do you know an interesting fact about turtles that you can share?
What do you enjoy the most about having a pet?
What animal have you had for a class pet or at home?
Dear Mrs Baldwin,
The thing I enjoy about having Kevin in our class is that we all get to feed him and have him watching us when we work and I think everyone will love him.
I have had a few pets at home but this is the first year I have ever had a class pet . I was very exited when I heard we were having a class pet. The pets I have had at home are 4 fish 2 of the fish I still have and a dog.
From Ella
Dear Ella
I have some pets to. I have 2 fish and 1 dog .I have had class pets in other years . I once had some bird that flew away to next door we found them again . and I have also had some other class turtles.
from Charlie s
DEAR ELLA
I to are excited about having Kevin in the classroom,what is you dog and fish names and did your two other fish die? I love Keven as well.
FROM ANAH
Dear Anah,
I can remember the names of the fish I have now Speedy and Bubbles not the ones that died. Yes the other two did die.
Thanks for asking
From Ella
Dear Ella,
I hope you enjoy having your pets, do you know what type of dog and what type of fish you have? Pity two of the fish died.
From Ilya
Dear Ella,
I think it will be fun to and people will have a lot of fun with him. He will be interesting to watch.
I also have some pets such as one dog called Bear two cats called Sabre and Estella and 8 fish.
From Asha
Dear Ella,
Good Comment you have.
And same I have never had a class pet but I have a puppy called Coco- Sannel
From Karina
Dear Mrs Baldwin, i enjoy having a pet because they’re always there and you can watch them in your spare time.
I’ve had 2 birds and a turtle in my classes. I may be able to help because in year 2 we had a turtle too he was about 5. The pets I have at home are 2 cats , lots of fish , 1 budgie , 3 hermit crabs and 2 love birds. The love birds are a breeding pair we got them a little while ago so we wont breed them. The cats names are Sabie and Smudgie they are brother and sister their fur is black. The hermit crabs names are Gail , Steve and Sherman . I got them on my birthday. The budgie’s name is Jackie Chan i’ts odd because she’s a girl!
From Megan
Dear Megan
How old is Jackie Chan?
How long have you had Jackie Chan.
From Josh
Dear Josh, she’s about 5 I got her when I was about 4. So now she’s very old. I will tell you something once she laid a egg but with no boy no chick.
From Megan
Dear Josh,
How many pet’s do you have?
If you do what are their names?
From Adam
Dear Mrs Baldwin
I really enjoy having a class pet (Kevin) because we all get to feed him and watch him swim around in his tank. I think it is a great idea to have a class pet because kids get to learn about animals.
I have had a class pet before. It was also a turtle it was called Elvis he had a short neck. We were allowed to take him home on the weekend and we had a book to write about what we did with Elvis.
From Gracie
Dear Gracie,
I also enjoy having Kevin as our class pet and it would be great to learn about him and lots of interesting facts. I also cant wait to be pet monitor because I think it will be fun to see him eat and see how he acts when he is out of the water.
I wasn’t in your class in year 2 but I saw Kevin when your teacher and Miss Jenny worked together.
From Anika
Dear Anika,
I like Kevin too and I think he will a good class pet and he will be interesting like you mentioned. I also think he will be fun to watch.
Do you remember when we saw Elvis in year 2 ?
From Asha
Dear Asha
I remember when we saw it in year two but I have one problem…. I haven’t even seen Kevin yet because i’m still at home on the laptop sitting on the couch!
From Brodie
Dear Brodie,
Kevin is awesome and he is quiet small. Kevin has a big tank for a small turtle and he has a platform that he has only been on once.
You are lucky you don’t have to do work because we are doing our maths investigation.
From Asha
Dear Gracie
Having Elvis was fun and it was good that we got to take him home. I agree that it’s good to have a class pet because we can learn about animals.maybe you could ask the teacher if we can learn about them in class.
From Kayley
Dear Mrs Baldwin
An interesting fact about turtles is that they don’t eat as much food when it is cold but they do eat when it is hot.
What I like about having a class pet is that we all get a chance to feed it.I have 1 dog at home she is a king Charles cavalier cross with a coca spaniel and her name is Lucky she loves getting my dads socks.
From Anah
Dear Mrs Baldwin,
The thing I enjoy about Kevin is he is fun to watch and he is also cute.
Another thing that is funny is he goes in hiding behind the thermometer.
From Olivia.
Dear Olivia
What is the cute thing you like about Kevin?
From Panashe
Dear Mrs Baldwin
I most enjoy about having a pet is having responsibility and
because my dogs are so playful.
My dogs are called Buster and Baxter.
From Josh
Dear Josh
What breed of dog do you have and how old are they and where do your dogs sleep? My dogs names are Lola and Arthur .
From Luke
Dear Mrs Baldwin
I really enjoy having Kevin and when can the class change the jobs because I want to feed Kevin? Another thing is what is Kevin’s middle name because I’m really curious? What do you feed him and what is the amount of food?
from Luke
Dear Mrs Baldwin
Turtles are one of the most oldest animals in the ocean.
A class pet we had last year was 2 birds and 4 fish and at home I have a turtle named Max.
From Lachie
Dear Mrs Baldwin,
The thing I most enjoy about having a pet is the responsibility it gives you by having to look after it. Some of them are feeding, washing/cleaning and caring.
At home I have quite a few fish and a very funny cat. My favourite type of fish is Discus that are now breeding and mating. The cat is a black and white pedigree domestic, he once fell into the Aquarium and jumped out like a bullet.
From Ilya
Dear Mrs Baldwin,
The thing I enjoy about having a pet is that you can have fun with them and care and love them lots and lots.
At home I have a puppy named Coco and when I lived in England we had a dog called Jessie James but she past away from cancer.
Thanks Karina
Dear Mrs Baldwin
I love caring for my pet bird but only until I have to clean his cage out because the cage is gross and it is very frustrating getting him back in the cage.
The animals i have had were a dog named Angus, four fish two zebra fish and the other two were goldfish. Angus died because the doctor gave him an injection because he was old and had lots of fits. All of the fish died because both the zebra fish got eaten by the others and one of the goldfish died because the other one ate it and the last one just… well died somehow. Luckily my bird is still alive today.
From Brodie
Dear Brodie
What were your four goldfishes names?.
From Panashe
Dear Mrs B, i just wanted to say we had a turtle in year 2 he is big and a little old.
From Megan
Dear Mrs Baldwin and Kevin
There was once a young Turtle called Kevin.
He liked to count to seven.
One day in his tank he tumbled and sank
And ended up counting to eleven.
From Charlies
Dear Mrs Baldwin
In year 2 my class had a pet turtle named Elvis. Everyone in my class got to
take him home for two weeks. I had Elvis in the school holidays. I found out
that he liked to wonder around. W e also got to feed him. He got put in a
tub. I also noticed that some of his scales came of !.
From Panashe
Dear Mrs Baldwin,
I love our class pet Kevin. He posed well for the camera I wish I had a turtle .
From Elena
dear Mrs baldwin,
last year we had a pet in room 13 we had a fish
and a bird and this year we have a awesome turtle called
keven and four fish
from Adam
Dear mrs Baldwin
An interesting fact about turtles is turtles have existed for around 215 million years and in years and in year 2 I had a class turtle called Elvis he is much bigger than Kevin.
From Kayley
Dear Mrs Baldwin how much does Keven way and how much does Kevin cost from Lewis m.