... that the class pet has died?
I don't really know what emotion I am feeling right now, whether it be sad or what. I feel bad, but feel like laughing at the ordeal from the last few days at the same time. I know- real sensitive there, Taryn.
Name: Brownie (originally Bat Crab until he moved)
Type: Hermit Crab
Age: at least a year, who knows exactly
History: A boy in my class brought two hermit crabs last year, Rainbow and Bat Crab. They didn't want them anymore, but also wanted to share them since he knew we didn't have a pet. We openly welcomed them into our room.
Over the summer, Rainbow molted (shed his skin) and then could not recover and died a few days later. I did what I thought needed- put him in a ziploc bag, said a few quiet thoughts, and threw him in the trash can. Sensitive again. (I couldn't bury him- Rush would dig him up and eat him!)
This year, I returned to school with only one crab. Lo and behold, the younger brother of the one that gave us the crabs is now in my class. A brief explanation and the family understood.
Which brings me to current day...
Tuesday I got to school and was by my desk when I noticed something odd. Brownie was out of his shell, just laying there belly-up. His legs were moving. I turned him over and he moved, but not ever toward a shell. A brief search of the ocean-themed rooms at school uncovered a few larger shells that he could possibly move into. Since he was out of his shell, this would cause commotion in my class, so he spent the day next door. A few hours and secretary's research later, he still hadn't done anything. We put him in the dark closet for some peace and quiet through the night.
Wednesday I returned and promptly checked. I found him belly-up again, one little claw just waving at me. I turned him over and left him alone. Later on that day, I found him sitting on the edge of a shell, but not in it. That's how I left him last night.
This morning I immediately looked in on him again. He didn't move when I tapped the cage. When I poked him, he moved ever so slowly. I left him again until after lunch. When I checked again, he didn't move. At all. Upon examination this afternoon, we decided he was dead. And he's starting to stink.
I put him back in the closet, and am now stuck with this dilema. What do I do? Do I chunk him and tell them kids I gave him away because they weren't taking care of him? Do I tell them that he got old or sick and died? Do we have a funeral and burial tomorrow? I don't know! It's a $5 hermit crab that came with a free cage. My kids never paid him attention since he never came out. It wasn't until today that one of them noticed he was gone!
This is why I don't have class pets. I don't have to deal with this! But I can't leave my kids hanging either. Any ideas? And quick too- he won't make it over the weekend before my whole room stinks!
