We are having lots of fun with the Poppins Book Nook blog series. This month's theme was Pets. We have a couple interesting pets in our home which are considered strange to many people. Keep reading to learn more about our awesome hairy friends, the great books we read, fun crafts and FREE pet journal page. The giveaway is at the end of the post!
Our Hairy Friends and a Pet Journal Page:
We have a pet Ferret named Jester and a pet Rat named Biscuit. Told you they weren't your typical pets. And at any given time we also have some special vistior pets which have included spiders, lizards, moths, caterpillars, centipedes, roly polys.......yes my kids love to rescue all kinds of creepy, crawly things.
Here is a Pet Journal Page I made to go along with this months theme. Download your copy here or click the picture below.
Books:
We read several books on rats for this months theme.
-That pet rats may have been first bred by Queen Victoria's ratcatcher Jack Black in the mid 19th century? The first pet rat show was held in 1901.
-That rats are actually very clean animals.
-Rats don't have canine teeth.
-A rat's temperature is regulated though its tail.
-Rats are highly intelligent and can even learn to do tricks.
-A group of rats is called a mischief.
-Male rats are called bucks, unmated females are called does.
-In Leviticus 11:29, mice (possibly rats) are prohibited as food.
-Rats are part of the rodent family.
-Rats are scavengers.
-Rats are used to help humans in many ways (even though some of these ways may seem very inhuman to some). Rats help troops canvas fields for explosive mines. And rats are used in laboratories to help find medicines and cures for diseases. Because of a rat you might be alive today.
-Rats are very plentiful and reproduce in large numbers. Because of this they are a primary food source for many animals like owls, hawks, snakes, members of the weasel family, and many large predators. Without rats many of these animals would have nothing to eat.
-Rats are poor climbers, but very good swimmers.
-A rats life span is about 2 to 3 years.
-Rats do not have any thumbs.
-Rats can chew through metals such as copper and aluminium.
-Rats have very poor eyesight and are colorblind
Our Pets:
Here are some pictures of our pets!
Craft Projects:
We made 2 cute little Rat crafts. Both of these make really cute Christmas tree ornaments.
Walnut Rat/Mouse:
These are also lots of fun to race down a smooth, incline surface.
Materials:
-Felt
-Walnut
-Wiggle eyes
-Pom Poms
-Thread/String
-Scissors
-Marker if you would rather draw on eyes and a nose
What to do:
1. Break open a walnut so you have two empty halves.
2. Cut two small circles from felt. Fold each of them in half and glue the halves together or you can fold and just glue the bottoms together to form more of a cone ear shape. Glue the ears onto the top of the walnut.
3. Cut a skinny, long piece of felt for the tale and glue onto the back end of the walnut.
4. Either draw on two eyes and a nose or use wiggle eyes and a pom pom.
5. Cut a few pieces of thread/string for the whiskers and glue beside the nose.
Candy Cane Rat/Mouse:
-Felt
-Candy Cane
-Wiggle eyes
-Pom Poms
-Scissors
What to do:
1. Cut a 6 in. long teardrop-shaped body from felt. Near the center, cut 2 parallel slits that are 1 in. long and 1/2 in. apart
2. For the ears, cut a 5 in. long rounded bow-tie shape from felt.
3. To put the mouse/rat together, fit the ears through the slits in the body.
4. Glue on googly eyes and a pom-pom nose.
5. Add a curly tail by slipping a candy cane under the mouse and placing the straight end between the body and the ears to hold it in place.
More Resources:
-Rat notebooking page - another one of my creations
-10 Reasons Rats make good pets
Here is a list of the wonderful bloggers participating in the Poppins Book Nook be sure to visit them for more fun pet and animal themed ideas:
Walnut Rat/Mouse:
Materials:
-Felt
-Walnut
-Wiggle eyes
-Pom Poms
-Thread/String
-Scissors
-Marker if you would rather draw on eyes and a nose
What to do:
1. Break open a walnut so you have two empty halves.
2. Cut two small circles from felt. Fold each of them in half and glue the halves together or you can fold and just glue the bottoms together to form more of a cone ear shape. Glue the ears onto the top of the walnut.
3. Cut a skinny, long piece of felt for the tale and glue onto the back end of the walnut.
4. Either draw on two eyes and a nose or use wiggle eyes and a pom pom.
5. Cut a few pieces of thread/string for the whiskers and glue beside the nose.
Candy Cane Rat/Mouse:
-Felt
-Candy Cane
-Wiggle eyes
-Pom Poms
-Scissors
What to do:
1. Cut a 6 in. long teardrop-shaped body from felt. Near the center, cut 2 parallel slits that are 1 in. long and 1/2 in. apart
2. For the ears, cut a 5 in. long rounded bow-tie shape from felt.
3. To put the mouse/rat together, fit the ears through the slits in the body.
4. Glue on googly eyes and a pom-pom nose.
5. Add a curly tail by slipping a candy cane under the mouse and placing the straight end between the body and the ears to hold it in place.
-Rat notebooking page - another one of my creations
-10 Reasons Rats make good pets
-Video on Pet Rats
-Rats and mice lesson plan
-Check out the kids page on the American Fancy Rat and Mouse Associations website for lots of printables and a guide to caring for pet rats and mice
-Learn to draw a ratHere is a list of the wonderful bloggers participating in the Poppins Book Nook be sure to visit them for more fun pet and animal themed ideas:
NEW! Every month the Poppins Book Nook group will be offering readers a chance to win a brand new storybook that ties in with our theme for the month. This month one lucky winner will win a copy of Animal Encyclopedia. The winner must reside within the United States. Just enter the Rafflecopter below to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Linking up with: Jay Daniel 4's Mom, Mama to 4 Blessings
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