I have one of my dogs chipped, actually chipped twice. Once with a chip they no longer use, and then with the new one. I watched the last procedure. It is a big needle and the vet said it does sting. The chip is about the size a grain of rice so the needle is slightly bigger around than that. I figured it was worth the initial cost and (sorry to say) pain my Pomeranian endured, to have him permanently identifiable if my little Pom gets lost (he will chase cats if he gets the chance). And every time he goes to the vet they check to make sure it is working. I have had no experience with torts being chipped.

I put rocktops name and phone number on a regular dog tag that you can engrave at the pet store, and epoxied it to the shell near his tail. works great

I use a label maker, putting the Tort's name and phone number. I use clear finger nail polish over it and it holds up pretty well. Recoat it about every 6-8 weeks with more polish.

I have my siberian husky microchipped, but although he frequently escapes and has been picked up by animal control more than once, the microchip has never been the reason I got him back. Most shelters and vets don't scan. There are different types of chips that require different scanners, and universal scanners have not been effective. If a tortoise escaped, the person that found him would either keep it, try to sell it, or give it to a friend who is a reptile enthusiast. The chances of it ending up somewhere where they scan are slim. A tort with a visual mark would probably cause a person with a twinge of conscience to return it.

I heard about that too. They have found that the microchips cause cancer in lab rats and dogs at the site of the microchip. I found out about this after getting my dog microchipped. Wish I didn't now because it seems that the longer the chips are there the greater the chance of cancer. That is especially why it would NOT be something to do to a tortoise. They live too long. I am attaching a link I found about it. - Leslie
http://www.louisville-pets.com/microchip...study.html

Wowzers! Cancer (mental note: no dog chips or tort chips!)

I dont think i'd want to epozy, wouldnt it mess up the growth of the shell?

for now, i'm sticking with a marks-a-lot permanent marker LOL

thats funny. i need to do that too.

I have retraced my name and phone number so many times on Percy in the past month that you can't read anything.

The grooves in his shell or deep - he is rigid on the bottom - so it's not like you could read it the first time.

I am really at a loss as to how to mark him. I am scared he will escape one day and some coonass will put him in a bucket with water thinking he is a turtle and drown him. Infact I am pretty sure that is why we don't have tortoise rescues down here - people let them go by the river or kill them.