How do you all mark/id your sulcatas that have free range of the yard?
Right now, I just use a marks-a-lot marker and write our phone # on the backside of his shell, in an area that he doesnt seem to rub against things too often.
Has anyone microchipped theirs?

when my desert torts get bigger i'm supposed to put their ID stickers on their carapaces. i've only ever seen one person who has done that though. it seems like more trouble than its worth.

I've tried using the lable machine and sticking that to her carapaces, but he ends up rubbing them off, so i gave up on that!

I think microchip is a greta idea, would love to hear if if anyone has actually done it.

Marking your sulcata with either your phone number or address is a great idea, because as most of you know, these are the ultimate escape artists. What I have done in the past is to find an area in the center of a scute that doesn't get scrubbed and rubbed too often. Wash it and dry it real good. Then peel off my address label and place it in the center of the scute. Apply a coat of clear fingernail polish over the address label, overlapping onto the shell very slightly. You need to reapply the polish about once a week. And every so often you have to place a new label.

In California, the Department of Fish and Game require all keepers of Gopherus agassizii (desert tortoise) to have a permit. Along with the permit we are issued a sticker and we're supposed to place the sticker on the tortoise. The instructions they give you are to place the sticker on the very bottom marginal scute right above the tail. However, this spot gets rubbed quite a bit and the sticker doesn't last long in this area. I like to place it above a back leg. But...operating a rescue as I do, I can attest to the fact that quite a few of lost desert tortoises are returned to their owners because they had the stickers on them. So MARK THAT SULCATA!! However you do it, it only helps!

Yvonne

I have heard some bad things about the microchips effects in dogs and cats. My animals will NOT be getting them.

I was at a pet adoption "show" once and they were micro-chipping dogs. The needle was HUGE!!! I have no first hand experience, but because of that big needle I don't want anything to do with it!

Yvonne

really? do you have more info? Glad I asked EEKK!

I had my dog microchipped and have had no problems with it. I have heard of people microchipping aladbras. You would have to talk to your tort vet.

There is new research - sorry I don't have the links because I heard this a few months ago - google it.