Marking your tortoise.

[Thomas tortoise]

I hear a lot of people put their phone number on the shell of their tortoises with permanent marker in case they get out of the pens. And it sounds pretty unhealthy for the tortoise to have marker on its shell. So I guess my quick question is... "Is it bad to have marker on your tortoises shell?"

 

[MEEJogja]

I highly doubt it would have an impact on the tortoises health. The alcohol evaporates off and leaves ink which will rub off over time rather than absorb into the shell... But the 'pens' should definitely be more secure if there is the possibility that they can escape.

 

[jsheffield]

Sharpies are non-toxic for writing on human children for the same general purpose, so no worries about marking tortoises on their shells... I wouldn't think it'd be a good idea to draw on their tongues or eyes, but I can't imagine anyone would.

Jamie

 

[Thomas tortoise]

Okay. Just curious...

 

[Maro2Bear]

Sharpies are non-toxic for writing on human children for the same general purpose, so no worries about marking tortoises on their shells... I wouldn't think it'd be a good idea to draw on their tongues or eyes, but I can't imagine anyone would.

Jamie

Their eyes & tongues?

 

[jsheffield]

Apparently some Sharpies have a warning about not using them on eyes or mouth... #people.

J

 

[Maro2Bear]

Apparently some Sharpies have a warning about not using them on eyes or mouth... #people.

J

Aaaaagh. See, now that makes sense. 👀👅

 

[Blackdog1714]

Nail polish compliments of Carol S! This was at two years old

 

[Maro2Bear]

I used to work on a proper horse farm when i was growing up. Got accustomed to seeing horse‘s mouths with their IDs tattooed inside.

https://horses.extension.org/permanent-identification-using-lip-tattoos-in-horses/

 

[Obbie]

Apparently some Sharpies have a warning about not using them on eyes or mouth... #people.

J

Do “we” really need to be told, no sharpies in mouth or eyes ???

 

[Maro2Bear]

Do “we” really need to be told, no sharpies in mouth or eyes ???

✅

 

[Blackdog1714]

Don't run with scissors

 

[COmtnLady]

There are people who would wash these guys with soap, and/or worry about a little of the substrate being walked around the enclosure... sometimes there is a real gap between common sense and reality.

So yeah, we have to tell people not to suck on markers or write on their eyes. (* said with heavy sarcasm - of course it would clean the gene pool a bit. *)

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Back when I had far too many Redfoot to remember the story of each one with a good enough memory of who was who. I used to mark a number or a letter on a single scute with a paint pen.
The water and sun made marks fade away in a few months. It was usually long enough for me to rehome the tortoise or get it settled into my group.
I've done this on and off for over a decade at least