Record Keeping

[DriveWRX]

OK, one of my things this year is to keep detailed records (and pictures) of my tortoises.
Things like weight and growth over time, when mating/nesting/hatching occurs, diets fed, temps and humidity and anything noteworthy.

I kept little or no records in the past and as one result of that, I can't remember how old some of my torts are! Pretty bad, huh? I mean I hatched and raised them to adulthood...

Anyway, of those who keep records, what do you guys record?
I know weight and growth are the most common, but what else?

And I know it could be done on a spreadsheet, but does a program exist for doing just that, record keeping for tortoises?

 

[Floof]

When it comes to my tortoises, I only record weight and sometimes length... Oh, and when I change UVB bulbs, so I can keep track of when this or that bulb will need to be replaced.

When I do need to record things, I use iHerp.com. It's a reptile community and website designed specifically with the idea in mind to give reptile owners a place to track their reptiles' information (feedings, weights, medications, so on and so forth). It's very useful. Easy to use, and gives you a place to record things from any computer that you won't lose if your computer crashes (something that happens to me a lot... )

 

[Tccarolina]

I record original length, shell width, shell flare width, and shell height. Beyond the original numbers, I then only keep the latest change in those dimensions. I also keep the number of scute rings, and estimated age at acquisition recorded. I try to get a series of photos of each turtle soon after acquisition, so I can be certain of growth, color, shell disease/damage, or other changes that may occur during my care.

I record and keep all weights, and info such as sickness, treatments used, nesting, or odd behavior.

I use an excel spreadsheet. I keep the info organized in tabs in the spreadsheet. Each year of nesting, health info, expense log, weight and health stats, previous turtles/tortoises and their stats, who I sold babies to along with contacts, etc.

Pictures are organized in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, since I use several different cameras.

Steve

 

[ShadowRancher]

These are great ideas, thanks guys... I have a tort journal that I'm pretty proud of but I think once all my new babies come in I'll make a spreadsheet for every species and give every individual a tab. Much more organized than what I've got going now.

 

[Katherine]

I keep a journal style record in which I record mating behavior, nesting behavior, any irregularities/ailments/injuries or seasonal changes, I also record responses and reactions to extreme weather should we have any and anything that I can perceive may have been stressful for them so that if they later have an ailment I can try to back peddle for a cause. I record dates of any new food or supplement introduction as well as overall diets. It is helpful to have a previous years nesting/laying/hatching dates on hand as a reference. I also try to keep track of who takes the babies if I let them go : ) I keep regular weights and lengths on all of the torts I can lift but it's getting increasingly challenging to weigh my big kids. I think a computer program may be easier to find information in but for me I am much more likely to jot anything notable into a notebook than power up a computer and upload the info. Plus I like to feel darwinesque with my diary style records ; )

If you have a small number of torts- I adopted one who's POs had traced her shell onto paper each year to record growth, it was so adorable to have tracing of her hatchling self on up to compare to my now 90lb tortoise. If I had fewer tortoises I would def do this- maybe some of you can : )

 

[ShadowRancher]

I keep a journal style record in which I record mating behavior, nesting behavior, any irregularities/ailments/injuries or seasonal changes, I also record responses and reactions to extreme weather should we have any and anything that I can perceive may have been stressful for them so that if they later have an ailment I can try to back peddle for a cause. I record dates of any new food or supplement introduction as well as overall diets. It is helpful to have a previous years nesting/laying/hatching dates on hand as a reference. I also try to keep track of who takes the babies if I let them go : ) I keep regular weights and lengths on all of the torts I can lift but it's getting increasingly challenging to weigh my big kids. I think a computer program may be easier to find information in but for me I am much more likely to jot anything notable into a notebook than power up a computer and upload the info. Plus I like to feel darwinesque with my diary style records ; )

If you have a small number of torts- I adopted one who's POs had traced her shell onto paper each year to record growth, it was so adorable to have tracing of her
hatchling self on up to compare to my now 90lb tortoise. If I had fewer tortoises I would def do this- maybe some of you can : )

Aw that's so cute...may have to do that for my babies for a bit

 

[DriveWRX]

This is great info, everyone! Keep it coming.
I'll have to check out iHerp.com. Thanks Taylor.