Organizational Skills

[Minkness]

As my collection grows and grows I have found myself in a weird place of forgetfulness. Especially as I have animals that are fed 3 times a week (geckos), twice a week, once a week, and once every other week.

I have tried to write things down, log it in, remember then...poof..."Crap....did I feed him last week? I can't remember so I'll just feed him this week and skip next week"....oops!

Now, before this gets to be an ongoing bad habbit, I would like to reach out to others who have extensive collections (more than 10) and request some of your best practices of reminding yourself, logging info, ect.

(Please don't judge me! Lol XD)

Edit: Also, someone please link me to a good LOOOONG type of tongs. My best snake just tagged me good because she missed her mark and ate my knuckles instead! (Well, tried to lol).

[riddick07]

I used to use excel but my iPad doesn't work with it very well. I need one of the new ones apparently they do pretty much everything.

Right now I use the app snakekeeper. There are so many ways it can be improved but it works well enough. For the 8 little ones that hatched I've just been using index cards.

[Minkness]

Index cards sound like a great idea!

Also, I know I didn't say it in my post, but I am oretty low tech. All I have is my phone, and even then I only use the Internet for basics (like this forum, craigslist, fauna, a doberman forum, ect), spotify (I don't even have premium), the camera, annnnd.....like 2 maaaaybe 3 games lol. Other than that, yeah....I suck. Lol

[SnoopySnake]

I use these for my 6' white lip, quite the jerk he can be:

Hemostat - 24" (http://www.reptilebasics.com/hemostat-24)

They are 24" hemostats, if you have smaller hands they can be a bit tough to manage with one hand. They also have 24" tweezer type tongs with removable rubber tips if you'd like those better, I personally also have the 18" pair of tweezers from them and like them for the other snakes but I removed the rubber after my white lip got his teeth stuck in it. They do have locking 18" hemostats, those may be a bit easier to hold onto, but they will make it a little tougher for you to let go of the rat.

18" tweezer/tongs:
Tweezer - 18" - Reptile Basics Inc (http://www.reptilebasics.com/tweezer-18)

24" tweezer/tongs:
Tweezer - 18" - Reptile Basics Inc (http://www.reptilebasics.com/tweezers-hemostats/tweezer-24/)

As for organization, I am only up to 6 reptiles but I am very forgetful. For the snakes I use graphing paper and make charts with rows/columns for feedings, weights, and sheds, and the date of each. I can post pics tomorrow if you're interested. The geckos I don't really keep track of, but I would probably just write their weights on index cards.

[SWDK]

I keep it simple and use a wall calendar to track everything with my snakes. I have a coding system I use to designate feedings, refusals, in blue, sheds, new arrival dates, enclosure cleanings, etc. It's been workjng well for me and I have 22 snakes & 2 tarantulas. I've thought about doing an excel spreadsheet, but that means I have to remember to go to my computer. I keep the calendar hung right next to the door to my reptile room. It's right in my face so I don't forget to mark things down.

[toddnbecka]

An index card for each critter, kept on or near the enclosure, is the simplest and likely most effective way to keep track of all the basic info. I'll be doing those after I get the new enlosures set up and things actually somewhat organized. So far I've been using a notebook to record weekly feedings (or refusals) and sheds.

[dave himself]

When you feed a certain animals work out the date of the next feed write it on a Post-It and stick it to the side of the viv or tub :)
Basically what TandB said :D

[bigsnakegirl785]

I use iHerp. On the dashboard, it shows how many days it's been since X snake has been fed. It keeps you logged in, so all you gotta do is go to the site, maybe bookmark your dashboard for easy access. I have 11 and it's a breeze keeping track of feeding days.

You can also track stuff like sheds, weight, length, defecation, vet/medications, all kinds of stuff, as well as leave little notes for yourself.

I used to use Word/Excel and it got cumbersome as my computer is extremely slow.

[EL Ziggy]

IHerp is a great tool. I have an account there but haven't transferred my data from the Reptile Logger app I've been using. I don't think Reptile Logger is available anymore but I can still input information. I need to transfer everything over to IHerp before the old app crashes and I lose everything.

[Minkness]

Oooh...Post-it notes sounds like the best idea for me!

Also, thank you Snoopy! I will definitely look into those come payday!

[Aaron_S]

Get some dry erase markers and write on the tanks themselves.

[chairman]

While I don't normally use it myself, any time I need someone else to watch my animals I'll type up a schedule, stick it in a clear plastic page protector, and provide dry erase markers. I'll generally have one column per day, AM tasks at the top, PM tasks at the bottom. Seems to work out well.

[Minkness]

Oooh...more great ideas! I like the idea of the dry erase for sure! I can get small boards at my local dollar tree or maybe get some kind of holder or something....either way, great ideas!

[SnoopySnake]

Get some dry erase markers and write on the tanks themselves.

I have also done this. I just like to have the charts to look back and see how much the animal has grown. For example.....As of 7-29-13, my female rainbow boa weighed 26.1 grams, and 7-24-13, the male weighed 32.73 grams. 7-19-16, the female weighs 850 grams and the male weighs 840. I just find it neat to look back on :) Plus I forgot to write on the tubs somehow lol

[MDT]

Index cards for the win :D
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh572/mtucker66/IMG_5839_zps6vt9eled.jpg (http://s1252.photobucket.com/user/mtucker66/media/IMG_5839_zps6vt9eled.jpg.html)

[dannybgoode]

I'm all tech so have an outlook calendar set up for the snake and lizard and then use an excel spreadsheet to log feeds, sheds etc.

It'll easily scale up for when I have more animals.

My outlook syncs across my many computers and phones so I never miss anything.

Not that hard to do and a good skill to learn mink!

[Andy_G]

IHerp or Herp Care Software...the latter should only be used if you are on an actual computer every day as it doesn't work for mobile devices (made in 2003!!). Or post it's/index cards/calendars work too.

[Minkness]

Thanks for the pic! I think I will craft more of a holder than just laying out. I have a tornado dog that would eat those in a heartbeat lol.

[ThirteenRavens]

Great ideas! I'm horrible at organization of anything...I also have an iHerp account but I haven't used that in forever...it says that my rubber boa has never been fed lol...that is so not true! I'm always on the lookout for better ways to keep track of who does what, etc.

[Aaron_S]

I have also done this. I just like to have the charts to look back and see how much the animal has grown. For example.....As of 7-29-13, my female rainbow boa weighed 26.1 grams, and 7-24-13, the male weighed 32.73 grams. 7-19-16, the female weighs 850 grams and the male weighs 840. I just find it neat to look back on :) Plus I forgot to write on the tubs somehow lol

lol I used to do the same thing as you.

Now I just track due dates and ovulations. I only check weights to ensure they are healthy for breeding. I was really diligent and now I'm on the far opposite side haha.

[SnoopySnake]

lol I used to do the same thing as you.

Now I just track due dates and ovulations. I only check weights to ensure they are healthy for breeding. I was really diligent and now I'm on the far opposite side haha.

honestly at this point I slack a lot on everyone except for the white lip lol. I am very picky on keeping up with him because I'm trying to get his weight up, but I am hoping to breed the rainbows soon too so I've been keeping an eye on them as well :)

[toddnbecka]

Index cards for the win :D
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh572/mtucker66/IMG_5839_zps6vt9eled.jpg (http://s1252.photobucket.com/user/mtucker66/media/IMG_5839_zps6vt9eled.jpg.html)

:yes: Yep, that will be my boaphile rack setup when the baby Dominicans are sexed and sorted into individual tubs. Only differences will be a Helix t-stat for the heat tapes and no upper level on mine, just a 20 tub rack.