keeping records

[ohh_kristina]

I'm going to start keeping records on my herps, since my collection is going to continue growing and it's getting harder to keep track of everything. How do you guys go about with your records? What are some of the things you write down, etc? What do you keep your records in? a notebook or on the computer? Any help on how to go about record keeping would be extremely appreciated. Thanks!

[wyz]

I give them a name, and a code, Specie, sex, d.o.b. if possible, date of purchase, age at purchse, price paid, market value, parents if possible, CB ou WC, if I buy 2 or more I write if they have the same bloodline as another, and I take a pic the day they come in.

WYZ

[BoidKeeper]

I keep track of everything from the weight of each meal to every deffication. If you like I can email you my record sheet. It's saved in word.
Cheers,
Trevor

[drewlowe]

i have spread sheets made out that are printed and in a binder for each species i have but i'm sure they way i do my records will be different when i get more.

[lordkovacs]

i just keep track of age, sex, species, when it gets fed, when it sheds, weight, length. I have a yearly calendar in book form that I use. works well.

[ohh_kristina]

thank you all for your replies. BoidKeeper sent me his spreadsheets and I printed them out. Thanks a bunch!

[Colonel SB]

I write down everything!

Scientific Name
Common Name
Animals ID
Local
Morph
Sex
Date of Birth
Date Obtaioned
From Who

Then I record feeding, sheding, maiting, pooping, weight, lenght...

[Linds]

I keep them on recipe cards, and I used to just slide them in beside the enclosure or clip it on it, until my cat started getting more creative with removing and hiding/destroying them So I still keep them on recipe cards, each snakes cards held together with paperclips, until they get too large then they get retired to a binder. At the top of the card I record the name of the animal (whatever I choose to call it). On the initial card I record:
latin name
common name
age
sex
purchased from
date purchased
breeder (if known)

on the rest of the cards I usually get at least 3 columns across. I write the date of whatever I am recording, and I have codes for recording as well:

IS - in shed
S- shed
D- defecate
F- fed
NO- refused food

If I need more specifics than that, I put a word in brackets, or if it requires a lot of space I make notes on the back of the recipe card. I also record weights on them. When writing dates to save space I use this format:

Aug 03/03
15- F
22- F,D
29- IS
Sep 01/03
5- S
6- F
14- NO
etc, etc.

This method works well for me I find for basic record keeping. For breeding I attach a breeding record to the back of the females regular records and go from their using codes as well:

C- copulation noted
IS- shed
S- shed
O- ovulation
Se- seperated
I- introduced