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JKCarter
New Member
USA
90 Posts |
 Posted - 28/04/2011 : 03:12:50
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I've been keeping records of everything LoL Probably just due to my being anal retentive, but got me thinking:
Who here keeps records and of what?
I am currently keeping track of size/weight, feed (what fed, how many feed items, dates), defecation, and blue/shed. I know some people might say I'm being too thorough, but that way if something ever comes up and I have to make a vet trip or something, I'll be able to accurately have all the correct info.
Cliff: I know you keep track of some info as well. I saw you posted on a thread in regards to approximate weight at different ages. Is there anyway you'd be able to post a thread with your average weights at different age intervals?? I think it'd be a pretty good piece of info to have. Obviously there will be differences from each individual snake, but just an average would be cool. There isn't hardly enough reliable info readily available. As you seem to have the largest collection here I'm hoping you'll be able to have the most widely diverse info to pull from. |
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas (Vinni & Scarlet)
1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx (Taji)
0.1 Crested Gecko (Unnamed)
0.0.1 Ball Python (Val)
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Invalid User
account deleted on request
277 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 07:56:42
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| I weigh all my snakes about once a month. I keep notes for each snake but only write down what day they fed and what size they fed, just so I don't forget or lose track! I only write down shed dates if I remember. I had 4 shed last week and forgot which ones it was!! |
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JKCarter
New Member
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 12:53:30
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At least I'm not the only 1 LoL. Maybe as my collection grows I'll be less tedious with it. I've been weighing once a month as well.
Like you said about shedding though, not as important to remember which ones in particular shed when, but if one of em hasn't pooed in quite some time it could indicate somethings wrong. |
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas (Vinni & Scarlet)
1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx (Taji)
0.1 Crested Gecko (Unnamed)
0.0.1 Ball Python (Val)
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CDN_Blood
Rainbow oddball
Canada
489 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 13:04:43
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| I used to track food intake, weight, length and shed dates when I first started keeping herps. Fast forward 24 years and now I only track when something sheds. That's really all that matters to me personally, because I know what everything has eaten between moults. |
TODD
25 Years of Commitment and Responsibility in Private Herpetoculture |
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JKCarter
New Member
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 13:25:06
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| Thanks for the reply CDN. Cool vids of Skyler and Tagz as well. |
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas (Vinni & Scarlet)
1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx (Taji)
0.1 Crested Gecko (Unnamed)
0.0.1 Ball Python (Val)
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 18:41:16
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I think maintaining detailed records for each animal is one of a keeper’s most important tasks (well, except for the seasoned old veterans who can simply touch a snake and channel its life history…CDN? ;-) ). While keepers should be aware that 95% of the time these records will not be useful, it’s the exceptions that make the process worth it: when you can tell a vet that the animal he’s holding has lost 17% of its body weight over the past three months and refused all but one meal, while hugging the hot end the entire time with little to no tongue flicking.
At Living Gems, we track:
--Feedings
--Sheds
--Weights
--Breeding activity
--Anything “unusual” -- in other words, anything that snake would not normally do, or that could be a source of concern later
We do *not* track bowel movements (except for a once-a-year test)…but that’s largely a function of having 30 animals. If you only have one or two herps, I’d recommend tracking that, too.
Jonathan, I am tracking weights over time, but any complete report of that info -- material it’s taken me years to derive and analyze -- will be reserved for my website. I hope this does not cause offense, but this market is competitive enough that unique info is a strong selling point. On the bright side, it will absolutely be available from there when the time comes. |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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JKCarter
New Member
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 19:30:11
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No, doesn't cause offense at all as I totally understand your reasoning behind it. Any idea on when that info might become available?
I'm not asking for any kind of hope of it being of any monetary value, purely informative as there is tons of the same info readily available for many other types of boas/pythons, but nothing that I can find for Rainbows. I'm just wondering if my pair are on track or a little over/under. I've seen it posted where BRB's are very prone to obesity while in captivity, but no one ever referenced any statistical data on what would be considered to be obese or on the opposite end of the spectrum, being underweight.
I guess I, along with many others I'm sure, will just anxiously await your website to be up and operational.  |
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas (Vinni & Scarlet)
1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx (Taji)
0.1 Crested Gecko (Unnamed)
0.0.1 Ball Python (Val)
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Edited by - JKCarter on 28/04/2011 19:40:02 |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 20:34:23
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Thank you for understanding.
The website has been a shifting target. I'm aiming *high* on the quality scale, which makes the crafting slow, and have other snake and personal-related responsibilities competing for that time (among them a very pretty little lady I started seeing who is not thrilled about competing for time with a URL....).
So, in constant progress, but a hard date is difficult to give. |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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CDN_Blood
Rainbow oddball
Canada
489 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 21:51:56
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...seasoned old veteran, lol. That makes me sound weathered and leathery somehow, lol. If I were a breeder, I'd probably keep more detailed records, but since I'm just a regular Joe I just don't bother anymore. It's just a personal choice, nothing more. Snakes are as individual as people are and they're going to do what they're going to do, whether it be getting well over average size or being a runt. I can't change their genetics or the way their minds work by logging details, so I just let them do their thing. It took over 5 years to convince my oldest Blood Python to accept dead food and as a result, he's simply not as big as he could have been by now, but I don't think logging my unsuccessful attempts to switch him to dead food would have done anything except remind me of the frustration during that time, lol. Again, just a personal choice.
I do, however, have a gravid neon Diamond Jungle Jaguar Python and have been keeping slightly more detailed records on her, and I will keep somewhat detailed records on any hatchlings that may come out of it (e.g.: hatch date, sex, birth weight & food intake). That will be strictly for the purpose of passing that information to whomever I place them with. If at some point in the future I decide to find mates for my Rainbows (which I hope to do), I'll log the same information about their breeding and neonates. It's just the regular non-breeders I don't log anything other than shed dates for. Does that make me sound a little more appealing? I hope so, lol |
TODD
25 Years of Commitment and Responsibility in Private Herpetoculture |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 28/04/2011 : 23:01:28
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| :::thumbs up::: |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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JKCarter
New Member
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 29/04/2011 : 00:29:31
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LoL CDN, you do make very good and valid points. I suppose it's just me being, like I said, anal retentive. More than likely due to the fact that I'm still fairly new to keeping reptiles. Maybe it'll wear off and the "gusto" I have for it now will reside, but as you pointed out a few times, it's personal choice.
I didn't pose the topic to call into question anyone's record keeping or lack thereof, more as a topic for discussion.
Cliff, good stuff on seeing a new girl and I can totally understand her not wanting to compete with a URL for "quality time" LoL If I were to PM you age and length, do you think you'd be able to tell me ballpark if mine are on target or "within normal limits" as we say in the medical field?
Again, I appreciate any help you'd be able to give. |
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas (Vinni & Scarlet)
1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx (Taji)
0.1 Crested Gecko (Unnamed)
0.0.1 Ball Python (Val)
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CDN_Blood
Rainbow oddball
Canada
489 Posts |
Posted - 29/04/2011 : 02:01:30
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| I absolutely get why some keep records, and it certainly can be particularly useful when you're new to the hobby. Perusing data can help identify patterns in certain aspects of a particular snake's behaviour |
TODD
25 Years of Commitment and Responsibility in Private Herpetoculture |
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JKCarter
New Member
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 29/04/2011 : 02:54:53
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I happen to agree 100%. Just helps me to identify what I'm doing right, what I need to do differently/better, or what I need to change. And as you pointed out, it helps to identify my particular snake's behavior. I'm by no means a seasoned veteran so I need all the help I can get.  |
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas (Vinni & Scarlet)
1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx (Taji)
0.1 Crested Gecko (Unnamed)
0.0.1 Ball Python (Val)
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 29/04/2011 : 17:29:49
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I think records also increase in importance as your number of snakes rises. Even an experienced keeper can only keep intimate track of so many animals.
Absolutely Jonathan, drop me a message (or I'll PM you through Facebook) and I'll reply on the weight -- length, however, I do not currently track. It's frankly a pain to measure, especially with snakes as active as Brazilians. |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
Edited by - Snakesitter on 29/04/2011 17:30:48 |
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JKCarter
New Member
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 29/04/2011 : 18:39:05
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Another good point. With an increase number of animals it would become more painstaking to keep such detailed records, but at the same time, as you pointed out, it becomes more of a challenge to keep track of animals the more you keep.
Touche, mine are very active LoL Maybe not the most accurate way, but I have been measuring the shed so long as it's a good shed(one piece). |
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas (Vinni & Scarlet)
1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx (Taji)
0.1 Crested Gecko (Unnamed)
0.0.1 Ball Python (Val)
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tango
Snake mite
United Kingdom
40 Posts |
Posted - 29/04/2011 : 19:15:51
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i keep records of all of my snakes from my brbs down to my gater snake when they eat or dont, and when they shed wheather complete or in bits and usally try to weigh them after they shed.
i just thought it was just me that kept records like this i understand that when you have a couple of snakes it could
be a bit of a pain but when you have say six or more it can become a useful pain espacially when a couple of snakes are
moving up on the food size. |
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Record Keeping
