How do you guys do it?

Master notebook on everybody to record meals, sheds, weights, and when snakes are placed together. Then each permanent resident snake has a few loose pages clipped together that backs up the same info, plus added notes on the animal if I feel something's pertinent. Then new babies get index cards that I keep until they're sold (I like to send the index cards go with the babies) or they fill a card, then they just go in the notebook.

I keep a separate notebook on just clutch data. But I enjoy keeping track of the details.

I have tried a bunch of things. I always come back to a notebook though. Basically the notebook is just to keep track of who ate and didn't and for breeding. I do a quick check everyday on everyone. I have a regular routine for cleaning and feeding. I use to keep track of defecating, shedding, etc.. Too many now to do that. It also helps knowing the snakes well. You learn all their quirks and what you can and can't do with them. I know who won't take f/t, I know who will eat blue, etc....

I just have a super good memory. Don't record anything st all. ;)

I don't do much of anything. I can understand people who do this for a business keeping records but I do this for fun and I've never found bookkeeping to be fun. I do write down breeding data in a notebook, and when dealing with hatchlings I put post-it notes on the tubs of problem feeders but once they're feeding regularily I don't bother keeping track anymore. I know some people who track every shed skin, weigh them every month, track every defecation and every meal with type of food and weight of the food in grams, etc.... That would drive me nuts.

I am another member of the "tried everything" group.

Currently I am doing everything by hand. Stuff that is regularly logged for me is feeding, weights, and sheds. I have a handwritten list of the dates that snakes last fed, and go by that daily to determine who needs to eat on any given day. As I'm offering food I write down who is being fed, what they are being fed, if I offered, and if they ate ( that is just what I use during the acutal feeding so I know who has rats in the tubs, etc). The next morning I write down everyone who actually ate on a "log these" list, which is all the stuff that needs to be "officially" logged in the binders.

I have about 70-80 snakes, haven't counted in a while. I have 4 binders, male ball pythons, female ball pythons, other (non ball pythons), and available animals. Each binder has a divider that is used to section off each snake's records. I keep all documentation in there, business card from who I purchased from, any feeding logs/genetics guarantees, etc. I also have a spreadsheet where I log the info on the "official log these" sheet.

many of my notes are pre loaded, so I start typing and bam the cell fills itself in. I have a card on each snake's cage with the day it is expected to feed and the day it usually poops. For example, my corn snake eats Monday, poops Wednesday and Friday. The card says Sun No Hndle, Mon Feed, Tues No Hndle Chng w, Wed Def, Thurs Chng W, Fri Def, Sat, Chnge W. Chng W means change water. No Handle means the snake should be left alone in preparation for feeding or to digest food. Def means the snake usually poops that day. With the exceptions of my balls which can go months between bowel movements, most of my snakes are pretty regular.

I feed some snakes on Monday, some on Tuesday, some on Wednesday, and some on Thursday. This gives me time to do other things.

David

David

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I'm going to use a notebook and index cards/post it notes.


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