Herp breeders - how do you keep your records?

While I've only barely begun trying to breed reptiles, I've just recently earned my Master's in Library & Information Science with special focus in archives and records management. As I've been looking for gainful employment as an Archivist and thinking a lot about records in general, I've wondered how breeders in the herp community keep their records.

My own practices are fairly simple due the small number of critters I have - just Excel spreadsheets on each individual animal. It has their basic info such as species, sex, provenance, as well as shed and feed charts. Would anyone who breeds and keeps on a larger scale like to chime in on your own recordkeeping practices? Do you use exclusively paper records or do you use some sort of database software like FileMaker Pro? What about mobile apps? I've been tooling around with a bunch of half-baked ideas on this based on practices from the RM/archives/library fields, but I'd love to hear input on what people are doing already.

(Brought over from previous thread)

I've just started in this hobby, only have 5 Ball Pythons, but I can already tell that organization is a huge key to success. I just started using iHerp to keep track of my collection, and have begun labeling all of my tubs with QR codes that directly link to that animal's iHerp page so I can easily update it with feeding, shed, etc.

I use a note book. And in it is random chicken scratch unless you know what book is then youll see its got feed dates size of pray, when they shed full or not, any random notes, sex guessed age, and names. There's a order just a messy one

I used to use Excel. Now I use Google Docs/Spreadsheet since I can access it anywhere.
Sometimes I use good old fashion pen and paper.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

I used to use Excel. Now I use Google Docs/Spreadsheet since I can access it anywhere.
Sometimes I use good old fashion pen and paper.

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Hmmm... you know, as trick as the iHerp interface is a good, old fashioned spreadsheet might do the job just as well... wonder how hard it'd be to rig up QR codes for a Google Doc... Probably not very.

Ive been using composition books for years and years. I make a grid like page for each snake, I put its name gender, morph, and hatch date in block at the top, and record its meals, quarterly weights, and any other pertinent data that I feel needs to be recorded about that snake. If we end up selling that particular animal, the page gets torn out and given to the new owner. Its an old fashioned system that works great for me. Computers annoy me too much, which is why I use notebooks.

The QR code thing is definitely interesting, I'll have to look into that.

Slight tangent from the original point, but do you use an ID number system for your herps? If so, how do you come up with the IDs? Is there a commonly used system or do people generally create their own?

For available hatchlings I use index cards, for my breeders I use this http://reptilescan.com/users/sign_in (Android Version), I only record what is important to ME (Ovy, pre-lay shed, egg laying, clutches.)

Excel is fine for me.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

For available hatchlings I use index cards, for my breeders I use this http://reptilescan.com/users/sign_in (Android Version), I only record what is important to ME (Ovy, pre-lay shed, egg laying, clutches.)

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That program has EVERYTHING I want, but... I'm not paying $25 for a mobile app.

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Originally Posted by ChaosAffect

That program has EVERYTHING I want, but... I'm not paying $25 for a mobile app.

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With the number of animals you have I can't blame you, however for someone like me it's a handy tool when it comes to my collection.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

With the number of animals you have I can't blame you, however for someone like me it's a handy tool when it comes to my collection.

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Absolutely. It's not enterprise-level, but for the amateur it's a little pricey, especially when other things will work just as well for a small collection.

I thought it was quite reasonable given the amount to thought time and effort they have in it. The fact they listen to users and take the comments to heart is worth the cost. This forum is responsible for the changes to date format.


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Originally Posted by kitedemon

I thought it was quite reasonable given the amount to thought time and effort they have in it. The fact they listen to users and take the comments to heart is worth the cost. This forum is responsible for the changes to date format.


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You're probably right. I'm probably just reacting to the absolute buttload of money I've spent over the past two weeks on this hobby. LoL.

It adds up for sure! I often write custom scripts for my work and my boss keeps tossing massive •little• projects at me so I am sensitive to the effort it takes to do what they have done.


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I might try out Reptile Scan, it does look quite good.
I've been just using spreadsheets, but that app does look quite good.

Does anyone here use it?

I do I really like it . The best part is my wife can record actions as well so one date base with multiple people accessing it. It works really well.


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Sounds good, I'll give a shot :)

Thanks!

I make a data sheet on excel that has space for up to 52 weeks of feedings and a section down below for notes. I note shed dates and weights; ovies, prelay sheds, etc... I used to hand jam everything in a notebook but misplaced said notebook and lost all my records so I had to go by memory and just kinda estimate around what time my girls were due to lay. I was surprisingly accurate. :rolleyes:

I just use a notebook, every week when I go to feed I just put what they've all eaten or refused, any notes about going into shed, weird marks, anything I feel is important and weights every two-three weeks. Its easy and its portable if I ever need to go to the vet with one of them, or flip through when I'm making their food list. All of my snakes have names so I use those instead of numbers lol.

I use iHerp. It is free, easy to access, mobile (I use a kindle with wi-fi or my phone), and relatively easy to use. At least I've had no trouble with it. And if I sell an animal, I can electronically transfer that animal's entire record to its new owner. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Xaila

The QR code thing is definitely interesting, I'll have to look into that.

Slight tangent from the original point, but do you use an ID number system for your herps? If so, how do you come up with the IDs? Is there a commonly used system or do people generally create their own barcode?

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Use an Excel barcode font for tracking?

I'm old fashioned. I have a single page chart saved on my computer that I print off as needed and I keep the pages in a binder with a divider for each snake. The chart has columns for the date, feedings (what size and any notes), shed, and defecation. I'm sure I'll create a 'breeder' sheet to track locks, ovys, etc once I get to that phase of things. The binder hangs off the side of the rack by a string (soon to be updated to a basket, getting fancy!) so I know I won't lose it and will always remember to jot down the day's info while I'm standing at the rack. Once I start breeding, I'll likely use index cards or similar for hatchlings. I'm a pen and paper kind of girl and I like having hard copies of everything. I like the look of some of the apps, but I'm super paranoid about problems with data and information getting lost.

Actually, this is my first time to visit this forum, and I do like reptiles. Anyway, the idea of the QR Code thing do shocked me, actually I am recently new to learn something like create qr code in excel related to the QR code staff, I never imagined QR code can be used in this way. Good idea!