Record Keeping

Currently, my record keeping is pretty simple. I have a composition notebook and each time I do anything with the snakes (feeding, cleaning, weighing, breeding, sheds) I simply write down the date and what I did. About once a month to once every two months I enter the information into iHerp. I like having an online record as well as a physical record.

Soon, I'm going to take it one step further and actually create paper records for each snake. I'm going to have 3 ring binders that will have dividers, organizing the snakes into groups based on their morph and name. These records binders will enable me to keep detailed records of each individual. Now if only I could go get some printer ink I'd get this process started.

What do you use to keep records?

I scribble feedings down in a notebook. I don't write down cleaning. Basically I clean every time I see there is a mess...aka I spot clean every day and change out all of the bedding every couple of weeks. For me it is more imperative to know what size rodent, live or f/t, how many eaten, who ate and who did not, and of course the weights of the snakes.
I now also record from whom I purchased each individual.

I only keep records for the animals that hatch out that I will sell. But not on the ones that go to the pet store trade. And on my personal ones I only keep breeding info. Weight, locks pre/post sheds going to lay date, hatch date. The rest I can remember.

I'll upload the file for my logs tomorrow. I keep about everything I can. I made a chart for each month for each snake and daily check offs.

I'm with Steve. I keep feed and shed records on hatchlings that are going to be sold but not on my personal collection. All my breeding info is written on the front of the tubs with a wax pencil.

I like the wax pencil thing, going to start doing it that way. Thanks

We have 10 ball pythons and we are currently settling into our own personal record keeping preferences

We have two white boards in our snake room. The first is a giant calendar and any major events, or collection wide things are recorded on that white board. (feeding day, collection wide mite treatments, sanitation day, etc)
The second white board is divided in half, the first half we jot down breeding information, who goes with who and when do they lock.
the second half has a row for each snake that we can jot down pertinent information on.

Every sunday the snakes are weighed and all of the week's records go on individual record sheets.

Here is a link to a record sheet.
snake record sheet

Each snake has one with their name on it in a binder.

Things I care about:
when and what they do or do not eat.
when they poo
when they shed
what they weigh (I put an E next to the weight if I know for sure that they are empty)

I don't record when I clean, I do that about every day or two and that would take up a lot of paper.

Test

I keep all of my records right on the racks. When I feed, if someone didn't eat, I put a blue dot next to their tag. Then at a glance, I can see who has not eaten. I do not record sheds, unless I believe they are pre-lay sheds. Then I'll use a label maker to put the date on the rack. Since I do not want to go to a computer or a book to see what is happening with my snakes, I like visual markers on the racks. Then with just a glance, I can see what is going on.

There are also several white boards in my snake room, where I will record weights and locks. Again, very visual where I can see at a glance what is going on with the colony.

For babies, I use an index card. On the back, I will draw the markings of the baby so that if my cards get switched around, I can identify who's card is who's. On the front, I record morph, sex, hatch date then all sheds and feedings. Once a snake has eaten and grown enough to move out of the six quart tub, then the card is discontinued and I use the rack marking method.

For snakes I sell, I usually keep the cards going for a while.

We use the index card thing. Since we havent hatched out any of our own we don't have info on ALL of ours but we have a good idea and some have their cards from the seller. Once we have the hatchlings we will be keeping track of the information in the event that we end up selling them. Love everyone's ideas but I am more of a visual kind of person too so the dots thing sounds like a good idea Don. Since the snakes we got from Rich Baker have the index card information that is what we are used to as well because it's right there at the rack next to the tub, that's probably what we will do with the hatchlings.

I work with the computer all day at work and do spreadsheets and such and the thought of having to keep more spreadsheets and powering up the computer at night isn't appealing to me.

i'm a new convert to the wax pencil. previously i just used painters tape and a sharpie. kinda like in a restaurant. i also have a spare 28 qt in my asian rat rack that holds all my paperwork.

I've never used a wax pencil, but a dry erase marker. It wipes off pretty easy.

I use post it notes with markers. Tic marks show which tanks I have fed. BTS babies eat frequently when they are born, so I only do one tank at a time to keep up with all of them. I keep 3 - 4 babies together and want to visually see each one eat to make sure no one is getting left behind.

I also record sheds and growth progress. There is a 14 inch marker taped to the top of my floor tank. It is more easily accessible to use that way.

I'm with Steve and Zues personally I don't keep records...
I'll keep records for hatchlings that I plan on selling and or trading ( When they shed and eat... as for weight I weigh them when they hatch and before I place them for sale )


Anything in my racks now I don't keep a record of when they eat shed etc etc...
I'll mark down on the calender if I believe it's a pre-lay shed and then count the days till the est. drop date and mark something for that week to maybe expect eggs ( as each and every female is different )
If I witness a lock I'll write it down on the calender... However if someone becomes gravid knowing the daddy if I don't see or witness a lock is easy, as I only place the female with one male.
I feed usually on Friday or Saturday so knowing when they where last fed is easy... as for anyone that's not eating or being picky well they're going to have to what till next week to eat...
ANYONE keeping Bp's knows they are famous for sometimes being picky eaters so IMO it's no biggie if one of them misses one two heck even four feedings AS LONG AS THERE NOT LOSING MAJOR WEIGHT ( I had one go X-mas to X-mas without eating didn't loose but 15-20 grams shed fine urinated fine the whole time completely healthy the whole time just wasn't interested in food )
I weigh em every six months write it down and place the paper on the wall next to the calender with the date on the bottom to get the next weigh in. If they miss so may meals I'll weigh them to ensure there not losing any major weight. Although after awhile glancing at them and holding them I'm pretty decent at guesstamating their weights. If their not losing any major weight and healthy I ( don't let this take you the wrong way and I hope this don't make me come off as a douche.... ) really don't worry about them not eating as Bp's are famous for this...

What I keep records for: ( not really a record I scribble it on the calender... )
Lock Ups ( if Witnessed )
Pre Lay sheds.
Expecting lay Dates/ Hatch Dates.

Hatchling's I plan to sell and or trade I'll keep records for:
When they eat
When they shed
Their Weight at birth and before I sell/trade them.

As for keeping everything in a note-book I've been there done that kept a record of when they ate, shed, defecated, ... worked for awhile but after hitting so many snake's it well doesn't work and plays itself out...

This is the tub of the girl that laid eggs last night. Since she laid I am getting ready to clean it off but thought I'd snap a pic for this thread. The good thing about the wax pencil is you can wash the tub without it coming off but when you want it off it comes off easily. You can see I list the male, dates of confirmed locks, ovulation, and prelay shed. What you see is the only breeding records I keep. If I am working a male pretty hard during a season I will weigh him monthly and write his weight on his tub just to make sure I'm not over working him. I also use the wax pencil on the egg box to write the pairing, lay date, and number of eggs.

The only problem with that method, is that I move my tubs around. I have a dozen or so extra tubs. During the week, if someone needs cleaned, I pull them out of their tub, put a fresh tub in and change their water bowl. The old dirty tub may sit off to the side until the weekend or when I find time to clean them. That is why I mark on the rack itself (mostly with a label maker - which can be removed).

The snakes pretty much remain in the same slot in the racks, but the tubs never do.