? marking hatchling shells safely?

[vmajesty25]

What is the safest way to mark my babies shells for identification without making them sick? I see people have used white out and nail poilsh but those both make me nervous

[vmajesty25]

Zookeeper, do you have any ideas??

[jlancaster]

If there any natural variation in their shell pattern why not just take some photos and label them, leaving them close by?  Won't have to mark them at all.

[Zookeeper]

What is the safest way to mark my babies shells for identification without making them sick?

Zookeeper, do you have any ideas??

Personally I haven't had to deal with that since both mine are females but I know there was a post quite a while back concerning the subject, I'll try to locate it.

[vmajesty25]

If there any natural variation in their shell pattern why not just take some photos and label them, leaving them close by?  Won't have to mark them at all.

You are quite right. But I am going to have 5 total, and just for my childrens sake would like a way for easy indentification when that happens.... Right now I have 2 and I tell them apart because one has darker spots on plastron.

Zookeeper, Thank you so much. I thought maybe you had heard of something before.

[oslinka]

Here it is normal that breeders write numbers on torts for easy identification - all must be registered. They use felt-tip pen, some dye for wood or plastic, anything. Or permanent felt-tip pen which is used for marking CDs, the one which is hard to clean. To remove it they use nail polish remover without acetone.

I wouldnt use chemicals but is there any other way? Mine had also a number but with normal felt-tip pen, it disappeared a long time ago. Btw why not to mark their nails?

[Zookeeper]

Sorry vmajesty, I still haven't been able to locate that post (I guess I haven't been using the right keyword) but I did PM Joe and he said to use a little dot of nail polish.  You could "color code" your hatchlings, a different color for each one.  By the time it wears off they should be big enough to have developed some individual characteristics that would identify them from their siblings.

[vmajesty25]

OK, I will do that. Thank You so much Zookeeper.

[Zookeeper]

You're welcome.

[Jules]

Joe uses a dot of nail polish as Rosanna said, What he does is mark each hatchling differently, on a different schute, or use 2 small dots in different spots.  Just write down how you mark each one.

You can see the markings on Libby in these pics.

[Joe H]

Yep that code means second clutch first egg.

The first clutch of that year doesn't have any marks on the vertebral scutes

[vmajesty25]

Thank you all. Now I know... I love this forum for this reason! Ask a question, get a answer!

[murtle]

thats a herman and a horsfield mixed on that pic innit??

[vmajesty25]

Both are RT's.

[Jules]

thats a herman and a horsfield mixed on that pic innit??

which pic?