Ralph Davis Reptiles - The Martrix

FEEDING/RECORD_CARD

This is a pic of the record/feeding cards that I use for every snake I have. This card is filled out and started on each snake as soon at it is hatched or acquired also use the same cards each year as a breeding record card for the females that are being bred.......I mark down important breeding info like cops, follicles ( size and growth noticed ) etc. on this card with the dates. These cards are the entire life of my snakes.......I can look back on them and see exactly what is going on......when they eat, don't eat, shed, funky poops.............or anything else worthy of keeping track of.......I insert each one into a plastic sleeve to protect it from water and dirt.....as one gets full......I just make a new one and transfer all the "top" info over to the next card...........the cards are numbered starting with # 1.

No.: This is the number or ID the snake will have for the rest of it's life......like 99_1.0dhsn#1...............this means it is a male double het for snow that was born in 1999..........he is male number one his brother or any other would be male number two.............and so on.......

Sex : male or female

Cage/Tray # : This is the number of the snake's cage.......it may change through the years because of moving up in cage sizes......this helps misplaced cards to get put back where they belong....

Card # : This starts out with #1 and goes on through out the snakes life.............# 2, # 3 and so on.............

Common name : ball python........and maybe exactly what it is.......like "het" this or that........

Date In : This is the date it hatched or the date I acquired it and from who?.............like 09/16/99 Pete Kahl.......the snake was acquired on that date from Pete......... Record card I use

Scientific name : python regius or sometimes "code" names........my own lingo...lmao!!

Date out/ Died : This is the date it died or the date it was sold or traded etc.....

Date Column : This is where the date goes for any activities.......like feeding,shedding, adm. meds or anything else I feel is important.

Action Column : This is where I write what they ate or did on that date.....it has things on it like "p" for pinky mouse, "rp" for rat pup, "m" for mouse, "fm" for fuzzie mouse, "fr" for fuzzie rat, "sr" for small rat, "r" for medium rat and "lr" for large rat. If I feed 2 prey items, then it will say something like "sr x 2"........and if the prey is offered and not eaten........it will be crossed out with one line through the center.......this tells me when they refuse meals and what the meals were and shows the pattern of it very well...........

The very first entries for my hatchlings I record is the "sire" ( Daddy ).......and the "dame" ( mommy ).......that way I can track the bloodlines and know the genetics history.

On the back of each card I draw a picture of the snake.........I try to find some distinguishing marks on the snake .......usually around the head and neck........or the tail.......I like counting spots etc........this pic will be on the back of the first card and the snake will NOT change........I'm a master at drawing each snake.......:)

Hope you liked the info..........any card will work.......file cards are fine.......I just like these and have been using them ever since I got my first one from Peter Kahl.........I just took one to my printer and he made me a batch of 500.........I just get more printed when I start running low on them.

Ralph