Microchips & Tortoises

[shehick]

I will be getting my leopard tortoise in the next couple of weeks and while outdoor time will be limited, it will be an option. I will, of course, have to closely supervise outdoor time but I would also like to microchip him should the worst case scenario occur and he were to get lost. With that said, I have a few questions/concerns -

1 - Would it be better to have it done when he arrives as he is already going to be stressed from the process? A get it over with stance? Or should I wait a few week to a month once he is settled and doing well so he has a better chance of bouncing back from something that will obviously be stressful.

2 - My vet said they place it in the shoulder - is that the proper place for it?

3 - Finally, I have seen some of the users here adhere tags to their tortoise's shells, would there be anything wrong about doing this with his microchip number? I shudder at the thought of adhering a phone number that could change for whatever reason but at least a microchip lasts for 20 years regardless. If so, are there any good posts on what adherents are tortoise-safe?

Thank you in advance!

 

[JoesMum]

Joe had his chip in the front shoulder.

I assume your tort will not be full grown. If anything is stuck to the shell it needs to be wholly within a single plate.

 

[shehick]

@JoesMum No, he will not be full grown. I was actually considering having a custom 1/2" D ring made to use so it would never need to be changed and I could fix the tag as needed. I've done nothing but search and browse this forum for three days now so I am just trying to cover areas I did not see in those searches.

 

[deadheadvet]

Tortoise needs to be of a decent size. We typically put in the left rear leg high up on the thigh under the skin in the prefemoral fossa. It's gonna bleed so best if tortoise was over 500gr.

 

[shehick]

@deadheadvet Around how long does it take for a leopard tortoise to hit that weight? My guy will be a hatchling and with some warmer weather upon us, my main concerns stemmed from the near future.

 

[deadheadvet]

Should be about the right size for microchipping end of year 2

 

[RosemaryDW]

@JoesMum No, he will not be full grown. I was actually considering having a custom 1/2" D ring made to use so it would never need to be changed and I could fix the tag as needed.

Is that a kind of chip? How would the ring be attached? (I've not yet chipped but we are considering it.)

 

[CoopScoopMe]

I will consider getting my tortoises chipped.

 

[wellington]

I would like to know what you plan on doing with the ring too? Do not drill a hole through the shell to attach the ring thru. If you make a safe outdoor enclosure, with a fenced top to prevent critters and birds from getting your baby it would be safe. A hatchling should only be outside during 75 and above temps and only an hour or so daily is plenty of time. They need a high humidity and the proper indoor enclosure is a better way to control their temps and humidity. They should still get outdoor time, but it doesn't have to be all day. When your tort is around 2-3, closer to 3 I think is better is when you can build a night box and let him/her live outside 24/7 This also depends on the size it has put on.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

At least one local vet here in San Diego will epoxy an identifier on a rear marginal. California Desert Tortoises need a permit for being in captivity and that is one purpose. A name of the owner and the vets practice number can work as well.

As for chips, many opinions on them. I chip hundreds of mice when they are about 20 grams in weight, the exact same chip that could go in a 500 pound tortoise. Surgical glue will suture the small wound from the syringe used to place the chip, bleeding will be minimal if at all.

I also chip several hundred Diamond back Terrapins when they were in the 50 to 70 gram range before release back into the wild for natural history work with that species.

The thing with chips is they are more or less invisible, unless someone looks with a scanner on purpose, or it is seen in a radio-graph, no will notice it, so they have reduced value in a Lost and Found recovery or theft recovery.

The epoxied label will be seen almost no matter, and it's removal will be visible as shell damage should someone be "tricky".

As shell patterns are unique, a good clear photo of the tortoise and a closeup of the first few vertebral scutes can be used to identify pretty much any tortoise, even if they are near pattern-less like a sulcata or Asian Forest Tortoise.

Commercial breeders in Britain chip tortoises for sale as the law requires.

As for stress on the tortoise. If done by a competent vet who has chipped many, the tortoise will be more stressed by the handling, and transport than the actual chip placement procedure. It makes sense to combine more than one reason to visit a vet, so if you might have a physical exam done that would be a good time to also get the tortoise chipped.

Even though the mice I chip are only 20 grams or so, they are near adult in growth, so that is only somewhat comparable to a 20 gram tortoise that may grow to several kilos. During all that growth chips can migrate. Chips are made with a surface intended to have the animals tissue bind to it and reduce movement, but that takes a several days to weeks to fully work. It does not seem to be a hindrance to the animals though.

I have not found any literature in BioPhrama or Vet journals that indicate a chip has caused harm after being placed and the syringe site healed.

@HermanniChris chips some if not all of his tortoises to keep them straight for studbook identification. Chris, do you have a weight you use as a threshold for chipping?

 

[shehick]

The ring I was talking about is a custom made D-RING not something that would need to be drilled through the shell. I am in contact with someone who makes hand-made rings and fastens and am going to order a 1/2" D-ring with a flat side to it that will be adhered to a scute by my vet. Whether I go this route or not, I will order it and have it on hand. With the ring attached, once microchipped I can add the microchip tag or I could simply have a small dog ID tag made with my info and the microchip info.

While my vet seemed semi-knowledgeable regarding tortoises, she is no exotic vet and I am 6+ hours from the only one even close to me listed in the vet section of this forum so it really isn't an option. I will take your weight recommendations rather than ask her just because I know her knowledge is limited.

Regarding the outdoor enclosure, due to location and how sporadic those warm days are, an outdoor pen isn't really an option. That is why I am concerned with tagging him. All keep in mind that I live in rural Alaska and our highs for the year are 75. We are pushing 60-65 here and there right now but it's only Spring. He will have a 6x3ft planted, UV lit enclosure to live in so he will be covered even if we don't get warm enough. I just like to have the option and not have to worry about these things if the opportunity arrises.

 

[HermanniChris]

I'll chip them when they are nearing the 4" mark. I chip most of our collection and plan to do them all at some point but with several hundred specimens here it gets costly. I love it though, really works nicely and I also invested in my own scanner which I highly recommend.

 

[shehick]

Do you see any adverse effects of chipping them that small, @HermanniChris?

 

[HermanniChris]

Not at all. The don't even flinch and immediately resume normal activity after being chipped. Using betadine on the area helps to prevent infection.

 

[shehick]

I'll pick some up before going, then. Does it typically bleed like stated above? I can ask my vet about a liquid suture or something of the sort but I have a feeling it is going to make my bill skyrocket - which, of course, I'd really prefer to avoid. The microchip alone is $70.

 

[HermanniChris]

If they bleed at all (which they normally do not) I clean it up a bit using betadine and that's it and I of course make sure it doesn't start up again. Maybe even give a little pat on the back end as a "get over it kid".

If they were to bleed profusely, I would certainly do something but this has never, ever happened.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Bob was about 90 pounds when he was chipped. She did it in the back of his neck. There was no bleeding and no adverse effects. I chipped him because he use to go for unsupervised walks. But I wouldn't chip a baby. I'd just make an escape proof pen. A baby should be in the house in a humid hide anyway. One or two hours a week with you supervising is about all the outside time he needs.

 

[Lyn W]

Regarding the outdoor enclosure, due to location and how sporadic those warm days are, an outdoor pen isn't really an option

We have same problem with temps in UK. My tort lives indoors for the majority of the year in his own room, but I use a collapsible rabbit enclosure that I bought off Amazon (with added sight barriers around the bottom) for Lola so that he can get some real uvb when it's warm enough. Many people use kiddie paddling pools to contain their torts for short supervised spells too.