Got A Group of Red Ackies

Tom

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I'm curious... What did you mark them with? I know there are nontoxic options... I just don't know what the good ones are.
Its non-toxic kids nail polish. My daughter wasn't using it, so I commandeered it a few years ago. Been marking hatchling tortoises with it for years.

Not sure how long it will last. I'll probably have to re-do it periodically when they molt.
 

Calaveras

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In addition to reptiles, I keep honeybees. The pens they use for marking queens Should be ideal for marking reptiles. They can be pricey ($9-15 each), but work well and stay colorful for years (on a bee anyway)

I have relied on taking weights and photos of each Turtle before hibernating as the pattern of spots on my turtles are distinctive enough to tell them apart. There are a bunch of wildfires raging in the area and the last time I was evacuated for 10 days and I just placed all the turtles in a plastic ice chest in smaller containers. If I had to do that today it would really mess me up when I got home and tried to separate them. If I try it I will report back.
 

Tom

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In addition to reptiles, I keep honeybees. The pens they use for marking queens Should be ideal for marking reptiles. They can be pricey ($9-15 each), but work well and stay colorful for years (on a bee anyway)

I have relied on taking weights and photos of each Turtle before hibernating as the pattern of spots on my turtles are distinctive enough to tell them apart. There are a bunch of wildfires raging in the area and the last time I was evacuated for 10 days and I just placed all the turtles in a plastic ice chest in smaller containers. If I had to do that today it would really mess me up when I got home and tried to separate them. If I try it I will report back.
I was supposed to start some hives this spring. Covid killed that plan, along with so much else...

I've seen the marked queens several times on jobs with my beekeeper friends. Usually a light green. I'll have to look into this. Thanks for the suggestion.
 

Calaveras

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I was supposed to start some hives this spring. Covid killed that plan, along with so much else...

I've seen the marked queens several times on jobs with my beekeeper friends. Usually a light green. I'll have to look into this. Thanks for the suggestion.
The color designates the year the Queen was born.
I tried the queen marking pen this week on a water turtle. It washed off after a couple days so a failure. I am going to have to go with the nail polish after all.
 

Tom

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The color designates the year the Queen was born.
I tried the queen marking pen this week on a water turtle. It washed off after a couple days so a failure. I am going to have to go with the nail polish after all.
Okay. Thanks for the info. The queens I've seen were marked with green. Now that you mention it, I also recall a blue one several years ago... Live and learn.
 

Tom

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Mrs. Green dot left me another present:
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The one egg was double size and kind of hard. It was stuck to the one next to it, so I left them together, rather than risk tearing the normal egg while trying to separate them.

They went in the incubator today, so this should make a nice Christmas present!
 

Tom

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@Tom So how did the clutch come out?
None of the eggs are turning out. I'm trying some different things. No success yet. I've tried three different media. I've got SIMS trays with no media now, and I've moved the nesting box away from the heat source. I suspect the eggs were getting too hot after laying. Several eggs in the world now, and one of the females is just about ready to lay again.
 

Cherryshell

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None of the eggs are turning out. I'm trying some different things. No success yet. I've tried three different media. I've got SIMS trays with no media now, and I've moved the nesting box away from the heat source. I suspect the eggs were getting too hot after laying. Several eggs in the world now, and one of the females is just about ready to lay again.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya. I've wanted in Ackie for a while but couldn't get my other half on-board with a lizard but she's a fan of tortoises lol
 

Yvonne G

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It's sad to see so many of our regulars who posted on the first couple pages of this thread, no longer visit the Forum.
 

Tom

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Have you had any luck with clutches this year?
I found a guy who was looking for a group. He has an amazing giant enclosure with a separate egg laying chamber underneath that the lizards can go into. I decided to let him have them. All was going great last I heard.
 

Cherryshell

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I found a guy who was looking for a group. He has an amazing giant enclosure with a separate egg laying chamber underneath that the lizards can go into. I decided to let him have them. All was going great last I heard.

Well its awesome you were able to find someone to take the group, it sucks you weren't able to produce babies. I was rooting for ya lol! Do you think you'd try again in the future?
 

Tom

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Well its awesome you were able to find someone to take the group, it sucks you weren't able to produce babies. I was rooting for ya lol! Do you think you'd try again in the future?
Probably. I love the species. I just have an awful large plate with an awful lot on it.
 

Tom

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Well its awesome you were able to find someone to take the group, it sucks you weren't able to produce babies. I was rooting for ya lol! Do you think you'd try again in the future?
The guy I sold them to sent me this picture today out of the blue! SUCCESS!
tempImagezygnks.png
 

Tom

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I'm so happy for the guy that bought them, so happy for the lizards living a great life in a great enclosure, and so happy that more of this species is being created for others to enjoy. Everybody wins.
 

Cherryshell

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I'm so happy for the guy that bought them, so happy for the lizards living a great life in a great enclosure, and so happy that more of this species is being created for others to enjoy. Everybody wins.
Big one, such amazing little monitors. If I could convince my wife to let me have a lizard, it'd be one of these guys
 
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