Microchipping

[Serpant_Lady]

Just your thoughts, as I have heard of it happening and was wondering how common it is and whether this is a thing of the future for herp owners

 

[Tsubakai]

I will have all mine chipped. I just have to find out who does it in my area

All my dogs are chipped. It won't stop them being stolen if someone wants them but it will mean I can firmly identify them if/when they turn up again.

I've also had a monitored alarm system installed to help deter would be thieves.

 

[IsK67]

See also previous threads:
http://www.aussiepythons.com/showthread.php?t=45807
http://www.aussiepythons.com/showthread.php?t=50154

IsK

 

[geckodan]

I will have all mine chipped. I just have to find out who does it in my area

All my dogs are chipped. It won't stop them being stolen if someone wants them but it will mean I can firmly identify them if/when they turn up again.

I've also had a monitored alarm system installed to help deter would be thieves.

Any vet that can chip a dog can chip a reptile

 

[IsK67]

Any vet that can chip a dog can chip a reptile

Just because they can, doesn't necessarily mean they should.

I'd use a reptile vet.

IsK

 

[yommy]

But can scumbags remove the chip if the relise that the herp is chipped???
How noticable is it once they are place in.
Thinking of doing my animals and interested.
Like it has been memtioned may not stop them being taken but a better cause of return if found later on.

 

[Aussie Python Lover]

The microchip is very small and is undetectable under the skin but if these thieves had a scanner for detecting those type of things they can remove it as easy as it was put in.... This coming from a vet/snake breeder/ handler here in darwin.

 

[yommy]

next question for the people with chipped animals -
what's the cost involved per animal you wish to chip? Does it vary from vet to vet, state to state?

 

[FAY]

We have done our snakes....I have never been able to detect where it is, as hard as I have tried!

 

[TrueBlue]

as has been said they can easily be removed.
Best bet is to keep a full shed and do a scale count, as well as a couple of photos of the animal.
This will make identification easy if the snake is stolen.

 

[geckodan]

Just because they can, doesn't necessarily mean they should.

I'd use a reptile vet.

IsK

The technique is identical, if not easier in reptiles. I would certainly not hesitate to do it if your dog/cat vet is willing.

 

[geckodan]

We have done our snakes....I have never been able to detect where it is, as hard as I have tried!

Depends on the location. Sometimes they stand out like dogs balls, other times they migrate and become hidden well away from the implant site.

 

[BCJTC]

Depends on where you live too... I live in Knox City Council in Melbourne... When my dog got through the fence a couple of years ago, I rang everywhere, looked everywhere and had almost given up... I happened to be in Narre Warren and dropped past the pound there and sure enough, my dog was standing there wagging his tail at me. I asked why I wasn't notified of his arrival and they said "he had no collar on"... I said he is chipped and they replied "We have no chip reader"... It was under a council initiative that our pets were chipped and several years later I find out the council has no chip readers...***...???

 

[S. Punja]

I think this is a great idea so that when stolen herps get confiscated they can be identified

 

[S. Punja]

. I asked why I wasn't notified of his arrival and they said "he had no collar on"... I said he is chipped and they replied "We have no chip reader"... It was under a council initiative that our pets were chipped and several years later I find out the council has no chip readers...***...???

that is a good pount but if more people had there herps chipped than more confiscated stolen herps would be read for chips if cops know that herps are being chipped than they will read them for chips

 

[S. Punja]

*point

 

[Bakes]

The only benefit micro chipping has is if your dog/cat gets rounded up by the pound. They will scan it and if it beeps at them they can track you down. Not many snakes would get handed into pounds SO if you snakes get stolen you don't know who has done it, what good is a micro chip?

 

[steve6610]

i don't think it will help having them chipped, i agree with BCJTC, most places don't have the readers, and i also think the more pics and records you take will be a better way,

how many stolen snakes are found, the chance is very slim anyway,

i'd spend the money on putting in better security,

 

[geckodan]

The only benefit micro chipping has is if your dog/cat gets rounded up by the pound. They will scan it and if it beeps at them they can track you down. Not many snakes would get handed into pounds SO if you snakes get stolen you don't know who has done it, what good is a micro chip?

It comes down purely to proof of ownership. Beyond that it has little benefits for the private collection. Large collections may use it to keep track of similar specimens (e.g many zoos use them for recording individual identities within groups).

 

[bulla_iia]

Being there are recent studies, and I think they are unconfirmed at this point, but why chance it, that micro chipping increases your herp in forming cancerous cells, this was told to me by a very reliable herpetologist source that is now being required by a governing department to microchip all his snakes, and is now being looked at with frowns because he has done this, and not by his decision but because the government mandated it to be done.

I dont know to much about the tracking of these microchips that is implanted in the reptile, by I am as sure as gold that I dont see a point in it, that it is a waiste of time and money, as ponybug said, why not just use the money to beef up the security in the place they reside, not only will the reptiles be under higher security but so will nanna's antique crystal vase that has been passed down from generation to generation, you cant really put a microchip in the vase now can you? and that is not replaceable.