On the subject of keeping records...

Do you keep records and what is your method?

  • Yep, I use a notebook and keep detailed records (feeding, molts, rehouse, purchase date, etc)

    Votes: 13 22.8%
  • Yep, I use detailed, individual cards I keep on each T's enclosure.

    Votes: 1 1.8%
  • Yeah, but I only record major events in a log (molt, rehouse, purchase, breeding)

    Votes: 10 17.5%
  • Yes, I use a digital solution like an excel spreadsheet

    Votes: 14 24.6%
  • Yes, but I use a different method (Please elaborate)

    Votes: 8 14.0%
  • No, your guess is as good as mine on when that T last molted

    Votes: 11 19.3%

  • Total voters
    57

spiderbesideher

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 17, 2015
Messages
76
I used the Tarantulas app for a long time but didn't like how I couldn't compare in one viewing pane. Switched to an Excel sheet and it's great! Usually I update it once a month within anything big going on in the collection...molts, rehouses, fasting, newbies...
 

StampFan

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 12, 2017
Messages
756
Molts only. Paper log book. Used to record feeding, but the paperwork took longer than the actual feeding, and that's not much fun.
 

ccTroi

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
340
I started keeping records January 2018. I keep track of approximate molt dates (+/- 10 days) and whether an unsexed tarantula ate or not (modifying data if prey isn’t eaten). For nearly a year, I was record-keeping once a week for every tarantula (slings especially). I was doing maintenance (refill water, rehousing, cleaning, etc.) and feeding once a week. I used to do it with index cards and enter the records onto a spreadsheet online. Recently, I print out the spreadsheet and use a clipboard to record data (which will eventually update on spreadsheet).

Keeping records of when a sling ate and molted saves me a lot of time, and this alone justifies my doing so.

I don’t use my phone because I have too many specimens to care for that it would just drain my battery - plus it distracts me from doing what I gotta do :(
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
I only record molts, new additions and what size (I like seeing how long it takes different sp to mature), and whenever a sac drops.
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
I have a detailed two part system. The first consists of a monthly excel feeding schedule with the days of the month on the X axis and the individual tarantulas on the Y axis. I mark in each box whether they ate or not, or a ? so I can check and remove the next day. I mark P's when I see they are in pre-moult so I can skip them until they moult. I also mark M's for days after moulting that I can't feed them, which is the most important. I do that as soon as they moult - mark M's ahead X number of days. In the summer months, I can have a moult a day and there is no way I am keeping track without something to refer to. I also mark rehouses with an R. I print out a copy every month and keep it on a clipboard. It took me a hour to create it and I just copy it to the next month and make minor adjustments if I have added, or lost, any individuals.
The second part is a binder that I keep by type - Arboreal, Dwarf, Terrestrial - and then by genus and species alphabetically. Each individual has a page where I have the purchase date, from whom, size at purchase, cost, and sex if known. I transfer the rehouse and moult dates from the monthly schedule to those pages along with the size of each exuvia if possible. I do that at the end of each month when I have printed the new month. I also keep any significant occurrences in the binder notes - breeding notes, any health issues like moulting difficulties, at what moult/size I was able to determine sex, when I sent males out for breeding loans or when I sold them, and death dates.
I can tell you anything and everything about every tarantula, scorpion, amblypygi and snake I have ever had. I have a science background, so this kind of record keeping is second nature for me and I enjoy it.
 

SonsofArachne

Arachnoangel
Joined
Dec 10, 2017
Messages
961
I keep a list of all species I own (or owned) plus the sex, number of each species, etc. which you can see a modified version of in the information section of my profile page. Other than that I don't really need any records since I feed everything that needs fed on the same days every week and don't need molt records currently.
 

Scoly

Arachnobaron
Joined
Dec 4, 2013
Messages
488
I have debated starting a spreadsheet but that probably won't happen either. MAYBE i would use something if i could type a single line (similar to typing a linenof code into the trminal on the computer) in and it would auto fill the appropriate info to the appropriate spood.
Yay for terminal input!!!

I'm also working on a system, primarily to help us keep track of who owns what centipede species in which country so we can be more coordinated on the captive breeding front, because it's really not where it could be on the centipede side. Its primarily a logistics issue down to smaller volume of keepers, smaller clutch sizes but it also seems so many people keep centipedes without seeing a need to breed. Sadly this means certain species are/have already dropped out of captive circulation.

But seeing as I'm a reasonably competent programmer I figured I could make it into a full fledged tracking database too. I think I'll have something ready in a few weeks, so if you're interested in getting on board to help shape the system, or have any feature requests/bugbears about existing solutions please send me a PM.
 

dangerforceidle

Arachnoangel
Joined
Aug 4, 2017
Messages
780
I have a detailed two part system. The first consists of a monthly excel feeding schedule with the days of the month on the X axis and the individual tarantulas on the Y axis. I mark in each box whether they ate or not, or a ? so I can check and remove the next day. I mark P's when I see they are in pre-moult so I can skip them until they moult. I also mark M's for days after moulting that I can't feed them, which is the most important. I do that as soon as they moult - mark M's ahead X number of days. In the summer months, I can have a moult a day and there is no way I am keeping track without something to refer to. I also mark rehouses with an R. I print out a copy every month and keep it on a clipboard. It took me a hour to create it and I just copy it to the next month and make minor adjustments if I have added, or lost, any individuals.
I use a spreadsheet (Google Sheets, so stored in 'the cloud') in a similar manner to this.



Example columns, which are roughly colour coded to the tarantula. I mark 'm' for moult; 'e.f.' for exuvia found if I don't witness them moulting (if they're fossorial and simply throw the moult out, or if they moult while I'm away); 'rh' for rehousing. I will mark 'R' next to uneaten food that is removed.

Yes, the P. auratus is fed a lot but I'll be slowing her down now, and most of the food items are pretty small compared to her.

Each year gets their own tab in the spreadsheet.
 

Andrew Clayton

Arachnobaron
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
579
I use the tarantula app for android it records moult, feeding, temps it has a bit to leave notes and a bit for pics
 

Rigor Mortis

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Messages
498
I was going to keep a journal on my T's but knowing how glacially slow they're going to grow I figure it's probably not necessary.
 

volcanopele

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
74
I use an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of feedings, molts, basic information about each individual (like species name, purchase data, and seller), and an area for other notes. Each individual gets a sheet in the work book. For feedings, I keep track of when I fed, how many feeders, whether the spider actually ate or not (yes, no, yes? for when I see no feeder but I didn’t actually witness the spider eating), and the type and size of the feeder.

Is this ridiculous? Probably, and I wouldn’t expect most people to perform this kind of record keeping for something they consider a hobby. I consider this a hobby but for me, part of my enjoyment is being able to keep track of the habits of all my tarantulas.
 

Attachments

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
So I'd like to get a better sense of how many people keep records, how detailed they are, and what are their methods.
I have an Excel spreadsheet that has one tab for information like the scientific and common names, sex (if known), names (if they have one), where and when I got them, how much I paid, and what size they were when I got them.

That spreadsheet has a second tab for more detailed individual records with events like molts and rehousings. (I don't record every feeding, just the first post-molt feed.)
 

CommanderBacon

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
498
I use a small notebook to keep track of my critters, their care, who I bought them from, when, molts, etc. I bought more T's though and need more lines, so I'm making a planner with templated pages.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Cool idea, but a computer is far less reliable than a pencil and paper. The latter is also faster. :D
 

l4nsky

Aspiring Mad Genius
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
1,074
Cool idea, but a computer is far less reliable than a pencil and paper. The latter is also faster. :D
Nothing wrong with the old fashioned approach, but if each animal and each action had scannable barcodes and regular backups were done, I believe the approach would be more advantageous. Plus I'm a big data nerd and the more the better to spot trends and make predictions via something like Pandas and Python. This will probably be my summer project.

Thanks,
--Matt
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Nothing wrong with the old fashioned approach, but if each animal and each action had scannable barcodes and regular backups were done, I believe the approach would be more advantageous. Plus I'm a big data nerd and the more the better to spot trends and make predictions via something like Pandas and Python. This will probably be my summer project.

Thanks,
--Matt
Trends? Predictions? Such as eating, molting and pooping?? Hahaha

This isn’t the finance sector where quants are needed hah. Have fun!
 

asunshinefix

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 2, 2017
Messages
55
Cool idea, but a computer is far less reliable than a pencil and paper. The latter is also faster. :D
Ah, I have trouble writing by hand because of a stupid disease I have. I tried but it wasn't worth it for me
 

l4nsky

Aspiring Mad Genius
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
1,074
Trends? Predictions? Such as eating, molting and pooping?? Hahaha

This isn’t the finance sector where quants are needed hah. Have fun!
Lmfao, yes I want to see if their is any correlation between my T's bowel movement frequency and the need to fill the water bowl.

Im not really that obsessive... Actually I was looking more towards accurately predicting molts, feeding consistency impact on maturation vs meal size, etc. Just little questions I have, nothing publishable, just my own curiosity.
 
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