!Calling all Parents that have Reptiles!

Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

For tracking, you might want to check out iherp.com, it's an online tracking system where you set up your animals and keep track online of who fed, what they ate, shed, cleaned, etc and using the 'dashboard' function it will show you how long ago someone ate so you (or your husband/bfs) can easily see who needs to be fed next. Not sure if it's easier or more time consuming than keeping paper charts but personally I prefer it over all those spiral bound notebooks I used to have.
Good luck!!

Originally Posted by nickolasanastasiou

I use Excel since I already have the MS Office suite.

I love both of those ideas. Not sure how well my husband would understand using either or remember to use it for that matter. I was thinking a big dry erase board to mark cleaning/eating on for each animal or pulling a note out of breeder's books and attaching an index card to each cage and you just write down the date of each cleaning/feeding.

I have been in this situation before and learned a few tricks that made things easier. Bulk bulk bulk, food and supplies for at least 4-6 months, that way if things get difficult for a while you don't run out. Boil a few gallons of water and store them in airtight containers. Tupperware is your friend. Keep a few extra large tubs with locking lids to use as temp cages. This way if there is a big mess and you don't have time to clean a cage, just move the snake, make the hubby clean it when he gets home lol Or you can when you have time. Same thing for water bowls. Preparedness makes all the difference in the world when you have maximum unpredictablity with a baby. If things are set up this way you can handle emergencies and family/friends can help with everything else when they are there. I am sure you thought of most of this already.

Gerone Chandler, Yup already got most of that. I only buy f/t mice/rats in bulk because for one it's cheaper anyway as well as more convenient and I got a container separating system in my freezer that I use to store them by size and in the quantity needed each week so you just open the container with the size you need, grab a pre counted bag, and throw it on the counter to thaw. Can't do this with crickets but everything else I use as food I breed myself or pick up at a show in bulk with the f/t mice/rats. I'm always picking up cheap second hand equipment (heat mats, dishes, hides, plants) to store away in case something breaks or I get an unplanned ahead new reptile say as a rescue or rare expo find. I have several tubs around to use as feeder boxes, transport boxes, or temp cages again for unplanned ahead new reptiles. I de-chlorinate my water by letting it sit open for at least 24 hours and I have a plan on how to rearrange how I do this so I can have more water ready to go at a single moment. The big boa and python cages will take up the place where the Gatorade water bottles are currently sitting anyway so after the boa's quarantined is up it's temp Exo Terra w/stand will be moving to the snake wall then I'll keep tall flat juice bottles of water inside the stand and move the substrate bag currently in there to another plastic draw storage unit (gonna get another one like what I have to stack on top of the one I have the tongs, calcium powder, feeder worms, etc in currently so it's all away from wondering hands).