To chip or not to chip?

[S25ALE]

Hiya it seems to be the season for loosing tortoises ive head 2 stories this week and its only thursday! Anyway its left me thinking maybe i should get my Horsfield and Leopard chipped they both have a secure run but you just never know.
Just wanted to know peoples opinions on chipping.

[sandy]

I only chip a tortoise if I have to for breeding purposes. I dont like putting something invasive
into a tortoise if I dont have too.
If a tortoise is stolen, you might have a small chance of getting it back through chipping. But
only a small one. As usually advertising, posters and checking with local vets or the police will
do the same job.
If you dont have a tortoise chipped, then taking a picture of the carapace and plasteron with
something to measure against in the picture, can work just as well for ownership. As no two
tortoises have the same markings etc.

[S25ALE]

Thanks for the advise Sandy, i'll get the old camera out and get snapping instead!

[Pussygalore]

I thought I had to get mine chipped on the certificate which came with them ( fromTT ) it says that they must be chipped when they reach 100mm when the cert becomes invalid as the tort no longer fits the description stated which is for a tort less than 100mm. What happens if I don,t have them done.

[sandy]

They only have to be chipped if you are going to sell them. If they are under four inchs in length
then they are to small to be chipped.
I personally think six inchs is too small to be chipped. The chips are quite large to go into such
small tortoises.
If you had photo's and the original paperwork, they can alway check with the original breeder.

[shootinglou79]

i find chipping horrible as one of my margs suffered from this, it had to be removed due to the fact that the actual chip was poking out which made the leg swell and made it quite sure and tender, lucky for the tort i caught it in time before an infection kicked in, he/she is now fine, personally i'd leave it for a while yet, longer the better, i just bought a male ibera, he measures 2cm's under 4 inch, so he just made the none chipping mark so to speak lol.

[sandy]

My first ever hatchling is now nine and she has not been chipped, and wont be until I reach
the time I cant look after my tortoises any more.

[shootinglou79]

must be a great feeling to of bred her and watch her grown up, are you going to breed from her sandy?

[sandy]

Hopefully I will breed from Bramble. I have kept my females seperated from the males this
year to give them a rest. But will put them together for a short time next year.

[shootinglou79]

good luck :wink: