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Dose anyone know of a way humane to mark turtles for a capture and reliese research study? The spiece in question Clemmys marmorata marmorata?
My reptile collection and research

I work with plymouth red-bellied turtles, in a head start program, and each turtle has a specific pattern of man-made notches in the back part of its carapace, according to the numbers of each plate, this is very humane, and I do it for fun with turtles I catch in my lake, to see if I catch them again, or find them smashed in the road. you can use nail clippers, but read up on it first so you know how to do it properly.
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- Happy herping!

KE

Yes, notches are a common way to mark turtles. Just count the marginal scutes and mark which one(s) you want, then keep them on record. So for example, if you marked the 7th scute on the left side, you would call it L7. We did this with all of the turtles at the zoo I use to volunteer at. They used a small file.

The SSAR has a pamphlet that covers this topic pretty well. I can't think of the title but if you do a search in their catalog I'm sure you can find it.

Also ask at Bibliomania.
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I did a study of the E. Box turtle a few years back (T. Carolina) Each turtle was marked with an epoxy paint pen that I picked up at Home Depot (I think...might have been Lowes) I used #'s (001-100) marked on the rear of the carapace...kinda like a license plate for the turtle All were assigned GPS coordinates and logged for habitat data, weight, sex, and many other variables....none of which probably matters to you....now about the epoxy pens....
I haven't looked for them for a while, but I'm sure that someone still makes them. They were about the size of a thick "highlighter" and came in several different colors...I had orange and white ones. When you shook them, they had a "mixing bead" inside. Before tagging the turtle, I took some alcohol pads and cleaned the area, let it dry a minute or 2, then marked the #. This study went on for 8 months, and the turtles that were found early on and also towards the end of the study still had a highly visible #. As a side note, the summer after the study, while photographing Queen snakes, I found 2 of the marked turtles...still visable #'s. Will it work on water turtles...I can't say for sure, but I assume if the turtle was dry when the paint was applied, it would last for a while.....just my 2 cents. ECO

Thank you very much for the replies. I was more looking to buy something on ebay to try and save money but I will look at that website. Thanks again.
My reptile collection and research

I use them on RES and painted species of turtles before re-releasing my finds with weight, size, a number, date and phone number for how far they might be found at later dates. The paint seems to last anywheres from 2 to 3 years in most cases. I've had some returned to me or I was called on a few years later and the farthest one was re-fond by a person about 3 miles away due to a irrigating canal ( yep , we have them in central Kansas )that over flooded or dried up. Although the marked turtles were under a mid-severe drought and later more rain than previously in the last year. The 3 miler was found in a small river south. Others were found or re-found in sewer lagoons or crossing a road where there was no evidence of water around in which most of my first finds are of the same coincidence. Not very scientific on my part but it worked for me and CHEAP !

Just be sure to have your California state research permit up to date, and remember that many marking methods compromise survivorship (i.e. marked animals may die sooner or be preyed upon sooner than non-marked individuals). There's some reading you should do before you get out there and do it-
Eric

Thank you very much. I will do plenty of reading. Can someone provide links? I do not want my markings to have any adverse affects on the research subjects, there population has diminished dramatically enough as it is. This is why I want to find a safe humane way of marking. I understand marking with colors will help predators spot them better and give them little or no chance of hiding at all, I imagine this is what you refer to but how ells can marking affect them adversely? Thanks in advance.
My reptile collection and research

Jason-
in addition to the effect that the actual mark on an animal may have, the act of capturing and handling the animal is very stressful to it and can have implications for survivorship. For example, when desert tortoises are handled their stress hormone level goes through the roof, even though outwardly they may not act stressed. Then, when releaed, they may make atypical movements such as long straight-line movements away from the area. For most animals, to move is to increase risk of mortality, so you would expect survivorship to decrease when this happens. Also, several predators (coyotes, foxes) follow scent trails and may actually follow your path to the area at which you processed and released an animal. Those are just a couple of considerations, and the obvious goal is to minimize the possibility that those or other impacts occur.
As for references, herpetologists follow the animal welfare protocol outlined here: http://www.asih.org/pubs/herpcoll.html

Indeed, some publications will not accept your research if you did not adhere to this document's recommendations. For techniques, the standard turtle marking reference is: Cagle, 1939. A SYSTEM OF MARKING TURTLES FOR FUTURE IDENTIFICATION. Copiea 1939: 170-173. Two other publications are worth consulting. Look at the herp marking chapters in: Cooperrider et al. 1986. INVENTORY AND MONITORING OF WILDLIFE HABITAT. BLM PUBLICATION, and: Bookhout, T. A. 1996. RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR WILDLIFE AND HABITATS-The Wildlife Society publication. Both chapters will provide many more references for you. You should be able to find these references at the California State University, Sacramento, library. They had them there when I attended-

As for paint pens, I am currently using them on a study of Sonoran mud turtles. For these turtles they are not a long-term marking method, and the marks wear off in 7-30 days. I suspect the duration for which they'll last on western pond turtles will depend on the habitat, however, if they're spending time away from water burrowing (estivating) I suspect they won't last very long.

That's it for now, and I hope this helps. Maybe we'll run into each other in northern California. I am currently finishing up a project there, and have been going back and forth to Roseville every couple of months. Good luck-
Eric