Note on microchipping

Someone mentioned microchipping as a way to ID turtles for aquaculture/captive breeding. I have heard from various field researchers/environmental consultants that 50 mm carapace length is the smallest size that a turtle can be safely microchipped. That’s a small turtle, but still larger than a hatchling. Remember that it’s a 12 gauge needle being used to implant the chip (for those that don’t know, the smaller the gauge, the larger the needle). I believe that Ohio requires a native turtle to be microchipped at 4″ under their native reptile permit system. Katrina