We had a micro-chipping party at the terrapin hatchery on campus yesterday and today to microchip some 300 terrapins. The information from these 300 terrapins — microchip number, weight, straight carapace length (SCL) and straight carapace width (SCW) will be sent to our sponsor, Aquaria KLCC.

This time around, we used a different micro-chipping technique which I learned from the researchers at The Wetlands Institute in New Jersey, US, rather than the previous method which was used by the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

The new technique involves the insertion of the microchip into the inguinal pocket (flap of skin right above the leg), whereas the previous technique involved the insertion of the microchip into the leg muscle, which was more difficult. We all agree that the new technique is easier on both the terrapins, as well as the person doing the micro-chipping because:

• it is easier to inject the microchip under the skin than into the leg,
• we do not need to use the surgical glue to seal the small hole left by the syringe (plus, the surgical glue is not easily available in Malaysia), and
• the terrapins can be placed into water immediately after.

But of course, we would be monitoring the terrapins from time to time since this is the first time we’re deploying the new technique, and we would also check the microchips to ensure that they do not migrate elsewhere under the skin.

Many thanks to the turtle team — Nurul, Fong, Zam and Chong Leng — for helping out! :D

• River Terrapin Updates
• Helping to save Aceh’s terrapins
• A bit of this and that
• Microchips in young terrapins
• Back in Mangkok after the CNY break