hello, i have just enquired at my vets about chipping my tortoises. The proceedure was explained as making a small incision in the leg to place the chip and then applying glue to seal the wound. Is this standard practice ?and is it a safe proceedure ? Barbara ann

Hi Barbara ann, it is really only necessary to chip your torts if you are planning to breed or sell them. 

The chip that is inserted is the same chip that is put in cats and dogs, the chip is inserted into the back leg.   If you are planning to have this done wait until they are a good size.  

Regards Vivienne

Hi Vivienne, my torts are breeding, i had six hatchlings last year and im hoping to be lucky again this year.

DEFRA have asked for the chips to be done but i wanted to make sure its a safe and correct proceedure ive been offered.

Regards Barbara ann

Hi Barbara, I have only heard of vets injecting the chip as they do with dogs.  We have heard that there are newer style chips now for use on torts they are non-migratory, as the older chips often injected in the leg would move from the implanted position, and with the new chips we are not sure if they have to be fitted so far below skin level.

Make sure your vet is a tortoise specialist vet, see our list of vets on the left hand side, if he is this may be another new way of chipping torts.  Please let us know how you get on, it will be of benefit to us all!

Regards Vivienne

Hi Barbara, just to say all my adults are chipped. the procedure can look a bit gruesome as thier skin does not retract back like ours so they do have to use tissue glue on the hole, its done in the back leg, but to be honest my torts have all tolerated it well with no adverse effects of chip migration (so far) at all! they have all been done with a syringe at a reptile vets, so just to echo, make sure it is a reptile vet that does it.

Jacqui