Tank Lables

[PeterF]

There is two separate questions here;

1: We are looking to make labels for our various arthropod tanks. Latin and common names, Proper name of specimen, region of origin, donation info if relevant.

We were thinking of index card sized notes that were laminated.

Any suggestion for affixing them to glass tanks and plastic critter keepers? I am against tape because it looks terrible after a few months, and doesn't always stay. Any experiences? White glue? I remember in my youth it sticking to windows, I don't remember if it washed off...

2: The undergrads that help out in the zoo (light cleaning, misting, feeding) don't always remember who gets what, and don't always read care sheets when they forget. Some are great, but not all. After the one kid misted the oatmeal substrate for the superworms, and someone keeps combining water and fruit/vegetables in one dish in the roach tank...

I wanted small notes for care to go on the tank. I was thinking color coded dots, like are sold at most office supply stores (they are about the size of your thumb print).

For example: light blue for misting, blue for water dish, green for cabbage, red for fruit, orange for citrus, etc.

Right now I am using post its, but don't want to keep that. Does anyone have any experience with anything?

Does anyone think the office dots will work? Stay stuck? Fall off? Turn manky too soon?

They are cheap, so I can replace them when I clean the tanks, but I don't want to replace them all the time. Can I use tazers on undergrads?

 

[DannyN]

There is two separate questions here;

1: We are looking to make labels for our various arthropod tanks. Latin and common names, Proper name of specimen, region of origin, donation info if relevant.

We were thinking of index card sized notes that were laminated.

Any suggestion for affixing them to glass tanks and plastic critter keepers? I am against tape because it looks terrible after a few months, and doesn't always stay. Any experiences? White glue? I remember in my youth it sticking to windows, I don't remember if it washed off...

2: The undergrads that help out in the zoo (light cleaning, misting, feeding) don't always remember who gets what, and don't always read care sheets when they forget. Some are great, but not all. After the one kid misted the oatmeal substrate for the superworms, and someone keeps combining water and fruit/vegetables in one dish in the roach tank...

I wanted small notes for care to go on the tank. I was thinking color coded dots, like are sold at most office supply stores (they are about the size of your thumb print).

For example: light blue for misting, blue for water dish, green for cabbage, red for fruit, orange for citrus, etc.

Right now I am using post its, but don't want to keep that. Does anyone have any experience with anything?

Does anyone think the office dots will work? Stay stuck? Fall off? Turn manky too soon?

They are cheap, so I can replace them when I clean the tanks, but I don't want to replace them all the time. Can I use tazers on undergrads?

Labelers work great, I use them for labeling both mantis and reptile enclosures. Not sure how expensive they are but you will definetly get lots of use out of it and its handheld with neat handwriting. Cant go wrong with that.

 

[MrPitseleh]

How bout sticky tack? I think the dots would work, if you're making these labels yourself couldn't you just put the dots on before you laminate the labels so you don't have to replace them?

 

[DannyN]

How bout sticky tack? I think the dots would work, if you're making these labels yourself couldn't you just put the dots on before you laminate the labels so you don't have to replace them?

Im not quite sure what your talking about with the sticky tack. I was talking about a label maker that has paper inside of it that has already laminated paper and already sticky paper.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Im not quite sure what your talking about with the sticky tack. I was talking about a label maker that has paper inside of it that has already laminated paper and already sticky paper.

He wasn't answering your post but the original one. Both the idea of the sticky tack and of laminating the dots with the label seem workable. The real difficulty will be in getting the kids to learn what each colored dot represents!

 

[sporeworld]

I'm surrounded by Seiko "Smart Label Printers" which are easy to use, fast and already sticky on the back (there are various types of adhesive strengths you can buy). But your idea of the laminated cards is good, especially if you use velcro to adhere it to the tank (assuming you don't have spiteful staff that would swap them around).

I've wrapped labels around toothpicks and put the IN the enclosures (like a flag).

Hope that helped....

 

[Rick]

A simple label maker would be the easiest way.

 

[GreenOasis]

I would definitely use the tazer...at least once. (Should be all you need!)

Seriously, though, I have three teenagers and it doesn't matter what you write on the cards or what color "dots" you use, they think they know it all & are not going to look.

I would suggest a mandatory "workshop" that they have to attend, in which you go into detail on the specific care of each species. Make it no longer than, say, an hour or so...& provide a handout/caresheet for the species. Then, if someone DOES mess up again, you simply have another mandatory "meeting" to discuss ways to improve the animals' care. I guarantee you, the first time someone has to miss a date or be late for a party because they had to go to a meeting, care will improve. And yes, you MUST make them ALL go to the meetings, even if you knew who screwed up & could've directly talked to them! Why? Because then they will police each other so that they don't get stuck in meetings again. Keep meetings "light" & don't be all jerky, of course, but make them mandatory nonetheless and don't even let your best students skip them.

Of course, you could still make cards, etc, if you want &/or think it would help...I just think, personally, that cutting into "their" time will make more of a difference in the long run!

They sell nifty card-holder thingies at Klubertanz, btw. Might not be the most cost-effective option, but they do look "neat".

-Carey Kurtz-

 

[PeterF]

Well, the cards are just to ID the tank contents, help visitors to the zoo and help with out reach. It has less to do with bad help.

I think if this were in my home, I would use the label maker.

But I can't quite see it in this setting. I like the sticky tack, and I like the velcro.

Also, he putting the dots on the cards was something I thought of about 5 minutes after posting, so I will look more at that.

As for mandatory meetings for the undergrads. These kids are volunteers. It's not like they are getting class credit or pay or anything. I can only do so much before they just decide it's not worth it.

 

[sporeworld]

If you're crazy techy, and want big buzz factor, you can label them with "mobile bar codes". Anyone with a smart phone can download a free app that reads/scans them and takes you straight to a link. Tons of info at your fingertips. I use this when shopping for computers, as I can't keep looking back and forth accross the store for specs.

The extra-super cool thing is, that all those links are then saved on your phone for future viewings (or flipping through memory lane).

If you've got undergrads, they'll know what this is. See if they're interested... (of course, that means ALLOWING them to be on their phones - maybe a deal killer...)

 

[GreenOasis]

Well, the cards are just to ID the tank contents, help visitors to the zoo and help with out reach. It has less to do with bad help.

I think if this were in my home, I would use the label maker.

But I can't quite see it in this setting. I like the sticky tack, and I like the velcro.

Also, he putting the dots on the cards was something I thought of about 5 minutes after posting, so I will look more at that.

As for mandatory meetings for the undergrads. These kids are volunteers. It's not like they are getting class credit or pay or anything. I can only do so much before they just decide it's not worth it.

Even better! Get rid of the bad ones! (Unless you are really desperate for their help, but...I've found it's easier to just do things myself, rather than have to go back & fix someone else's mistakes constantly! Have I mentioned I have teenagers? )

Okay, so, for labels, you could use blank 3 x 5 index cards, printed (on a printer, or some such device) & then placed in some sort of protective plastic sleeve (might be able to find these at an office supply store) & then either sticky tack or velcroed in place. That's about as professional as it gets on a budget.

SporeWorld: NICE IDEA! However, not all of us have 3rd (or even 2nd!) generation "smart" phones. (You can probably tell how much I actually know about cell phones by now!) They'll still need the labels for the 2% of the population (like me) who don't have that kind of access/techno-savvy.

-Carey Kurtz-

 

[sporeworld]

Bah! I mean, you're RIGHT, but "bah"!