CrittrHavensCrittrHavens

Adding and Managing Your Pets (Crittrs)

Your digital companion for every scaly, slimy, and exotic friend. CrittrHavens makes pet management smooth and simple, so you can focus on what matters—your crittrs.

Whether you're welcoming your first gecko or managing a whole collection, you'll have everything organized and accessible. From basic details to daily care tracking, your pets get the attention they deserve.

New to CrittrHavens? Start with our Quickstart Guide to learn the basics, then return here for comprehensive pet management workflows.

Adding Your First Crittr

Ready to welcome a new friend to CrittrHavens? Adding your first crittr sets the foundation for all your care tracking.

  1. Tap the "+" button in the top-right corner of your crittrs list
  2. Name your crittr - this is the only required field, so make it count
  3. Choose your species from the dropdown or type your own if it's not listed
  4. Fill in the details that matter to you - everything else is optional
  5. Hit "Save" and you're all set

Your new crittr appears instantly in your collection, ready for care tracking and all the good stuff.

Understanding Required vs Optional Fields

CrittrHavens keeps things flexible. Only name and species are required—everything else flows with your style.

Required Fields

  • Name (1-100 characters) - What you call your crittr
  • Species - Essential for care recommendations and tracking

Optional Fields

  • Morph/Variety - Perfect for tracking genetics and unique traits
  • Sex - Male, Female, or Unknown if you're still figuring it out
  • Source - Where your crittr came from (breeder, expo, rescue, etc.)
  • Date of Birth - For automatic age calculation and growth tracking
  • Acquisition Date - When they joined your family
  • Feeding Frequency - Sets your care schedule reminders

You control what information matters for your setup. Add what's useful, skip what's not.

Species and Morph Selection

CrittrHavens knows the popular species, but your collection might be more unique. Both work perfectly.

Choosing Species

The dropdown includes common favorites:

  • Leopard Gecko
  • Bearded Dragon
  • Ball Python
  • Corn Snake
  • Crested Gecko
  • Blue Tongue Skink
  • Red-Eared Slider
  • Russian Tortoise
  • Axolotl
  • Fire-Bellied Toad
  • And several more...

Can't find your species? Just type it in. The system adapts to whatever you're keeping.

Adding Morphs

Morph tracking lets you note genetic variations and unique traits:

  • For reptiles: "Jungle," "Albino," "Piebald," "Citrus"
  • For amphibians: "Azureus," "Citronella"
  • Or whatever describes your crittr best

This field is totally flexible—use it for color patterns, genetic lines, or anything that makes your crittr special.

Setting Birth Dates and Age Calculation

Birth dates unlock automatic age tracking and growth milestones. CrittrHavens handles the math so you don't have to.

  1. Tap the date field when adding or editing your crittr
  2. Select the birth date using the calendar picker
  3. Watch the magic happen - age appears automatically throughout the app

What Age Tracking Gets You

  • Current age displayed on crittr cards
  • Growth milestone tracking (see Growth & Measurement Tracking)
  • Age-appropriate care recommendations
  • Historical timeline of your crittr's life

Don't know the exact birth date? Estimate based on size when acquired, or leave it blank until you have more info.

Sex Identification Options

Sometimes you know, sometimes you don't. CrittrHavens works with both.

Choose from three options:

  • Male - Displays with colored badge
  • Female - Displays with colored badge
  • Unknown - Displays with colored badge, perfect for babies or difficult-to-sex species

Pro tip: You can always update this later as your crittr develops or after professional sexing.

Source Tracking

Keep track of where your crittrs came from. Great for health records and building relationships with good breeders.

Common Source Options

  • Pet Stores: PetSmart, Petco, Local Pet Store
  • Breeders: Online Breeder, Local Breeder
  • Events: Reptile Expo
  • Rescue: Rescue/Rehome
  • Online Retailers: Josh's Frogs, Pangea Reptile, The Bio Dude, and more
  • Marketplaces: Morph Market, Facebook Groups, Craigslist
  • Other: Gift/Trade, Other

Custom sources work too. Type in your local breeder's name or whatever fits your situation.

Assigning Crittrs to Habitats

Connect your crittrs to their homes for complete care tracking. One crittr per habitat keeps things organized.

🏠 Need help with habitats? Check out our comprehensive habitat management guides:

From the Crittr Details Page

  1. Open your crittr's profile by tapping their card
  2. Look for the habitat section in the details area
  3. Tap "Assign to Habitat" if they're not assigned yet
  4. Choose the habitat from your available options
  5. Confirm the assignment - your crittr is now linked

What This Unlocks

  • Habitat-specific care schedules
  • Environmental condition tracking
  • Complete picture of each habitat's residents
  • Better care organization and reminders

Crittrs can live without habitat assignment, but connecting them unlocks the full CrittrHavens experience.

Editing Crittr Information

Things change. Growth happens. CrittrHavens makes updates simple.

Quick Edits from the List

  1. Find your crittr in the main list
  2. Tap the edit icon (pencil) on their card
  3. Update any field - everything's editable except the internal ID
  4. Save your changes and you're done

Detailed Edits from Profile

  1. Open the crittr's full profile by tapping their card
  2. Tap "Edit" in the top-right corner
  3. Make your changes with full form validation
  4. Save - updates appear instantly across the app

All changes sync immediately. Your crittr's information stays current everywhere.

Understanding Crittr Profiles

Each crittr gets their own comprehensive profile. Think of it as their personal health and care record.

Care Overview Section

  • Feeding Status - Last feeding date and schedule adherence
  • Misting Schedule - For species that need humidity management
  • Observation Log - Track behavior, health, and notes

Details Section

  • Basic Info - Name, species, sex (with badges), morph
  • Habitat Assignment - Which home they're in, with quick access
  • Source Information - Where they came from and when

Milestones Timeline

  • Important Life Events - Shed dates, health checkups, breeding events
  • Growth Tracking - Weight and length measurements over time
  • Custom Milestones - Add your own important dates

Charts & Analytics

  • Growth Charts - Visual weight and length progression
  • Shed Timeline - Track shedding patterns and frequency
  • Measurement Tables - Detailed data with export options

Reports & Export

  • Vet Reports - Generate health summaries for appointments
  • CSV Export - Download your data for external analysis

Everything connects. Care actions, measurements, and observations build a complete picture of your crittr's health and development.

Deleting Crittrs

Sometimes you need to remove a crittr from your records. CrittrHavens makes sure you really mean it.

From the Crittr List

  1. Swipe right on the crittr's card
  2. Tap the delete button that appears
  3. Confirm deletion in the safety dialog
  4. Your crittr and all associated data are removed

From the Crittr Profile

  1. Open the crittr's full profile
  2. Look for the delete option in the settings or menu
  3. Confirm the action - this step prevents accidents
  4. Everything related to this crittr gets removed

What Gets Deleted

This action is permanent. Make sure you've exported any data you want to keep before deleting.

Pro Tips for Crittr Management

Level up your crittr game with these workflow suggestions.

Start Simple, Build Up

Begin with just name and species. Add details as you learn what information matters for your care routine.

Use Consistent Naming

Develop a naming pattern that works for you—especially helpful if you're planning to expand your collection.

Track What Matters

Focus on the data that actually improves your crittrs' care. More tracking isn't always better tracking.

Regular Profile Updates

Check and update information periodically. Growth measurements, shed dates, and behavioral notes become valuable over time.

Export Important Data

Use the CSV export feature to back up important information, especially health and growth data for vet visits.

Your crittrs deserve great care, and CrittrHavens gives you the tools to provide it. From simple setup to detailed tracking, everything flows smoothly so you can focus on what matters most—your amazing pets.

Detailed Pet Management Guides

Ready to dive deeper into specific aspects of pet management? These comprehensive guides expand on the basics:

Care Management

Once you've added your pets, dive into comprehensive care tracking:

Advanced Features