Frequently Asked Questions
Is it free?
Yes. Herply does not collect any payment information. The Service is in open beta; tiered features may be introduced in the future, but anything you log during the beta stays yours.
What species does it cover?
The catalog ships with 36 species, ranging from common pet trade (Ball Python, Boa Constrictor, Corn Snake, Bearded Dragon, Leopard Gecko) to long-tail (rosy boas, day geckos, several tortoise species, monitors). The five core species have deep trait coverage; the long tail is added on demand. See the full list in the catalog.
If a species you keep is missing, let us know and we'll add it.
Can I have more than one collection?
Yes. Each "space" is a separate collection — you can switch between them from the top-left dropdown in the app. Useful if you co-keep with someone or run separate breeding projects under different names.
How does the genetics calculator work?
Pick two parents, see the predicted offspring distribution. The calculator handles recessive, codominant, dominant, polygenic, and unknown inheritance; sex-linked traits like Banana; lethal homozygotes; allelic complexes (BluEL → BEL); and named single-locus compounds (Mystic Potion, Highway).
Full mechanics in How the calculator works.
Why does the het percentage say 66 instead of 67?
Mathematical rounding gives 67%, but the breeder community has used "66% Het" for decades — it's on every classified ad and every tub label at every show. The app rounds down deliberately so the output matches the working language of the hobby. See Het percentages for the longer explanation.
What's a welfare flag?
A welfare flag marks a trait with documented welfare concerns — Spider's wobble, Hidden Gene Woma's wobble, Champagne's mild wobble, Enigma's Enigma Syndrome, Lemon Frost's iridophoroma risk. When an animal you keep expresses a welfare-flagged trait, the public profile shows a plain-English warning so buyers see it before committing.
Full table at Welfare flags.
What's the public profile, and who can see it?
Each animal has a profile at /p/<your-space>/<animal-code>. Anyone with the URL can view it without an account — buyers, vets, inspectors. The QR codes the app generates link there.
The profile shows morph, sex, hatch date, lineage, photos, and welfare flags. It does not show buyer info, sale prices, internal notes, or husbandry logs.
Can buyers see my sales history or buyer information?
No. The public profile shows nothing about buyers, prices, or sale status beyond an optional "this animal is sold" indicator. Sales data is keeper-internal.
Can I hide an animal's public profile?
Not yet. The URL is guessable if someone has your space slug and animal code, so treat it as semi-public. If full opt-out is important for you (sensitive species, secret projects), let us know — we'll prioritise a "hide profile" toggle.
Why doesn't the app track [feature]?
Probably because we haven't seen enough demand for it yet, or because it's a different shape than what we currently model. Common asks we've considered:
- Pairing logs (when she went in with a male, copulation events) — not first-class. Notes on the animal page is the workaround.
- Egg-by-egg incubation tracking — we count eggs, not individual eggs.
- Per-baby sire attribution in multi-sire clutches — the clutch records all sires; individual hatchlings link to the clutch's sire list collectively, not to one specific sire. Add it explicitly in notes if it matters to you.
If you want a feature, tell us. The catalog gets traits added when users ask.
Can I export my data?
Export is on the roadmap. For now, the app has the data; if you need to leave urgently, contact us and we'll get it to you in CSV.
Does the app handle [my favourite obscure morph]?
Probably, if it's been out for a while and is well documented. Check the catalog for your species. If it's missing — especially anything with locus-level or welfare-flag implications — that's a cheap addition; flag it and we'll add it.
What's NOT in the catalog on purpose?
Several disputed claims (Champagne ≡ Puma, Granite ≡ Specter, Diffused ≡ Bloodred), polygenic line variants (we keep the umbrella trait, not every named line), and a few standalone classifications. The Disputed claims page has the full list with rationale.
Where do I report a bug or suggest a feature?
(Placeholder — replace with real channel: GitHub Issues, email, in-app feedback widget, etc.)