Animal Records Database

Oh, I paid for Degei, it's really quite inexpensive, I don't regret it at all. I looked over Metzcal, some of the story behind it kind of put me off (such as the reason why it's free)--Metzcal just seemed WAY too complicated, to me. And it's such a resource hog.

My degei is free & my inventory reduces itself.

A lot of the 'bugs' people fuss about are just you not inputting the data the way the system needs you too.

Like me not converting my feet & inches to metric, losing all my measurements.

Well, I downloaded it, and installed all the patches and jumped through all the hoops to be up to date. I'll see how it works for me once I get it set up.

If it argues with you give me a holler. I think I've found most of the ways to use it wrong

I've personally used both and lost both.

Metzcal bummed out on me and lost all my data with no help from me.
Degei..it wasn't their fault, I had my laptop too close to the stove when the fire broke out. So I am in the market again for the "PERFECT" data base that's EASY to use. Rich was a sweetheart and helped me so much, always willing to help us technology-challenged!


That said...what I want is the ability to pick and chose how I will feed. I do alternate feedings. Sometimes, I feed all the Hatchlings, the next day, all the females, then the next day, all the males. I wish we had the option of picking and choosing how to feed.

The way most databases are set up, you have to pick ALL when it comes to feeding, and then waste time going though every record of each animal that you did not feed..such a waste of time!

I am not really interested in keeping track of how many mice or rats I have because the numbers change daily (I breed my own).

I have my id numbers set up so that it's easy for me to skim through the bulk activity function for feedings.

Before my last comp crash I had their feeding intervals set in a staggered fashion but if you change prey items either way is a bit of a pain.

On changing prey once entered in degei, you have to delete & re enter the record if you mess up the prey size or it skews your costs & inventory levels.


A side fuss about iherp, there is no large rat option. It skips right up to Jumbo from Medium. Degei lets you customize your feeders, very helpful when you have a range of different critters.

I've been using Degei for a while, since back when you paid for it, and recently got myself Vyper as well to try out. I like both, both have their pluses and minuses, and in the end I'm not sure who I'm gonna end up going with.

I keep feed cards for each snake, since my snake room is my basement and the comp is on the second floor, then once the card is full I drag it up and input everything. I stink at inputting things as I do them, but I always manage to be able to quickly jot them down so this has worked well for me.

Well, I went to inputting some data into Degei, and about an hour into it I had this horrible flashback, bringing back the 2 years I spent getting Metzcals set up with all the Taxonomy and genetic info working right.

To be frank, I don't think I got the gumption to go through all of that again. It was just like in the beginning of Metzcal. Can't finish inputting an animals info, because lots of other data needs to be input first, or you have to create a new species/morph first.

I might mess with it a little more off and on. But likely I'll just stick to whats familiar to me, and already has as complete a database as I'll ever need.

I got my copy downloaded last night on my new computer... Haven't had time to start inputtting info yet.

Deborah, go over to the forums on the Degei site, and TELL him what you want. He is currently taking input for features for the new version.

Degei is being completely rebuilt, from the back end on up. I already put my 2 cents in...if there is something you want to make it the perfect program, now's the time to say it.

More control over feeding pick lists has already been suggested--if an animal refuses, we want to be able to define how many days before it shows up on the pick list again. If you want to feed different sexes on different day, go suggest it.
Maybe there will be a way to set snakes up into feeding groups--that could work. Then people could arrange the groups however they like.