# Project: Hedgie Tracker



## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Okay, this is just a general idea, more looking to see if its possible that we have a member around here who has windows based programming knowledge, more or less to make a tracking program for hedgehogs. By tracking I mean the little stuff that we tend to note down. Vera I sadly didn't do things like take her weight or count kibble which may have warned me something was wrong with her before hand. With Hester and Loki, I've taken up the habit of counting their kibble and weighing them, when the mood is right. So in general the program idea would be very simple, I keep track (along with other things) in simple notepad documents. But it would be kind of cool if there was an actual program which you could record this data, even so maybe simple charts, profile picture of your hedgie, age, color type, etc.

I've been on the internet since 1995, heh, I can still remember installing Windows 95 and it wasn't even a CD-Rom, 22 diskettes and like 6 hours. I have skills up and down the board, but sadly my program building for something of this style is text based, I've ran a online text game for almost half my life now (M.U.D.). I own a server box, tiny tiny tiny hosting company (more or less rent space out to friends and people I come across), design sites and so forth, but zero windows program experience.

I also know some people, so maybe I can come back here and have one. Also if anyone had ideas of what to have, but the general idea is this.

Program which contains multiple profiles of hedgehogs, no limit so it would aid breeders and rescues.

Main Menu - Pictures of your hedgies with their name underneath. Click on them and it brings up the Hedgehog's data.

Profile Picture with name and general birthday under it. A counter of how many years and weeks the hedgehog is based on birthday. General overview of weight and average kibble count.

Under this a general chart of each days info so you can see weight and kibble count moving up and down. Could have a few tabs at the top to show monthly averages per year and so forth.

Add some other secondary information to be displayed, such as previous / next vet appointment, last revolution dose, something maybe to mark the days a hedgehog has been sick, and of course a general space for notes.

Anything else we could list in there?

For example, this is what I just started with my notepad file in the past three days.


```
+---------------[ JUNE ]----------------+
+-----------+------------+--------------+
| Hester    | Weight (g) | Kibble Count | [05/22/2010] - 20 Weeks 06/19/10
+-----------+------------+--------------+
| 6/07/2010 |     419    |              |
| 6/14/2010 |     419    |      73      |
| 6/15/2010 |            |      70      |
| 6/16/2010 |            |      74      |
+-----------+------------+--------------+

+-----------+------------+--------------+
| Loki      | Weight (g) | Kibble Count | [06/05/2010] - 2 years [May]
+-----------+------------+--------------+
| 6/11/2010 |     456    |              |
| 6/14/2010 |            |       5      |
| 6/15/2010 |            |      16      |
| 6/16/2010 |            |      40      | 17 small / 23 large
+-----------+------------+--------------+
```
Loki has been eating on and off, my brother was visiting for the weekend, AND Sunday was the night I decided to 'towel off' the front of his cage. Finally realized he likes it mostly dark.

Hester I've counted off and on since I got her, keeping track of her weeks. She's pretty much stayed in the 70s range in kibble, but she is a beast.


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

I think that is a brilliant idea! It would definitely help keep track of hedgie health. I wish I was better with computers so I could help you, but I strongly lack in that department.

I just adopted a tumbleweed so that program would be extremely beneficial for him.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Littlefootsmama said:


> I think that is a brilliant idea! It would definitely help keep track of hedgie health. I wish I was better with computers so I could help you, but I strongly lack in that department.
> 
> I just adopted a tumbleweed so that program would be extremely beneficial for him.


You don't have to have a computer program to do this..you can just as easily do it on paper in a notebook.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

True, but for some reason me and notebooks just don't get along. They usually disappear on me, or the cats decide they want to shred it. But for me, I'm computer oriented, I have a notepad file that contains my banking and money situation for the past decade, never owned multiple musical albums, been using mp3s since they were invented, etc.

In short, I'm probably going to hire a guy I know and has worked with me on my game to create such a program, its probably something he can punch out in a few nights. Then in turn I'll offer it free, probably on cnet/download.com since they scan programs for malware and so forth, for anyone who'd like to use it.


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

Completely agree on the notebook thing! I swear mine grow legs and run off. Or I think I have it in one notebook and its in a different one, its just a mess. I love having everything on my computer! let me know your progress; I would even be willing to pay you for it!


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## Amy1024 (Mar 18, 2010)

Here's a simple chart that I use to record Hershi's weight. It also provides a "Notes" section so you can record how many kibbles your hedgie eats that night, if you happen to introduce a new food, or if your hedgie happens to anoint with something :lol:.

http://zoey.ginaanderson.com/weightchart

It's not as extensive as you'd like, but it provides the basics.


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## leannem (Mar 27, 2009)

Cool idea. My suggestion would be to make it more general. This program could be used for all your animals! Just add type of animal to the profiles on the main page.


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## nougat (Jun 3, 2010)

That would be a cool idea for a website. It could be like a food/weight/exercise tracker like http://dailyburn.com/ but for all animals, not just hedgehogs. And if you have a bike pedometer set up on your wheel, you could track that too.

Daily Burn started out with angel investors. I don't know if you want to take it that far but angel investing is not only a good way to get financing, it's good for networking with people who can help you with PR, graphics, websites, and so forth.

trackmyhedge.com is available, by the way. Another way to go could be http://99designs.com, they bring together freelance artists and clients all over the world. They don't offer software development services right now, but they do everything else. http://www.freelancer.com or http://www.odesk.com are good places to find developers.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Use a simple spreadsheet to track the data you want. I use printed spreadsheets that contain: date, weight, distance ran, notes.

If you want something electornic, create a spreadsheet and insert a chart. Google, excel, open office, etc all have spreadsheets that will allow you to enter data then insert a simple line graph/chart to see the pattern in the data.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I currently use a small memo pad to record all of Inky's info each day... his weight, what he was fed, how much of it he ate, how much he ran, for how long, any notes on what we did during the day that could affect him, etc. It is very quick and easy to just write the stuff down on paper, than have to copy it and then go enter it into the computer, for me anyways. 

If anyone knows Coldfusion and could program a database in that, I think if you want something with a decent interface that'd be the way to go. Coding and debugging it may not be fun but it'd be a good way to lay out the info and to enter everything daily.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I haven't done a computer program but if I were to do it I'd probably go with Excel. For me it would be very easy to track using it


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