How is everyone keeping track of their degus' weights?

[titchycatnipsandwich]

I'm using an Excel spreadsheet, myself, but I'm kinda wondering if there's a better way.

For instance, I can't convince Excel to make a chart that is longer than A4 - so I have a full screen to use and Excel refuses to make the chart size any bigger. I've fiddled with all of it. At any rate, because it won't do that I have a spreadsheet page that is just a list of names, dates and weights, which is great but difficult to see trends on, and the chart page that you can see trends on (like - add in PaH nuggets, everyone's weight rockets upwards, discontinue nuggets, weight plummets) but because I've got at-least-monthly weights going back to 2014 it's all very cramped on that poxy A4 page.

Has anyone any better suggestions? Ideally I'd like a rolling chart, where the points are spread out properly and you scroll across to see the trend over time, rather than trying to cram it all into one A4 sheet.

[savvy]

The chart should be run from the data on the excel spreadsheet itself, if you need to alter the size of the spreadsheet this can be done in page set up. Make sure that it isn't set to one sheet, a4 size. Pm me if you need any help and I'll talk you through it.

[bouncy]

Yep, Ditto Savycat!

Highlight the area you want to print then, from the print preview, select "print selection" and "fit to page"

You could add an average weight line to your chart representing 0g for months off nuggets and 20g when on nuggets?

I use a spreadsheet too.

[ntg]

I'm such a bad degu-mam. I don't keep any spreadsheet, just know their average weight-range and then work from there. I'm pretty good at keeping track of things in my head though, so I'll remember the lowest I've seen them at and the highest and if they go beyond either of those points then I know something is up.

[moletteuk]

I keep a calendar on the wall near the goos and just write the weights on there and compare to the last couple of weighings and what is in my head as the average each time. I also write on any other health concerns and dates of vet visits, and changes in husbandry, food, bedding etc, and make a note when I clean each shelf of the cage. I keep all the calendars. Probably simpler for me as I only have two goos now, I imagine I might need a better system with more goos.

[yasmin]

I have a whiteboard right next to the cages onto which I write the daily meds and any other info like weight.

[zenaida]

I started a google docs spreadsheet. I'm a bit of a statistics junkie when it comes to excel but I haven't gotten around to doing data analysis or seeing what the google docs version can/can't do yet.

It makes me wonder if there are easy ways to illustrate those changes like you said? Color maybe? Like I think if you dig deep into excel you can use the IFTHEN codes and maybe make it denote colors on a line graph?

Oooh this is going to be fun! I think I have a new mini excel project on my hands! I love those!

[Bexi87]

I use notes on my phone but eventually want to get an excel spreadsheet going

[adsh]

[titchycatnipsandwich]

So, on the spreadsheet itself I can scroll along and see the weights, no problem.
I've narrowed the margins on the chart, which has made the graph a tiny bit bigger, but... let me see if I can show you.

[/url]

So, that is all the data ever in the spreadsheet. Which is fine, it's useful to me to see "that's when I changed their diet, and everyone went up/down/whatever" or "huh, Zoe's dropped massively, what's going on there?"... But I would like to be able to "zoom in" on parts of the chart without having to make a new chart or change the data selection every weigh-in, and I don't know whether Excel can do that.

I might be dreaming/wishful thinking. I had an app that would do it for the iPhone, but while it could do the one thing I wanted of being able to scroll across the graph, the data entry and export capabilities were... pathetic. 

[Emziedee]

Geeks 😝

[deguconvert]

I need a GIANT ROFL for the above!!!

ROFL

[Deleted]

I second that notion Emziedee 😂

[zenaida]

No don't laugh!

These are BEAUTIFUL... So much data...

[Emziedee]

I love it, I love geeks 😍😍

[Bexi87]

May 5, 2017 12:09:29 GMT zenaida said:

No don't laugh!

These are BEAUTIFUL... So much data...

I totally agree! Gorgeous data

[savvy]

You can sort of zoom in by going into 'view' and changing the percentage. This should allow you to scroll across to the bits you want to see.

Edit: I run my business accounts and stock sheets using excel and the functions.  If you want to see changes without using graphs, place an extra column between the 2nd and 3rd readings columns where the weight of the 2nd reading is taken away from the weight of the 1st reading.  If you formulate the cell to show red for a minus figure, black for a positive you can then track weight gains and losses.  Repeat this throughout the spreadsheet  with the extra column between each reading for subsequent weigh-ins and you can see weight losses flagged in red.  

[goolover]

Very impressive charts. Don't keep records, just weigh them and think yeah that's about right or that's not right type of thing. Did write them down at one point. Of course if I have a ill goo I will keep a written chart and can take it to the vets with me.

[bouncy]

May 5, 2017 5:07:11 GMT deguconvert said:

I need a GIANT ROFL for the above!!!

ROFL

Agreed! I'm a chartered accountant and find it all a bit flash!

[moletteuk]

Am now picturing Bouncy in a tiny, dingy office, wearing a beaten up suit, smoking, piles of crumpled reciepts on an old desk with chewed biro and pad, looking whistfully out of the grimy window, as a jaded detective steps through the door....


...maybe I read too much crime fiction