The problem is long term effects (if any) will never be known conclusively. What body scores have been developed for snakes? None because they aren't food production animals. Who determines what is healthy and what is not? There are plenty of fat water pythons during plagues of rats. Like you say all evidence is anecdotal when it comes to long term effects.
Again it comes down to why are you keeping the snake? Some people keep snakes as production machines. I know of a breeder that has produced 99 womas from a powerfed 10 yr old woma. He was mad he didn't crack 100. Is this wrong if it's your business? This snake is still alive. The same breeder has maculosa at around 2kg in weight that produce 25 plus eggs every season and are around 15 years old.
By these results you would say any experiment would need to be run for 20 plus years. No-one can even answer the question, how long is a snake supposed to live? In the wild they come up against predators and a host of parasites and life's a constant battle. Do we want to keep like this?
We started doing captive dietary experiments to dispel a few myths that float around the hobby, however no matter what data you put into peer reviewed journals there is always a keeper in his own little world that knows more.
I am a scientist, i will follow science in the way i keep, that is my prerogative. The beauty is everyone can do their own thing and follow whatever they believe is right. I just can't stand the amount of generalist information that comes out of certain mouths and how it's treated as gospel because they are a cyber god. Oh well maybe i'm just jealous i am not as popular. Oh Jamie i see you reading this mate, maybe i should follow your philosophy and get on the red ;-).
Gird