People giving there advice (why they shouldn`t ) and other minor irritations

[Molly75]

Books are valid but there always taken from some one's experience i started keeping 23 years ago so we had few books and a book was about 10 pages long and did not have much information so we were left to make our own discoveries and mistakes i worked in import,petshops and reptile veterianry nursing over the years and you still learn something new everyday sadly most people who put valid info up get a newbi keeper quoting a book trying to say oh that's wrong and so they can't be bothered any more

paula

[Willythegame]

have to say this thread has brought up a lot of constructive points but a few out and out rants,totally agree people shouldnt give information on species they have not kept,rip info from the net and pass it of as their own.

BUT the reason i use the net is to throw around ideas ,points of views in a non-argumentative fashion. I believe that to share idea's ,information that you believe may be useful to other keepers is why sites like this were set up. If not then why were they,so that a bunch of folk that share a common interest can argue about it?

[blackdragon]

but is there not a danger hear that people will read grumbles like this and think that care sheets are useless, i think they are really good for bookmarking so you have like a quick access to relevant information kind of like a check list of things you need to know for your snake not a be all and end all of how to look after a reptile.
i don't really comment on animals i have not kept mostly because i don't read threads that are not relevant to anything i keep or are thinking of keeping.
I post where i think i know the answer and on subjects that i have had some experience of and think others should feel like they can also no matter how long they have been in the hobby, it is a pain when people post bad advice but they normally end up looking like fools when everyone else posts after them telling them how they have it wrong, well they do in the snakes section anyway

[Willythegame]

think information wise,as well as other keepers most good information comes from your good books,tbh i think i get less relevant information on the forum as i used to.

[Marinam2]

I've bred beardies once but i can't remember a damn thing i did lol.

Hopefully if anyone was ever given wrong advice on here, there will be someone to say THATS WRONG i've done it in the past. So long as he OP leaves with correct advice it doesnt matter where\who it comes from.

Marina

[Willythegame]

ah but we see posts fairly often that end in an argument as apossed to a conclusion?

some new keepers wud come on here and be like "whats going on", who do i listen to.

[blackdragon]

Originally Posted by Willythegame

ah but we see posts fairly often that end in an argument as apossed to a conclusion?

some new keepers wud come on here and be like "whats going on", who do i listen to.

thats true but also a little bit more of a worry if this forum is the only research the new keeper had done or his only source of information

[Saedcantas]

As you chaps have said usually someone shows up and sorts it all out and the OP goes away with the right idea.

But what about the people who go around giving slightly off advice and it isnt really spotted or corrected?

What about the people who give completely nuts advice and no one else knows any different?

What about if someone is given a crazy made up piece of advice, someone who is equally oblivious actually BACKS THEM UP two minutes later. The OP reads it and goes off to make the changes and doesnt come back? or doesnt come back for a week, or two weeks, or a month?

The above is literally happening here. I can't even contain my frustration with it and the people who do it never come back and apologise or at least offer an explanation of why they offered the false advice they did.


People on here all desire to help for different reasons, the vast majority of them good.
But the desire to help MUST ALWAYS be tempered with caution, consideration and weighed against the potential damage.

There can't be rules in place and it's not really about length of experience.

It's about knowing your own boundaries, not wanting to just be a hero and seeming to know all the answers, not portraying your advice as a fact, not using an authoritative tone when it isnt warranted at all.

Lotte***

[sparkle]

Originally Posted by Willythegame

ah but we see posts fairly often that end in an argument as apossed to a conclusion?

some new keepers wud come on here and be like "whats going on", who do i listen to.

which is exactly the reason why if it is not a simple question like

do i need Uv for my beardie.. which is easily answered ..

if it IS more complicated or worrying.. suggestions can be made.. but it should be VERY clear vet advise should be sought..

we are ONLy a forum I keep trying to tell people who advise invasive treatments over the net that this is never a good idea due to the complicated nature of reptile health symtoms..

I can help people with basics but never never think what i say will make things better.. I know I bang on about VETS but I cant take repsonsibility for getting ti wrong over the net.. I have to know I can give basic help with the knowledge im doing everyhting i can to encourage the person asking for advice to seek immediate and proper helath care for that animal.



what is advised can ultimately and sadly make things wrose.. if we do not know WHY an animal is poorly how can internet advice be safe never mind credible..

even if it SEEMs like MBD how do we know for sure.. it needs diagnosed.. if someoen treats for MBD due to a forum saying it is.. it could do damage.. what if it ISNT..


POSSIBLY and MAYBE need to be used more often... as they are followed up with PLEASE GET IT CHECKED BY A PROFESSIONAL

this is what is lacking so often recently..

I nor anyone else here can safely concur what MAY or MAY NOT be wrong..

we can give personal experiences and explain what tests a keeper can ask a herp vet for.. we can tell them what MAY happen at the appointment and answer simple quesries such as what are the main rep antibiotics.. or do I use a syringe to administer meds..



but really past that it becomes unsafe and all guess work.. more needs to be done on the forum in general to encourage keepers old and new alike to seek professional advice and testing to discover the reasons behind their animals change in behaviour eating or poor health..

rather than saying "Oh its just brumation".. or "Oh just force feed it"..

too often a few simple badly thought out answers on an advice thread lead to MORE issues and i could pull up numerous threads where not seeking vet advice and thinking the forum knows what to do has resulted in RIP threads... its really worrying

I ask for advice when im worried or confused.. but i never think it replaces proper check ups or treatment .

[cooljules]

some newbie lep gex owner was asking about using spot lights for them...so i said yes, i have done for over 10 years...2 people mentioned heat mats, then he had a go at me, saying i must have killed them, burt the viv down...been a stupid keeper etc...even after explaining how it works in the wild but he wouldnt listen, swore etc etc...

he then some time later asked another question, on something also i ahd kept for 10 years....wouldnt listen, then again started slagging me off....even though others too said it was fine

he thought he new everything, i can think of 3 things he asked, i told him, others told him and he wouldnt listen, if he didnt like what advice you gave him he would swear and insult you.