Stupidity or trolls...

[Emma]

I was just reading a *ahem* certain other forum (not going to bash any site in particular here).....there are some stupid people out there. Either that, or there are some trolls.



Do you ever read posts asking for help, and wonder at how someone can be so stupid/irresponsible about their animals? There seem to be quite a few around at the moment, am I incredibly cynical in thinking that noone is that stupid and then admits it, someone must be having a laugh shocking all the people who care about pets and answer emergency posts?



Just to note this is NOT directed at anyone here at HC....and if anyone has a genuine query about their animal please don't feel put off from asking here, however stupid you think it is it's better to ask. I've just seen some posts in recent days (again, not here) that are just too well put together that seem designed to provoke reactions in people.



Trolling is sad

Emma, I believe I know which post you are refering to. I just think it is a rash of very young, inexperienced owners. This post I am thinking of started out one way and went into a full blown emergency (prolaspe). Problem is, people want to ask questions and get information they WANT to hear, and not research what it may ACTUALLY be.

The post I am thinking of, it is very obvious that the ham is in dire need of care or euthanasia - over night the ham will certainly parish in distress. Shame isn't it? I really don't think the poster is trolling - the one has been a member for a bit now.

[babyboos]

You do sometimes get new members joing forums and asking questions just to incense people which is very sad that they have nothing better to do with their time

[Emma]

Oh not that one luna - that one seems pretty genuine, it's me that's been helping them with advice. Even if it isn't genuine it's made me look into stuff to improve my own knowledge/understanding. I do strongly suspect the fluffy bedding though, grr.



There was another post on that forum that was just TOO stupid (putting syrians together), but I've seen two others on a different forum too. I don't want to forum-bash cos it's not the forum's fault. But ranting lets of a little steam - and I'm stressed today as my boys have decided to start taking chunks out of each other!

Now THAT thread I have had to just walk away from. I spend too much time of my day correcting poor grammar from students with learning disabilities to have to waddle through THAT mess. I do believe that that poster is just trying to cause problems.

[SnuggleHam]

I don’t know that I have ever seen anyone posting stupid questions just to provoke other people who care. I have seen owners ask question or post about something they did with their pet that really makes me angry because it was so ridiculously uncalled for. I will give this one example.. I saw in another community about hamsters someone who decided to give their single roborovski a bath.. It went on for a while the thread this person posted, and what made me mad was the lack in knowledge they had before getting the pet. The fact they just did this a posted about it with picture like it was so cute and it was "ok"



There have been times that I have gotten in trouble for giving a piece of my mind to people that literally have no common sense and show a huge lack in responsibility lol. I got kicked off a love bird forum because every time I asked a question about my bird, somehow it always came around to if I didn’t get it to a vet it would die.. I don’t get it, and Ill have you know my bird is alive and healthy!



I have also gotten angry with people that show no sensitivity to people asking for help that have limited options but are truly trying their best. I’m going to do my best to keep this forum clean of all that negativity, any place that acts like that is no place I want to be. Another thing I don’t like is cliques which happens in any forum or chat room really. I feel that our forum everyone feels they belong and nobody is lesser then anyone else.. know what I mean. Its so far been a very positive place



And I know that most everyone here will go about answering posts the best that they can.. if not then.. I will delete it Mwahahaha!!!

[babyboos]

This is a common occurrence on PWS though thankfully the moderators often come in and delete the threads before any flaming or serious upset can start. The Other Pets Forum is particularly bad for it... As one of the top hits when you Google most pets of all descriptions it does seem to really attract a few nuisance people sadly. I totally agree about the cliquedness etc. Candace it is one of the most off putting things on a forum. I think we make all new members here very welcome hopefully I know we are growing every day so obviously are not scaring too many people away.

[peanut25]

I am not able to get here that often but I do enjoy coming here and feel very welcome. Everyone is honest and have answered my questions. I like reading about other peoples hammies as well. I don't know which thread you are talking about, but could you please clue me into the fluffy stuff. I give my hammies this fluffy stuff made for hammies but if it is bad for them I would like to know. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Emma]

Hi peanut



I'm glad you feel welcome here I hope everyone does! I wasn't wanting to talk about any thread (and certainly none on here) in particular just wanted to rant the other day when I was in a particularly bad mood!



The fluffy bedding issue is that even though it is marketed as safe for small pets, it can cause problems like forming strong threads around our little one's feet and cutting off blood supply (I believe that happened to someone's hamster on here recently), or impacting in the cheek pouch leading to abcess, or if eaten can block up the gut, leading to impaction and other problems. I was helping someone on another forum with a hamster who had a prolapsed rectum and had to be euthanased, possibly due to eating fluffy bedding.

This type of bedding often has disclaimers on the packet such as "not to be used with young animals, caution may cause impaction if eaten" but I personally believe it is not suitable at all and shouldn't be used. I don't think it's anyones fault that they believe the packaging claims that it is safe, I used to use it myself, but now I would advise against using it. The best nesting material is plain white tissue paper, I use a brand called "SafeBed" which is small squares, you can also get short paper strips or some people shred their own tissue paper.

[babyboos]

I think most hamster owners have used this stuff at some point unless they have only started caring for hamsters n the last year or so and visited the internet first to do lots off rsearch and have come across similiar warnings - many recently published texts still promote fluffy bedding as a nesting material.



Don't be alarmed but destroy any you have left and just swtch to plain, simple, unscented/perfumed, preferably unbleached, toilet tissue seperated into single ply sheets, and then ripped into a few strips if you want or just add the sheets whole as your little ones will make them into a nest themselves quite happily.



The tissue I use is suitable for septic tanks so I know it has no harmful chemcicals in it which MAY be injested by the hamster when he/she inevitably pouches his/her bedding material.



Avoid very absorbent tissue and kitchen roll products as they can cause the same impaction problems.



A simple test you can do on any material you wish to use for bedding is the pinch test. Take a small tumbler and add plain tap water from the cold faucet. Nip a corner off the material (under 1 inch square) and place it in the water and watch what happens. If it slowly dissolves then great use it with reduced fear - if it stays together or dramtically swells up, and when gently teased in your fingers does not break up easily maybe consider some other material.