short rant

[kittokitty]

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO ARROGANT
I was (respectfully) telling someone that their hamster cage was unsuitable and that their hamster needed more toys and they just kept saying "i know what im doing ive had 2 hamsters before" and said how "pet shops dont lie what are you talking about" and various other similar things. And another person who I told that their cage was too small was really rude about it saying things like "who made you hamster queen". UGGGHHH I hate humanity sometimes.

I wish that there were more regulations for looking after small animals, and tougher punishments for animal abuse (because that's what it is!)

sorry for the rant but I needed to vent.

[crazyc4tlady]

Ah it's so annoying, some people just don't see them as having any real needs or like they're not even real pets :/

[Piebald]

Don't give up kittyokitty. Telling people they are wrong without giving offence is tricky. How you go about it depends on who you are talking to. But in general, I suggest not trying to do it all at once. Consider it a long term project. You could refer the person the some credible reading without making any suggestions. You might then offer to talk about something-- ask your friend a question about some aspect of care to start a conversation about what she read. I'd suggest starting with something smaller than a whole new cage Use your own experiences of discovering your mistakes to establish common ground. Use humour if it gets tense-- if someone calls you the Hamster Queen, Make yourself a crown. Apologise if you cause offence; don't judge the reaction just accept it and try to turn the situation around.
That's all I got I hope it helps. Good luck . xx

[Shannonmcn]

Piebald is very right, people can be sensitive and it is annoying but if you want them to listen then you need to wrap up anything that could be considered a criticism in 8 layers of sweetness and sugar. It's something I don't find easy myself, especially when people are arrogant or ignorant about it but at the end of the day it's the hamsters welfare that's important and if me sickening myself with sweetness is what it takes then that's what I'll do!

Sometimes you get someone who takes advice so easily and really makes an effort once they know there's an issue and it just makes up for all the ignorant ones.

[velma]

Some very good idea. SinNyx runs Little Bears Hamster Rescue & has some really good info sheets on her Facebook page. Instead of saying "you should be doing this" talk about your own hamsters & say how useful you found them for setting up your own cage. Showing good cage set ups should make them want a bigger cage when they see how much stuff they could get in one. People like spending money on their pets so if they see what they could do, they're more likely to want to do it than if they feel they're being told off but can't see the benefit of changing.

[GoldenBears]

I was in a similar situation as you not long ago but it wasn't involving a hamster and all I got was abuse. People who deliberately do not do much research, if any, about the animals they're getting and don't meet their needs and requirements should do hard jail time.

[virtualkeith]

Criticism can be hard to take even when it's constructive. I ended up having to buy 3 cages until I got it right. It annoyed me at the time because the cost really added up, and after all, my hamster was $12.50! I ended up making changes because of people who inspired me, and were always kind and gentle with me.
People can be like hamsters, you can provide for them, but they'll still decided whether to use what you give them. Also, some people do not have the means to get the biggest and the best cages etc.
Piebald is spot on, hang in there! I'm sure you have great information about hamsters to share! Also there's definitely some room for a little humor from time to time. Piebald is great at that. He (I think...) has had me laughing well more than once.

[Thin Lizzy]

The thing is, that person probably thinks they know best, that they're experts on hamster care because they've had hamsters before.
The truth is no one likes being judged and that person probably thought just that. Sometimes, you've got to be careful about how it might sound.
Ever since joining HC, I've learned and discovered things about hamsters making me a better owner.

[Shannon94]

Go about it the right way, so don't make yourself sound too intrusive or bossy as people don't tend to react too well and will get defensive

Don't stop doing what you are doing, even if it doesn't feel like you are getting through to people because some more than others will listen to you

[Piebald]

Shannon makes a good point-- People can get defensive to your face but upon calm reflection what you said may sink in.