Harsh words = no help!!

[Poly]

Another idea that can really help, if someone looses a cherished pet, please don't point fingers at that person and say its their fault. Try to be compassionate and also give the best advice possible.

Hey Terry, I agree with your above statement, but to a point.

When I come across threads about people removing WC animals from their natural environments, and subsequently killing them because they did not do research, that is very frustrating, and to be honest I am thinking about how the animals death could have been avoided rather than being "compassionate"...

I realize it's different with CB animals, they were not taken from their natural enviroment, but again, when someone subsequently ends up killing them because they did not do research, it is hard to feel compassion for that person.

What I find disturbing is the "Oh well, I learned something" excuse.

Why does it take the death of someone's animals for them to learn, why not learn beforehand!? It dosen't make sense!

I'm not saying harsh words are in any beneficial to a reply, but there is certainly no issue with letting someone know what they could and should have done to save their pet's life.

[ViperJr]

With the risk of serious emotional ****storm...

I do agree that plainly being mean have obviously no purpose at all. However, there's a difference between being mean, being neutral and just sugarcoating something that really is serious. For example, if someone loses an old frog, that lived a healthy life in good care, there's not much to say (assuming it died of old age), beside giving your condolences. However, if someone post a first post, saying their frog died after a year abruptly after being perfectly fine at the start of their ownership, there is a good reason to start asking questions. Of course, there's no reason to go all "lol u suck u shdnt hav pet ur terrible y did u do nothin?!?!", but I beleive it's not good to be all.. fuzzy, about it either. An animal died, and it could be (and in some cases, it's really obvious) their fault, if I may say so. In these cases, I beleive it can be good to be harsh, because it's simply not OK to get an animal and have no clue what-so-ever on how to care for it. Sure, it's better do to research later than never, but still... I should be done way, way beforehand. Once again, I'm not saying it's good to be rude/mean/talk sh*t, but it is a very serious situation and should be treated like that, not with D just because the person might feel like it's their fault (which, then again, it is in some cases).
Using emotions like /:P/ is all good, but I think it should not be used excessively either. And in some situations, they're better left out of it. But then again, if your post can be interpreted like something that you do not want to, they're a great tool to use that situation.

One other thing, on a slightly related topic. It's not always that tempting to sound all friendly and all-loving, when it's the gazillionth time the same week a new thread is started exact same topic/question... A quick search, or just a look in the relevant section, will often reveal a ton of information. Or when people just ask questions because they're too lazy to Google it themselves (like "whats a dumpy frog"/"does exoterra have lightning bulbs"/other questions that can be found instantly by googling the exact same question).

Also, this forum do lack some of the very basic aspects/understandings/things that most forums have (not saying it's either good or bad, just saying, and this do alter the tone of people/what people say/how they say it.). Many (if not most) forums are much more moderated and do not tolerate (giving out warnings, eventually leading to bans) things like:
- Necroposting
- Starting threads without searching first (and thereby creating a ton of threads with the exact same substance)
- Using threads like a chat

Lastly, it's the Internet. People really should be used by the tone by now.


Now, just sit back and brace for impact...

[kueluck]

Ok, ya'll are missing my point here. I suggest using the PM system for negative responses. (no icon for rolling eyes)

[Poly]

Ok, ya'll are missing my point here. I suggest using the PM system for negative responses. (no icon for rolling eyes)

And you are missing our point. Our responses arn't "negative" we are simple informing the individual what they could have done to save their animals life, how in any way is that negative?

[kueluck]

I'm done with this...........you just aren't getting it. If you're gonna tell somebody that if they would have done this, then their amphibians would most likely still be alive, do it on a PM.

[Poly]

Yeah, yeah, I've got it Gail... I'll respond to your PM now.....