If my Dr. told me that...

[Ryan Jarosek]

I was thinking about some of the responses given to people looking for help on this site.

When a question is asked a lot of the time it is always the worst thing people first think of first, and respond to the question as if they are sure thats what it is.

Prolapse (when its a sperm plug) , mouth rot (when its a scratch) , burn, cancer. Even before seeing a clear picture or getting all the information.

If you get a headache its not always a brain tumor. Just food for thought. It is scary coming on here with a problem. Adding to the anxiety is probably not the best response. I would think if you are not sure ask for more information. Just my $.02. I am not referring to a post in general or the people on the posts. It happens a lot. I have done it. I plan on trying to be a little more inquisitive and less presumptuous.

I think it is important to cover all possibilities but maybe reserve the death sentence until the jury has deliberated.

I was curious as to others feeling on this subject. Please share your $.02

 

[hallenhe]

My $0.02: where I've gotten a little worried is I feel I sometimes see someone - particularly a newcomer - coming in and proudly showing off their pet and having 20 people jump on them instantly (I exaggerate) about enclosure, watering method, etc., etc. If I were the newcomer in some of these situations, I'd be 1) scared to death that my cham would last 'til tomorrow; and 2) possibly very reluctant about coming back. There can be Right Ways and Wrong Ways about chameleon husbandry, and it can be important for the cham, the hobby, and the long-term satisfaction of a newcomer with a cool new pet to point out errors and fixes, but I sometimes feel that there is an alarmist tone taken here that could be toned down a wee little bit. Only my $0.02. If 48 more people will chime in, we'll have $1.00!

 

[jannb]

I know most of us do it. I know I do. I just know what fragile little animals they are and I read about SO many bad things happening to them on hear. I just wish people wouldn't wait; to go to the vet or whatever. These little guy mask their problems so well that I always worry that it will be too late to save them BUT I too will try harder not to do this. Jann

 

[dondeb562]

I agree. Though the forums are here for help with concerns in the end we are not vets and can not accurately diagnose things. I would say people here are of great help to tell you what it might or could be, but it would need to be a vet to determine for sure. .

 

[jojackson]

This seems to be the norm on most Reptile forums, guilty partys though are most often "5 minute armchair experts" who got their first reptile last week.
More experience folk tend to have less to say, either jaded/arrogant (the simple questions are 'below' them) or they simply see no point because its hard to stand out online from the flood of 5 min experts.

I think the most annoying thing is the sheer vagueness of questions and lack of basic information so often. Perhaps forums should include a questions templet, which can be filled out with all the basics e/g.

species, sex, age, enclosure, heating, lighting, food/feed regime, background, odd behavious etc.

This gives the more experienced folk an idea what the hell MIGHT be wrong.

My words of wisdom are:

No# 1 If you really think something is wrong, Ask your vet first, if you cant afford a vet, you cant afford the animal.

Dont research online, vague questions is Not research, Learn BEFORE you get animal/s,
Ask the breeder, Avoid pet stores!

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Remember to use words like:

In my opinion
In my experience
Be sure to ask your vet about ...

And ask lots of questions. A lot of times more information comes to light that the poster may not have thought important, that completely changes the situation.

I believe most of us are trying to help.
It can become frustrating with a stubborn new keeper

-Brad

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

This seems to be the norm on most Reptile forums, guilty partys though are most often "5 minute armchair experts" who got their first reptile last week.
More experience folk tend to have less to say, either jaded/arrogant (the simple questions are 'below' them) or they simply see no point because its hard to stand out online from the flood of 5 min experts.

I think the most annoying thing is the sheer vagueness of questions and lack of basic information so often. Perhaps forums should include a questions templet, which can be filled out with all the basics e/g.

species, sex, age, enclosure, heating, lighting, food/feed regime, background, odd behavious etc.

This gives the more experienced folk an idea what the hell MIGHT be wrong.

My words of wisdom are:

No# 1 If you really think something is wrong, Ask your vet first, if you cant afford a vet, you cant afford the animal.

Dont research online, vague questions is Not research, Learn BEFORE you get animal/s,
Ask the breeder, Avoid pet stores!

Here at Cham Forums there already is a template

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

 

[BocaJan]

I think the most annoying thing is the sheer vagueness of questions and lack of basic information so often. Perhaps forums should include a questions templet, which can be filled out with all the basics e/g.

species, sex, age, enclosure, heating, lighting, food/feed regime, background, odd behavious etc.

This gives the more experienced folk an idea what the hell MIGHT be wrong.

We do have a sticky in the health forum that has a questionaire to fill out. I have directed people to it time and time again. They mostly fill it out but them ask the same questions over and over and over even though it/they have been answered many times.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

This is the place to go to find the questionaire.

 

[dondeb562]

This is not just on cham forums though! I think thi happens on ALL animal forums! lol!

 

[jojackson]

yeah but I meant like a form within a post for a certain forum, Folk never read stickys! Therein lies a big problem LOL

Good thing theres folk here that can be bothered to point out such links, I know how frustrating it can be. Maybe there should be a button to add that form to any post on any forum?

This is not just on cham forums though! I think thi happens on ALL animal forums! lol!

yep, thats what I meant!

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Remember to use words like:

In my opinion
In my experience
Be sure to ask your vet about ...

And ask lots of questions. A lot of times more information comes to light that the poster may not have thought important, that completely changes the situation.

I believe most of us are trying to help.
It can become frustrating with a stubborn new keeper

-Brad

Thanks Brad , Very well put.

 

[keecoi]

I second all u guys comment. It happened to me. But that's probably not the reason why I'm a forum browser than poster. What I notice alot is questions that are easily answered by searching the forum. If it still unclear then go at it. Ask away. That's just me.

 

[Julirs]

My $.02!

I have not yet found alot of Vets that know all that much about chameleons and chameleons are like birds-by the time you know they are sick it is almost too late. The experienced keepers that have diagnosed issues that I have had have been 100% dead on. I completely agree with Brad's "softer approach", and it should be understood that we are "diagnosing by computer". The attacks seem to come in when someone refuses to listen and continues to compromise an animal's health.

OH-and jojackson hit the nail on the head here:
"No# 1 If you really think something is wrong, Ask your vet first, if you cant afford a vet, you cant afford the animal."

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

I second all u guys comment. It happened to me. But that's probably not the reason why I'm a forum browser than poster. What I notice alot is questions that are easily answered by searching the forum. If it still unclear then go at it. Ask away. That's just me.

While I completely agree , I think it is good practice for some of the newer users to give advise.

While some of the questions are really easily found by doing a search some are not very good at getting around a forum and are probably pretty lucky to have found it , registered and singed on. let alone use the search function.

It saves some of the more experienced users to not feel like they have to answer. It does make someone feel good to share their progress with newcomers.

 

[Kays04]

As a new comer to the forum... I didn't find anyone in particular being "aggressive" or rude or what have you. I could instantly see the knowledge and respect that everyone in this forum has.
For this... I thank you

 

[pamsywamsy1234]

I joined here a week ago and i asked a lot of questions and some of the answers i got scared me half to death theres me thinkin i doin everything right and i get told im not i was heartbrocken to my hubby tonight i got my cham from pet shop and they didnt even tell me chams dont like glass so i went and bought a new viv that wernt glass. My hubby suggested joining a forum. It seems i cant do right for doin wrong but never mind i will carry on askin the questions lol and tryin my best lol.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

As a new comer to the forum... I didn't find anyone in particular being "aggressive" or rude or what have you. I could instantly see the knowledge and respect that everyone in this forum has.
For this... I thank you

Thanks Kays,

I want to be sure I clarified the thread before it goes off track. Its kinda going that way.

It is not about being rude or keeprs who will not listen.

Its about diagnosing a problem before all the facts are in and asking the questions to get you to the final answer. "I have a headache so it must be a cancer."

It always seems the final answer is "the worst case" even when its just a sperm plug.

IE: Seeing a blurry picture of a sperm plug and calling it a prolapse.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I joined here a week ago and i asked a lot of questions and some of the answers i got scared me half to death theres me thinkin i doin everything right and i get told im not i was heartbrocken to my hubby tonight i got my cham from pet shop and they didnt even tell me chams dont like glass so i went and bought a new viv that wernt glass. My hubby suggested joining a forum. It seems i cant do right for doin wrong but never mind i will carry on askin the questions lol and tryin my best lol.

There is definitely a learning curve
I think we all had those moments of thinking we were doing everything wrong, or panicking over every little normal thing the animal did that we hadn't seen yet.
This hobby is not for everyone, but those of us who persevere are greatly rewarded!

-Brad

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

but I sometimes feel that there is an alarmist tone taken here that could be toned down a wee little bit. Only my $0.02. If 48 more people will chime in, we'll have $1.00!

I think hallenhe summed it up the best.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

There is definitely a learning curve
I think we all had those moments of thinking we were doing everything wrong, or panicking over every little normal thing the animal did that we hadn't seen yet.
This hobby is not for everyone, but those of us who persevere are greatly rewarded!

-Brad

HAHAHA , I remember my first post... To me it felt like the world was ending. I have seen the same question posted every week since.

Here it is https://www.chameleonforums.com/baby-panther-eye-bubble-12247/