Leaving and tortoises

[Merrick]

Zenoandthetortoise thread got me thinking since toetoises live so long when people lose interest in the forum do they lose interest in their tortoise or just not post.

Really what I am asking is what happens to those who leave?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Merrick, they might feel that they were only contributing and not learning from this site.
that's my take, anyway.

 

[Gillian M]

Zenoandthetortoise thread got me thinking since toetoises live so long when people lose interest in the forum do they lose interest in their tortoise or just not post.

Really what I am asking is what happens to those who leave?

Good question!

 

[Gillian M]

Merrick, they might feel that they were only contributing and not learning from this site.
that's my take, anyway.

Maybe, but one also has to take into consideration that very many members have a job, a family, children and so on, therefore do not have much time for the forum.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I've "sorta" left the forum...or at least significantly decreased my activity. I've also downsized from 30+ turtles/torts to just 1.

I downsized when I moved to a colder state and I comment less because I no longer feel like I have much to contribute.

I still have lots of interest in my Leopard, just not as much to say now.

 

[Dizisdalife]

It seems to me that if an experienced keeper comes to the Forum with a passion for tortoises, they leave the Forum with a passion for tortoises. I can't imagine anything that is said here to change that. Their tortoises will be fine. And similarly, the Forum will be fine too.

 

[Tom]

I was taking good care of all my tortoises long before I found this forum. If I ever leave the forum, I will continue to care for them well.

I don't think one thing has anything to do with the other. Lots of people take good care of their animals and have never heard of TFO.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think, but have no way of knowing for certain, that a lot of the more experienced tortoise keepers get tired of all the same questions being asked over and over. That's why we initiated the Advanced Tortoise Topics section. However, not too many of our members take advantage of it. Because the Forum is so active, we pretty much show up in every Google search about turtles and tortoises. This means we get a lot - and I do mean a LOT - of new members daily. Most of these people don't know how to use the Forum, so instead of searching for their answers, they start a new thread and the same questions are asked over and over again. It is sometimes very hard to stay calm and give good and reasonable answers when we've already answered the question numerous times before.

Those of us who are addicted to the Forum will never leave.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

People seem to leave for a number of reasons, but with the exception of a few of those whose tortoise sadly dies, I believe they will continue to love and care for tortoises/turtles.
I think it's almost impossible not too, once you've begun.
I don't think it's necessary to be an active member of TFO to love your chelonians.
But, for many, it's a good place to be if you do.

 

[Gillian M]

I think, but have no way of knowing for certain, that a lot of the more experienced tortoise keepers get tired of all the same questions being asked over and over. That's why we initiated the Advanced Tortoise Topics section. However, not too many of our members take advantage of it. Because the Forum is so active, we pretty much show up in every Google search about turtles and tortoises. This means we get a lot - and I do mean a LOT - of new members daily. Most of these people don't know how to use the Forum, so instead of searching for their answers, they start a new thread and the same questions are asked over and over again. It is sometimes very hard to stay calm and give good and reasonable answers when we've already answered the question numerous times before.

Those of us who are addicted to the Forum will never leave.

I hope that the experienced ones as well as the friendly people do not leave the forum.

 

[Tom]

If we are going to discuss why experienced members leave, I can universally say that its because their posts get deleted when someone who has the power to delete doesn't like what they have to say. I understand deleting posts that break forum rules, but often it seems (at least to the people leaving) that censorship against their ideas is being employed.

No one of the dearly departed have ever told me they left due to repeated noob questions. Most of these guys just pass over those noob issues anyhow. Every single one has cited philosophical differences and censorship as their reason for leaving.

@Josh I though this might interest you.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Every experienced keeper was at one point a novice with lots of questions.
No one here or anywhere is incapable of learning one more new thing.

 

[Merrick]

All your answers were really nice and made me think about why I joined the forum and thanks to the knowledge and people on here I got my tort oogy and I learned how to properly care for him reversed though because I did lots of research before getting him

 

[Yvonne G]

If we are going to discuss why experienced members leave, I can universally say that its because their posts get deleted when someone who has the power to delete doesn't like what they have to say. I understand deleting posts that break forum rules, but often it seems (at least to the people leaving) that censorship against their ideas is being employed.

No one of the dearly departed have ever told me they left due to repeated noob questions. Most of these guys just pass over those noob issues anyhow. Every single one has cited philosophical differences and censorship as their reason for leaving.

@Josh I though this might interest you.

It's too bad they didn't read the guidelines before opening their big mouths on the Forum then. The number one guideline is - DO NOT POST ANYTHING BLATANTLY RUDE AND OR INSULTING. They might have had a very good point, but if you're rude about expressing it, it goes to the 'to be deleted' file. And no one is immune to these rules. Not my sister or my so-called friends (I'd really like to know who these people are, because I thought I didn't have any friends on the forum) or experts or newbies.

 

[spud's_mum]

It would be hard I forget about a tort! Torts are addictive, I NEED another! Before I got spud, my parents said I would be able to have one of my friends leopard hatchlings if the eggs ever hatched... I wounded if they would still let me even though I have spud? They never said I couldn't...... lol

 

[spud's_mum]

Wonder* auto correct sucks haha

 

[TurtleBug]

If we are going to discuss why experienced members leave, I can universally say that its because their posts get deleted when someone who has the power to delete doesn't like what they have to say. I understand deleting posts that break forum rules, but often it seems (at least to the people leaving) that censorship against their ideas is being employed.

No one of the dearly departed have ever told me they left due to repeated noob questions. Most of these guys just pass over those noob issues anyhow. Every single one has cited philosophical differences and censorship as their reason for leaving.

@Josh I though this might interest you.

Yes, there seems to be a lot of censoring and editing on the forum. What if you just moved threads that have become "too hot" to an unmoderated (or almost unmoderated) section labeled "debates from h*ll", "hot & controversial debates", "enter at your own risk debates" or something like that. People who don't want to read them, can just skip that section. If needed, maybe add an extra warning for age limit or an additional password.

 

[DawnH]

Admittedly I left for a while due to what I perceived as holier than thou attitudes by some. I understand what it is like to be a noob but that doesn't mean we are incompetent boobs either. It's pretty hard to navigate it all or make sense of the conflicting posts when you DO search and easier to just ask again (fresh, because the answers seem to change.) This is all new to me and like most I want to do right by my tort. I don't think there is such a thing as a stupid question, only stupid answers. Regardless I do love the info I gather here and there are quite a few people who I really love to see what they are saying. It's a pretty cool place if you ask me!

 

[newCH]

Interesting question, I always notice that posts have substantial # views compared to replies. Not sure if people are tired of repeat info or have nothing to offer.

 

[wellington]

I am a mod, and I have no idea where everyone thinks us mods go through deleting at will. First, let me say, WE DONT!!! Second, if there is any editing going on, it's not to put their own views in, it's to keep the thread/post exceptable to the rules.
It is very tiring reading the same stuff over and over, day after day, week after week, etc, etc, however, all must remember, at some point in your life, you were a noobie too and drove someone nuts asking the never ending questions, and so we keep answering them. As for the members that leave. A lot of them had good knowldege to share, but never did. If they did, and they didn't think you were upto their standard, or level of knowledge or didn't use big fancy words, mostly noobies, well they didn't really treat you well, ignored you or argued with you. And now they all talk about us.