I really hope newbies (and I am still one of them though my experience of torts is longer than my membership) don't read this thread ( Though it seems some of them don't read ANY threads.)
It will frighten people away.
Anyway, risking ridicule, here's my say, for what it's worth.
1) It is not always necessary to have experience to give advice. I have never stuck my head in an oven, but I would advise anyone not to do so. Reading can give one a lot of information, I have read a lot about pre-Etruscan pottery and believe I can talk with authority on the subject but I've never actually owned any.
2) Not everyone who is not an expert is 'ignorant'. I am here to learn and give advice from experience and what I have learned.
3) Help the tortoises. That's the point, isn't it? how many of you people are on day after day answering all the queries from worried tortoise owners and welcoming newbies to the forum. Some people that do this only answer one question or say welcome and then disappear, leaving the OP feeling abandoned, as they often need reassurance and have follow up questions.
4) You all need to spend less time arguing amongst yourselves, putting off newbies and maybe even chasing each other away from this super forum (potentially a super-duper forum) and have some fun and try to help each other, newbies, those with tortoises in distress and most importantly of all - the tortoises that are the point of this forum after all.
I hope you all love your tortoises and care about torts in general, or are you all too concerned with your own personal agendas ?
Please be nice.
It will frighten people away.
Anyway, risking ridicule, here's my say, for what it's worth.
1) It is not always necessary to have experience to give advice. I have never stuck my head in an oven, but I would advise anyone not to do so. Reading can give one a lot of information, I have read a lot about pre-Etruscan pottery and believe I can talk with authority on the subject but I've never actually owned any.
2) Not everyone who is not an expert is 'ignorant'. I am here to learn and give advice from experience and what I have learned.
3) Help the tortoises. That's the point, isn't it? how many of you people are on day after day answering all the queries from worried tortoise owners and welcoming newbies to the forum. Some people that do this only answer one question or say welcome and then disappear, leaving the OP feeling abandoned, as they often need reassurance and have follow up questions.
4) You all need to spend less time arguing amongst yourselves, putting off newbies and maybe even chasing each other away from this super forum (potentially a super-duper forum) and have some fun and try to help each other, newbies, those with tortoises in distress and most importantly of all - the tortoises that are the point of this forum after all.
I hope you all love your tortoises and care about torts in general, or are you all too concerned with your own personal agendas ?
Please be nice.