Other Forums

[CavySpirit]

Every forum or board or online group has its own culture, social profile and accepted norms.

That's the beauty of the internet. You are free to shop with your fingers. If you don't like a group, you have a few options. You can try to change it, you can accept it and post and participate within its guidelines or you can find someplace more suited to your needs and desires.

Everyone knows about C&C Cages
C&C cages have become so popular around the world that virtually EVERY online community knows about C&C cages and have members who can answer questions about them. In addition, you can search this site, this forum and this photo gallery (all independently) and find answers to virtually every question you probably have. Odds are very very high it's been asked and answered already. The point is, it isn't necessary to join this forum and participate for the express purpose of getting information on cages or environment. The reason to join this community is just that--to join a community--to contribute, share and hopefully learn from a group of relatively like-minded people with a common interest.

C&C Forum--Not for Everyone
What is this community about? Please read about our mission. It's not for everyone. We have a number of members for example, who breed and others who do not subscribe to all of the ideals and principles that the management of this site/forum put forth. But, they understand and respect the established culture of this forum and participate within our guidelines.

C&C Forum Alternatives
We do not promote other forums that do not subscribe to our animal welfare position. There are many, many guinea pig-related forums and groups on the internet. The vast majority of them are highly supportive of any and all kinds of breeders and most have no issues with animals being sold in pet stores.

There are three other forums we would recommend:

• The Pigloo
• GuineaLynx
• CavyMadness

Forum Wars
Often, forums with different perspectives on heated issues can become embroiled in "forum wars". These are highly immature, nasty events that we mods and admins would rather not have to take part in. To that end, we have some guidelines for members of GuineaPigCages.

• Do NOT join other forums to troll them.
• Do NOT join our forum just to troll.
• Do NOT use our forum to incite others to join other forums for trolling or arguments.
• Do NOT make posts solely for the purpose of criticizing other forums or posts on them. If you have a problem with a post on another forum, or the general attitude of another forum, identify the basic issue (e.g. breeding, pet stores, etc.) and post about that.

We want to be a forum of mature, responsible individuals who don't stoop to the nonsense of drama and forum wars. The only way we can achieve this is if everyone behaves!

On Promoting Your Own Forum
Bottomline, this is not allowed. Anyone can and many people do set up a website and a forum. It's easy to do. A few clicks, a little administration and there you are. Then they come here and say, 'hey, come check out my forum.' This seems to be more prevalent with teenagers because they don't yet have a real understanding of the business world.

If we use the analogy of this forum being like my private home, where you are all here as my guests, advertising your own forum here is like coming into a party at my home and saying, 'hey, y'all--come on across the street to my party instead!' In the world of forum ettiquette, this is frowned upon.

In addition, because of the traffic and features that continue to be provided to the public as well as members here, the costs of maintaining the forum and site are high. I've added advertising to the site. I expect members to support our advertisers as they see fit. So, if people leave this site, there is no chance at all to recoup any expense of running this site. I, in essense, pay for someone else's ability to come take my members away. Many, if not most of those 'free and easy' sites are supported through advertising.

I do consider different situations on a case-by-case basis, but generally, do not encourage promotion of other forums.

The Links Page--Promoting Your Site
If you want to promote your website or some other website. Great! That's what the Link Forum is all about. The only constraint is that there must not be any promotion of breeding, showing or promoting of animals being sold in pet stores on the site--anywhere.