Hi ! just joined, pic of my piggy

[OSUCavies]

In my defense, I still do not believe I "attacked" anyone.

Maybe I should not have automatically asked them where they got their pig, but I have seen responses that were a LOT more aggressive than mine were on many different threads.

Aside from my "did you adopt" comment, I do not feel as thought I attacked anyone.

On top of that, I did NOT ask this person if they adopted because I wanted to attack or hurt their feelings if they did not. I was honestly asking because I was going to praise them for researching before getting a guinea pig.

When they said the did not adopt, I was shocked because of them saying they had read the forum for several weeks.

My intentions were definitely NOT to automatically jump on this person's back, and I gave them information about what could be wrong with their petstore pig, I did not go off the hinges to tell them what a terrible person they were.

I feel as if I'm getting chastized for things I have seen done by many other members in a much more aggressive manner.

 

[CavySpirit]

Yes, many other members do this as well.

This is what it feels like. Not good.

I know you didn't feel like you were attacking, but that's how it comes across to a new person.

This thread is just a good example of what I want to stop. It happens to be you this time. There are many other people who do this as well.

I'm not saying I want us to be all nicey nicey all the time. No way. I just want the questioning and jumping on initial posts--no matter where they are--to stop.

We need give new members a little space and time to settle in. Do we let bad messages stand? No. Do we solicit them to dig out their naive messages? No.

 

[PookiesPiggies]

Hi Danny, Welcome to the board. Your Missy Little Piggy is a doll and I love her colors. I hope you find the information here as helpful as I have.

 

[tiakrdsk]

Hi Danny, cute pig!

I got my first three from petstores, (one being petsmart). All totally healthy. No problems at all. The rest I got were rescues. I think you are totally in love with your pig and she will be a spoiled rotton princess. Good Going, and have fun!

 

[Slave to the Wheek]

I too, saw the early responses as "baited questions" to a newcomer. In addition, I"d like to add that it took me a couple of weeks of research on this website before I even found out there was a forum. Heck, it took me a week just to get through the photo gallery pictures. Plus at the same time I had to read up over on GL and Cavy Madness and then I found OTHER websites and forums and had to figure out which sites and forums were valid and which ones were filled with bad advice. Needless to say it didn't take long to figure that one out! .

Once I found the forum here I spent many hours just doing searches on subjects I had questions on for caring for my cavy.

Plus for one person "a couple of weeks" can mean an hour a night and another 7 hours a night.

 

[OSUCavies]

There are many people that come to the "introductions" threads with a long paragraph saying they have been researching and either A) Already built a CC Cage B) Already adopted or C) Already did both or are going to do both.

Therefore, my question was asking because they didn't give much information. I wasn't trying to "bait" anyone. I'm still pretty new to this forum, why would I try to manipulate other new people?

 

[Fay]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[this_lil_piggy]

I too, saw the early responses as "baited questions" to a newcomer

No more baited than I have seen you, myself, or 100 other people do to new members many times before.
Really, this has been addressed already, and there is nothing to accomplish by beating the horse.
Don't do it. Give the newbies some breathing room. It is clear enough already. Can Danny have his post back now?

 

[PrincessPipster]

I feel that everyone needs to be a little nicer, especially to new people. I bought my first guinea pigs at a Petsmart about six months ago. I found this site after buying my guinea pigs. Our first questions to people should not be "did you adopt" or "why didn't you adopt" or "did you buy from a shelter?" People that come to a site like this really want to do what is best for their new pet. They are seeking answers. We should answer their immediate questions with gentleness and respect. We don't want to turn people off to this site. This is the best site on the internet when it comes to guinea pigs. Most people don't have a clue about guinea pigs when they first purchase them. It's only after they have them, fall in love with them, and learn about them on this site, that they will become activists against pet stores and breeders. This site has helped turn me into a cavy slave. Everything, and I mean everything, that I have learned about gp's has come from this site. I am glad that I wasn't treated harshly when I first posted on this site. Please just be thoughtful of other people and realize that you were once the person who didn't know anything about gp's. Also, a lot of the people on this site are young (I'm 31). We just need to be careful that we don't discourage or turn away the younger ones. It takes people time and education to become passionate about adopting and against breeders and pet stores. If we turn them off to this site, they might not ever get the info that they need to care for their gp's. This is just something that I have wanted to share for a while. Hope no one gets mad at me

This was an excellent post.....To tell you the truth,I was scared to make my first post(I'm new also)because I had read THIS thread first and saw some not so nice welcomes to say the least and knowing that my Buddy had been bought from a pet store by my Dad(read my intro thread for more info hehe)I was very worried that I wouldn't be welcomed here because of what I've read in this thread....Danny just did not seemed very welcomed by SOME....I did,however,bite the bullet and made my post anyway because I truly want to do best by my baby and give him the best life a piggy could ever have.I love him dearly....

I can see where a new member might not want to post or shy away after reading what I've read....Just didn't seem too friendly to me.SOME,(and I do stress SOME)....

Even though I had no control over getting Buddy...I didn't even want a pet and had no idea I was going to get him as a gift for my last birthday,I still felt shamed for even having Buddy because He(Dad) didn't adopt Buddy.:guilty: That being said...I dare someone to try and take my Buddy from me :mischievo .I love my pet and I THANK my Dad for giving Buddy to me and I won't be sorry for that.I won't be sorry that I have Buddy and don't want to feel shamed about it...

Most of you have been around alot longer and you guy's do a GREAT JOB on getting that message out there..It would mean a great deal to the new members to be welcomed here with open arms first...That will make us keep coming back for more and when we(newbies)keep coming back for more..we WILL learn all there is to learn from this site and from help from others here...It will just take time!I'd rather it take someone alot of time to grasp the importance of your message here then someone being offended right off and never coming back....and NEVER learning what they need to learn!I hope this makes sense and it isn't meant to step on anyones toes...I just wanted to share with you from a new members point of view.

Danny,Your pig is just the cutest!Welcome to the forum from one new member to another....stick around and we'll learn all of this stuff together!
p.s...Be sure to check out my thread also!I'd like you to meet Buddy(pics are there)

 

[BAll3rinA]

My first pigs, when I was younger, were from a pet store and they were very healthy and lived til they were 8 years old. If you buy from a store you have to make sure ur pig looks healthy. Adopting is the best way to go because you don't want to give pet stores money bcause they will just go get more pigs from a bad place...but it is your choice where u want to get one and you just have to be careful he/she is healthy. Your pig is very cute