Reptile & Amphibian Forums

During these past 2 or 3 months that I have been on these boards I have observed some very intresting things. While most of the time all answers are informative, helpful and nice, you still get the odd flaing answer to what is considered to be a "stupid" question. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QEUSTION!
Everyone on these boards started out as a noob asking simple questions. How do you espect the chameleon care group to become smarter when, god forbid!, someone asks a question on a chameleon board? Perhaps you forgot the little paragraph at the top of this page:

Welcome to the Chameleon Forum. Here you may post messages or questions pertaining to all aspects and issues regarding the keeping, breeding, health, and conservation of Old & New World Chameleons.

pertaining to ALL aspects of keeping, breeding health and conservation of old and new world chameleons.

this includes any nooby questions, so Please , try not to be so harsh on people. Everyone was a noob at some point.

THanx
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0.2 Cats (Moora and Twitch)
0.1 Dogs (Maria)
soon to be 1.0 Chameleon (Species unknown right now)

Sometimes the meaning of the posts get misconstrued
I dont think they were trying to be mean to the guy holding the chams tail
Just sometimes it looks like they are trying to be mean When they are just saying you really shouldnt do that!
It happens to everyone one time or another! It took me awhile to figure that one out myself
However it is my sincerest hope that these misunderstood posts dont scare off any perspective chameleon owners from the Joy of keeping this truly beautiful little creatures

Of course there are stupid questions. I have read some real dumb-a$$ ones lately too. I read a post in a different forum regarding the cham eating the plastic plants – asking if it was ok – come on. Owning a cham requires a certain individual. If a person can’t do some fundamental research on their OWN then they probably shouldn’t own a cham. Asking basic questions that are found in any care sheet irks me a bit – and I know I speak for others on that. I so don’t want to reply to these posts – but I feel that the cham is punished and not the owner if I don’t. There is really nothing to do about it too. Irresponsible people will buy the cham then come here to ask question that they should have known weeks before the purchase. Then there’s plain old common sense – which I won’t go into. I think people should be stomped on a bit – lightly and with an explanation why. I don’t think there is any problem telling people that they should already know the answer to their questions – prefixed with “I am not trying to bash you but …”. This way the person knows that they need to take some initiative and do more research. How else are they going to be educated – when the cham dies?

Then as mentioned, a lot of communication is lost when just using word. There is no eye contact, hand movements, posture, tone – nothing. Literally 90% of the communication is lost. My take on this is DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS. Instead ask the question “Why?” and don’t immediately fire back with the big guns.

-roo

I agree for the most part with roo
Except that most people buy there first Chameleon at their local pet store and arent given proper care instructions
Therefore they lack the knowledge in properly caring for their pet
So they come here and other forums seeking knowledge or even a point in the right direction, At which point the decision is made by the replier

I don't have a chameleon right now. I currently have a uro. I came over to this board because I am interested in getting a chameleon. The information I have read/gathered in no way makes me able to answer anybody's questions. Therefore, I am not going to answer someones questions. Also, I will not pretend to have an answer to a question regarding diets, habitat, lighting, etc...

I agree with roo, there can be stupid questions. Just don't flame anyone. The funny thing is that just about every question can be answered by reading the care sheets and researcher's information about Madagascar, Tanzania, and Kenya.

The only thing that really bothers me about this forum, is when someone says,"It's sick, what's wrong with my cham & I don't want to pay for a vet". There's a big difference between not having the money, and not wanting to spend it. With people that don't have the money, I can understand it. With people that don't want to spend it, they shouldn't have ANY pet.
And the only stupid question is the one that's never asked.
My $.02
Cricket