I'd Just Like to Put This Out There..

[Spoony]

Not trying to be rude, but I've noticed a lot of this happening:

[Newbie]
I have a question! This that and the other...

[Anyone else trying to help]
How old is your dragon?
How long have you had your dragon?
How long is your dragon?
What is the sex of your dragon?
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in?
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank?
Do you use UVB lights?
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb?
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)?
How old is your UVB bulb?
How close can your dragon get to the UVB?
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Is it a white or colored bulb?
What are the basking temps?
What is the cool side temp?
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun?
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps?
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad?
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific.
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)?
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc?
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them?
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)?
Do you bath your dragon? How often?
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath?
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done?
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon?

A lot of these questions can be unrelated to the Newbie's question at hand and can be overwhelming. I know the couple times I've been presented with this long list I've sort of thought "I really don't want to get grilled on all of these questions before you answer my 1 question"..

Basically I'd just like to reference this thread that I found in Health. Essentially it says that these are all important questions, but not all of them all the time. I dunno, I guess just kinda pick and choose the ones for the situation so we don't bombard all our newbies into never coming back.

This isn't to say I don't appreciate everything everyone does, just maybe tone it down a wee bit?

:love5:

 

[randommonks]

While this type of information may be overwhelming to the person asking for help, more than likely it can be relevant to their issue or question. Even if it isn't, it can help pinpoint other areas in which they could need help. If someone is just posting that long list in response to a question that doesn't actually offer a solution, more than likely they don't have the answer and I, personally, would wait for someone who actually addresses the issue at hand.

 

[Spoony]

That's true, in which case I would think that those without an answer would hopefully just refrain from posting the long list?

 

[daner923]

Spoony - I understand the frustration. However, without a lot of this information, it is impossible to diagnose the issue being asked about. I think without a lot of these questions answered, no one will have an answer in a lot of the health posts. It's kinda like a medical history - for example, if you get brought to the ER passed out, and you have no medical history, how would they know that, for instance, you have diabetes or cancer? It's not that we want to overwhelm people, but these are the questions that are most likely to diagnose a problem. We don't have the benefit like a vet of examining the dragon in question, or looking at the set up ourselves. I agree that it may be a good idea to be careful with this list, but it really is needed a lot.

 

[Spoony]

I completely understand that and I agree that wehere Health questions are concerned, all these questions may be needed. But there are those situations where someone asks a question about temps or they've already answered a good majority of the questions in their original post but are completely disregarded. In those cases it's definitely off putting from a newbie perspective.

I know we can't shorten the list, but kinda be sure to cater it to the question at hand, pay attention to the poster's full question, and then ask the appropriate questions. And like Randommonk said, there are those people who kinda question hop and just paste this list forever, which doesn't really show an earnestness to help. It's kinda like, "here's your robot answer".

 

[sweetiepie9]

When someone asks questions about set ups, I never pull out that old list, it's intimidating, instead I ask a few questions, mostly UVB type, basking temps, and whether they're using calcium & vit/min and size of bugs. I also ask size of tank and age & size of beardie. That's it to start. If there are other questions to be asked, they'll come up in the conversation. I agree 100% that I also don't like that list, it was put together years ago and I wish people would stop using it. It can be used as a reference for the person asking the questions, but a few at a time would be easier for a new person to answer and is less overwhelming.

 

[daner923]

Hmm.. That's an interesting point Deb. I hadn't considered it that way. I think to some degree it depends on the person asking the question as well. To me, the benefit of asking for all of the info at once is that: a) nothing major gets left out, and b) it allows me to respond systematically, which I have generally gotten very good feedback on. I guess my opinion is that if I am going to take the time to go through everything in detail, giving specific instructions, I'd rather do it right once than piecemeal. A single set of detailed question and follow up instructions, although overwhelming, is very useful to someone looking to make wholesale changes for the betterment of their pet. I know in my job that when I send out data requests, if they aren't specific enough, it leaves us chasing data or making mistakes due to incomplete information.

 

[Spoony]

I agree with both sweetiepie and daner's points of view because they both make sense. I'm sorry I didn't mean for this to turn into some huge debate

 

[sweetiepie9]

No debate, just everyone's opinion, which is the point of this site. I love it when someone brings this sort of thing to everyone's attention and we all get our opinions on here. It's great! Just what this site was designed for, so never think there is any question that can't be asked here...as I've said many times and was told when I first joined in 2006 with questions about my Sweetie, there is no such thing as a stupid questions when it comes to the health and well being of our dragons :love5:

 

[Spoony]

Well thank you! It's certainly reassuring to have you on my side, Deb.

 

[herpgirl2510]

I agree alot of these questions can be brought up during he conversation about the issue. I have seen that list and have been glad I have not had to answer the questions mostly because I cannot figure out how to cut and paste on my iPad. :mrgreen: There is nothing wrong with a debate thankfully people have differing opinions and there is nothing wrong with expressing them.

 

[Goodtruant]

It would be cool if these questions can be part of our profiles. Just click on someone profile to see the answers.

 

[Spoony]

It would be cool if these questions can be part of our profiles. Just click on someone profile to see the answers.

That'd be cool, but there are a few questions that'd have to almost continually be updated like age.

 

[randommonks]

Not sure when this was posted but:

[edited by beardie to add the following]

For those who are about to cut and paste this list for someone to answer, please stop and read this for a moment. Please do not take this whole list and past it as a response to someone seeking help. While I understand there are questions needed, it's starting to become apparent that the increased posting of this list of questions is becoming a bit of a turn-off to people coming here to seek advice and assistance. It's not that they have to answer a few questions, but that it is being presented that they must fill out this questionnaire before anyone will talk to them, making their first encounter with the community a rather impersonal one. If you do take from this list of questions to paste, please select the specific questions that are relevant, and include a bit more of a personal note in your response.

If you are seeking help, offering as many answers to these questions as you can will help people try to provide more complete and accurate advice, so please do try and answer as many as you can, if you initially post with answers to the question list.

Thanks. -Alex

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=116920

It's from the thread sticky in health in the OP.

 

[Spoony]

Yup, that request was actually what I was referencing initially.