Do you take for granted what you have learnt about rabbits?

I have just been reading through some of the questions in the care section and realised that I knew quite a few answers and some of it seemed really obvious to me. Thinking about it though they were the same sort of questions i was asking/ looking up when I joined and I think I take for granted what I now know.

Is that just me? Do some of us longer term members need to check those sections more bearing in mind what is second nature now hasnt always been?

weeble said:

I have just been reading through some of the questions in the care section and realised that I knew quite a few answers and some of it seemed really obvious to me. Thinking about it though they were the same sort of questions i was asking/ looking up when I joined and I think I take for granted what I now know.

Is that just me? Do some of us longer term members need to check those sections more bearing in mind what is second nature now hasnt always been?

Click to expand...

I know I am a repeat loop with this, but I do wish more people would make the effort to post in health.

weeble said:

I have just been reading through some of the questions in the care section and realised that I knew quite a few answers and some of it seemed really obvious to me. Thinking about it though they were the same sort of questions i was asking/ looking up when I joined and I think I take for granted what I now know.

Is that just me? Do some of us longer term members need to check those sections more bearing in mind what is second nature now hasnt always been?

Click to expand...

Jack's-Jane said:

I know I am a repeat loop with this, but I do wish more people would make the effort to post in health.

Click to expand...

I think the problem is, people have become demoralised, when there is something that is, to us, so blatently obvious that needs to be done.

So the following happens...

You post on thread with recommendation/suggestion
OP / Other Member disagrees and suggests something else
Disagreement/Argument ensues
OP is put off
OP does what 'other member' suggested, as because it was different to primary idea, primary idea must be wrong (seems to be a common thing, watch for it!) or OP ignores all suggestions because 'I cant afford it' or 'I don't think its that' (also very common, why come and ask?)
Rabbit suffers due to primary idea not being followed or OP ignoring the advice they apparently came here to obtain

I post in health almost every day if I can help, but to be honest, I tend to leave alone a lot more now, as I have been ignored on so many occasions, when I know what I am saying is right due to experience. Again, comes back to my previous comments on other threads about time being more important and used where I know it can be valuable.

GrahamL said:

I think the problem is, people have become demoralised, when there is something that is, to us, so blatently obvious that needs to be done.

So the following happens...

You post on thread with recommendation/suggestion
OP / Other Member disagrees and suggests something else
Disagreement/Argument ensues
OP is put off
OP does what 'other member' suggested, as because it was different to primary idea, primary idea must be wrong (seems to be a common thing, watch for it!) or OP ignores all suggestions because 'I cant afford it' or 'I don't think its that' (also very common, why come and ask?)
Rabbit suffers due to primary idea not being followed or OP ignoring the advice they apparently came here to obtain

I post in health almost every day if I can help, but to be honest, I tend to leave alone a lot more now, as I have been ignored on so many occasions, when I know what I am saying is right due to experience. Again, comes back to my previous comments on other threads about time being more important and used where I know it can be valuable.

Click to expand...

I just try to remember that giving advice comes with no obligation that the recipient need take any notice of it or accept it. But maybe someone else reading the thread might. Also, what may be 'the right thing to do' in one specific situation may not be right in another similar situation.

I guess it is a case of trying to give (by posting in Health) without expecting anything in return (by the person accepting the advice and acting on it).

GrahamL said:

I think the problem is, people have become demoralised, when there is something that is, to us, so blatently obvious that needs to be done.

So the following happens...

You post on thread with recommendation/suggestion
OP / Other Member disagrees and suggests something else
Disagreement/Argument ensues
OP is put off
OP does what 'other member' suggested, as because it was different to primary idea, primary idea must be wrong (seems to be a common thing, watch for it!) or OP ignores all suggestions because 'I cant afford it' or 'I don't think its that' (also very common, why come and ask?)
Rabbit suffers due to primary idea not being followed or OP ignoring the advice they apparently came here to obtain

I post in health almost every day if I can help, but to be honest, I tend to leave alone a lot more now, as I have been ignored on so many occasions, when I know what I am saying is right due to experience. Again, comes back to my previous comments on other threads about time being more important and used where I know it can be valuable.

Click to expand...

Agreed and I know there have been threads in the past particularly in health that have been very frustrating. I was thinking more of threads like 'my female rabbit is agressive what can I do' type threads (one I know I started when I joined). Just glancing at the title I would think to myself check housing is large enough/ stimulationg enough, health check and spay. It seems obvious to me now and I might not think to reply because it's obvious but there was a time when it wasnt, are we forgetting that? (I know I am rambling a bit here but I know what I mean :lol

Jack's-Jane said:

I just try to remember that giving advice comes with no obligation that the recipient need take any notice of it or accept it. But maybe someone else reading the thread might. Also, what may be 'the right thing to do' in one specific situation may not be right in another similar situation.

I guess it is a case of trying to give (by posting in Health) without expecting anything in return (by the person accepting the advice and acting on it).

Click to expand...

yes very good point. I think helping is a nice way of giving back (not you personally Jane I mean all of us longer term folks)

I've found all advice useful. I usually follow up with a google search and find other people's opinions too, just to make sure what I'm doing will provide the best for my girls. I have seen multiple posts where people have taken the "easy" advice option.

Jack's-Jane said:

I just try to remember that giving advice comes with no obligation that the recipient need take any notice of it or accept it. But maybe someone else reading the thread might. Also, what may be 'the right thing to do' in one specific situation may not be right in another similar situation.

I guess it is a case of trying to give (by posting in Health) without expecting anything in return (by the person accepting the advice and acting on it).

Click to expand...

weeble said:

Agreed and I know there have been threads in the past particularly in health that have been very frustrating. I was thinking more of threads like 'my female rabbit is agressive what can I do' type threads (one I know I started when I joined). Just glancing at the title I would think to myself check housing is large enough/ stimulationg enough, health check and spay. It seems obvious to me now and I might not think to reply because it's obvious but there was a time when it wasnt, are we forgetting that? (I know I am rambling a bit here but I know what I mean :lol



yes very good point. I think helping is a nice way of giving back (not you personally Jane I mean all of us longer term folks)

Click to expand...

There's only so many times you can tell/suggest to someone that problem a can be rectified by solution b before you lose morale and think "what is the point here?"

Maybe that's just me, it's just how I feel .

I've had bunnies my whole life so I think I probably do take what I've learned for granted, I do need to remember to check some sections more. Health I'm not really sure I'm a lot of help on because despite having buns forever I haven't experienced a lot of health problems, thankfully.

GrahamL said:

There's only so many times you can tell/suggest to someone that problem a can be rectified by solution b before you lose morale and think "what is the point here?"

Maybe that's just me, it's just how I feel .

Click to expand...

No I agre those threads are depressing I am talking more about the perfectly innocent wanting to learn asking basic question type ones

Yes. Sometimes when I've answered questions I've missed the really obvious answer, as I'm assuming they will have already tried all the things I would have already tried. It's hard to remember to start with the basics, especially when you don't know the OP or how experienced they are.

I notice that the same questions get asked again and again but luckily they get answered again and again too.

I do post in health even if only to offer vibes.

I do take a lot of things as common sense (neutering/spaying, big hutch with permanantly attached run, hay, grass) but I realise that they are not obvious to eveyone.

I guess we are always learning and what is second nature to one person is new information to another.

From my experience on the various forums I've been part of over the years, on a eclectic variety of topics I've learned it's best to share my experience as often as possible and my opinions as rarely as possible (other than philosophical discussions).

I also realize that on nearly every forum there are as many guests if not more viewing, and they may never post, but may be reading and absorbing information.

I am often as not that guest, having put a question in a google search and being directed to a thread on some forum I didn't even know existed. I may never join, but I benefit from threads, sometimes many years old.

So while the person who posted the thread may not want to hear what you have to say, be certain that many silent readers out in the ether are benefitting, even years later from your share!

I also notice how, over time, "wisdom" on different subjects change. New equipment, research or just styles of doing things come round. It can be hard to discern sometimes whether the new way is better, worse or just different.

When I search for info I usually try a variety of sites and sources and gather all the info I can, then move forward based on what I've read, what is available to me, and my own gut. I LOVE the PM option, because sometimes it's been more helpful to pick a person's brain off the public forum, where the static of dissenting voices can sometimes muddy a situation and good information get lost in the tussle.

When it comes to giving advice and sometimes sharing experience on a health thread...I think I just don't feel qualified enough. I am immensely grateful there are folks here who know their stuff and I can read so many different suggestions to help with a bunny issue. And other animals as well.
I have tried giving assistance before on another forum and had mods chastise me for possibly causing the OP to not seek vet advice instead which was not true...I never suggested anything like that. I've also walked a different forum member through head tilt with her bunny who eventually died and felt awful about it and basically don't bother giving advice anymore. Quite honestly nothing will substitute taking a sick animal to a professional for most folks and I don't want to be the person who swayed someone from doing so with possibly disastrous results. I think it's just too easy for what is written online to be misinterpreted and I don't want that responsibility.
I'll still virtually hold your hand and send vibes for a swift recovery for your furbaby but that's all I feel I can competently do despite having bunnies for seven years now.

I've had rabbits ten years, and there is still a lot of 'common sense' things I am just now learning about. There is a lot of misinformation about rabbits out there, which can make it hard to get the solid facts. So it's very important to make these facts as available as possible.

But it can be hard to seek some answers out of fear of being flamed and insulted because you're doing something that might not even be wrong, just a different way of doing something (of course, if it is wrong, they should be corrected, but not too harshly).

SJ_R said:

I've had rabbits ten years, and there is still a lot of 'common sense' things I am just now learning about. There is a lot of misinformation about rabbits out there, which can make it hard to get the solid facts. So it's very important to make these facts as available as possible.

But it can be hard to seek some answers out of fear of being flamed and insulted because you're doing something that might not even be wrong, just a different way of doing something (of course, if it is wrong, they should be corrected, but not too harshly).

Click to expand...

What seems like common sense to one person can be new information to another.

Very true about all the misinformation out there. :evil: