Posting more appropriate subject lines

[susanaproenca]

First, I want to make it clear that my intention is not to be mean or rude.

Very often, people post topics with the following subject line:
- HELP!
- OMG help!
- Someone HELP!
- I don't know what to do!
- Is this normal?
And so on...

I have been a member of other forums for years and in my opinion, subjects like the ones mentioned above are inappropriate. A good subject line would have some brief detail of what your post is about, giving the other members an idea of what's going on BEFORE opening the topic.

Here are examples of more appropriate subject lines:

- New hedgehog not eating
- Hedgehog's foot is very swollen and purple!
- Excessive scratching and quill loss -- mites?
- Bathing a hedgehog for the first time -- any special concerns or tips?
- Mom just attacked baby! Help!
- Surprise litter and I'm not a breeder! Help!
- I cut the quick while trimming his nails! What to do?

The reason why I advocate for better subject lines is simple: people who have experience with that matter and/or people who do not read through all the posts might actually see and read your post more easily. You might get more and better answers, faster!

[SnufflePuff]

I second that motion

I'd also like to present Hedgehog Central Forums Etiquette Genereal Guideline # 5

* Don't be Vague
Subject lines should be descriptive and should never be one word long or ambiguous as to their meaning.

If you are a new member, please go read those fantastic stickies that are on top of every forum

And also "dry skin" or similar minor problems, do not warrant subject lines such as "HELP", "EMERGENCY", etc. I no longer take those subject lines seriously and very rarely take the time to read them... please don't cry wolf. Leave those titles for an actual emergency.

[MissC]

Well said, ladies.

[CritterHeaven]

Reading stickies and learning to do searches. Those are key as well. I know not every situation has already been discussed and sometimes it is hard to find the exact question with a search. But most have been posted and can be found.

I TRY not to post a new thread if I can find it already on here but have probably done so a few times.

And 1000% agree on the subject headers. Only use the words EMERGENCY and HELP if it is truly a life threatening situation.

I wonder if maybe an EMERGENCY forum could be added with some strict rules on use. I am on a seahorse forum and we have both "emergency" and "diseases & treatment" forums. In both cases there are specific questions you need to answer when you post so time is not wasted going back and forth to get the situation explained.

[Nancy]

Thank you very much for posting this susanaproenca. I've been going to post about it but haven't had a chance.

I often don't even read those posts because frequently when I log on, I only have a minute or two so go to the most critical sounding posts first. I will go to a thread title that gives me an idea of what the situation is first. Sometimes those with HELP, OMG or similar in the title, are not even emergency or critical problems.

When posting an emergency or an important health thread, it would also be helpful to say, hedgie is X years/months old. I have owned hedgie X days/months. Also, if you have posted previously about the health issue, add to that thread rather than starting a new one so people can look back on previous history.

I'd also like to mention how often it is said to pm me or pm so and so about the issue. Unless you are 100% certain of your advice or the person you are recommending to pm's advice, this can be dangerous. Advice is best given on open forum. That way, if the advice given is wrong, misleading or missing some crucial point, it can be corrected or added to. People who are confident the advice they are giving is correct, aren't afraid to post it to open forum.

I'm going to make this thread a sticky.

[MissC]

and if I can add...

If the post is of a more serious nature, you are best off to start a new thread, rather than tagging your qeustion onto an existing thread. I'm sure many of us don't re-visit threads and may miss an important post. I am thinking specifically of a recent post about a hedgie not eating. It ended up as a very serious issue, then another owner posted in the same thread about the same issue with their hedgie...thank goodness someone caught it!

I agree wholeheartedly with Nancy...tho' I often answer BASIC questions in PMs for the 'shyer' members?, any answer that requires more than basic info (that is usually found in a stickie anyway ) I refer the poster back to the forum for more than my opinion/assistance.

When it comes to hedgies can you really worry too much? or too little?

[fracturedcircle]

i won't lie, i don't even open vaguely titled threads anymore.

[hedgieholder]

Thought i do realize you posted this a couple years ago... im still gonna reply to say that i just lik maybe and hour ago posted a vague headlined thing that i still need help on and i was wondering why no one would reply... maybe just because everyone thinks im an idiot cuz i should know or lik you said it is to vague and i agree... i guess that wuz my second post and i wasnt really thinking about the vagueness...... so yeah just wanted to say tht it is good for ppl to put stuff lik this on here for newbies lik me