When did this happen?

KUJordan

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 22, 2005
Messages
344
So back in the day, when AB first started out along about the time VL also got up and running there were some really cool and advanced folks on here as members. I was a very active member here for many years. I personally knew many people who kept a vast array of scorpions, tarantulas, and true spiders as well as centipedes. We all were very much concerned with the advancement of the hobby and the availability of some of the more rare species. We all bred our species and we studied- we read and most of us seemed extremely competent to do our own research about whether certain species were communal or not, or what the best husbandry conditions were to successfully breed and grow them. It just seemed to be a very bright and shining time for this hobby. I would get on here at least every day if not 10 times/day and I was always excited to see what new observation or what new trick one of us had come up with to advance our hobby. Not only was the wealth of knowledge on AB and VL growing, but so was the improvement of our photography. Members were taking some really breathtaking photos- photos that were as scientifically and taxonomically valuable as any you would find in an arachnology journal. It seemed that time was a turning point for arachnoculture- the time when this hobby would be growing and never look back.

Then something happened...

It seemed like our generation of keepers, breeders, and investigators left. I started medical school and got married. I know others moved and their personal lives changed dramatically as well, leaving them with less time available to immerse themselves in this hobby they love. There was a time when had you logged on here never would you have seen a thread subject like "what is the coolest scorpion?" or, "what would kill you the fastest- a deathstalker or getting hit by a train?" or, "need a spider ID!" and the spider in question is some microscopic house spider and the photo provided is so blurry and dark you can barely even be sure it is a spider at all. I cringe every time I log on here every month or so and read posts about how someone's P. imp is "sick" because it is not moving and they thinks it's going to die. There are so many posts and so much information about Emps that all someone would have to do is look up the answer to any question or concern they need, but it doesn't seem the new generation is doing that. No one is digging deep into the husbandry and research and it seems that people aren't doing the true work like we used to. There is very little of "substance" on the boards these days. It's sad for me because of how the great ambassadors of this hobby worked so hard and made this whole thing what they were all about. We took a ton of pride in all this and being knowledgeable- not in folk tales or common names, but in the truth and the natural history. I hope it can get back to that someday. Thoughts?
 

GPulchra

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
279
I have contributed to the overall stupidity of the newer members on this forum, unfortunately, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Although, I have noticed such a drastic change in forums. Flytrapcare, Animal Crossing Community, Tamatalk, they were all as you described and just became a hideout for n00bs now. It's a shame that these things happen, but that's people nowadays.
 

Travis K

TravIsGinger
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
2,518
Many of the older members are to blame as they got bored and left. Which is sad in and of itself as they are not here to mentor the newbs. I would say there are more invert 'enthusiast' now than ever(the ones like your old school memories), but also a lot of 'others' mixed in. Plus a lot of people that research don't really have a need to post as they can lurk and become 'experts' without even posting.
 

AzJohn

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
2,181
Quit if you don't like it?
Wow, with all your years of experience :rolleyes: you'd be willing to tell an experinced keeper breeder that there input isn't needed. I guess we should let the new guys quote care sheets at one another. Honnestly without people with first hand knowlegde and experience this forum is a waste of everyones time.
 

Offkillter

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
149
I despise your holy-er than thou take on this hobby.I think that i'am not alone in saying that (though a noob) I have spent countless hours researching My next tarantula.I for one like to cover all the bases before getting a new "pet".
To classify everyone because of the few beginner questions is narrow minded and insulting.That is the beauty of Arachnoboards the uninitiated can come together with far more experienced keepers and not be ridiculed.So here's to you Arachnoboard thanks for being there for me.
 

Sleazoid

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
242
Wow, with all your years of experience :rolleyes: you'd be willing to tell an experinced keeper breeder that there input isn't needed. I guess we should let the new guys quote care sheets at one another. Honnestly without people with first hand knowlegde and experience this forum is a waste of everyones time.
I am not saying there is no input needed. If someone is just going to complain about something. Saying they cringe when they come on this site, then do not bother to come on? Is that not the most reasonable answer does it not? I am not saying I know more than anyone else on this site, because I don't. I do not have even a year of experience in THIS hobby. But in the exotic animal hobby in general, I have many. I have not once said anyone to this hobby was invaluable, I was merely stating that if he doesn't like this site why bother even coming on it?
 

snappleWhiteTea

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
780
nostalgic?

I wasn't around for the ol' days i guess, but you could lead by example, show us how 2005ers did it.

you could do the natural thing and just blame the economy lol. that's the easiest thing to do in a situation like this.
 

AzJohn

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
2,181
nostalgic?


you could do the natural thing and just blame the economy lol. that's the easiest thing to do in a situation like this.
Or Obama.

I agree with what you are saying. If no one one is around to start great threads and reply to them then all we get is newby questions. The problem is that people change and can't find time for forums, in particular if they aren't finding any threads that they are interested in.
 

Avery

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 1, 2007
Messages
116
Although I don't post very often, I have been on this board for years. I've kept many scorpions over the years, and am currently down to a single Opistophthalmus species. Arachnoboards has been a great source of information, and I am grateful. I absolutely understand what KUJordan is saying, and I agree with him. There really needs to be more quality control on this board. Not exactly sure how that would be achieved... I guess this is what happens when the hobby is heavily saturated.
I'm not saying don't post here, but asking for an ID on some blurry cell phone picture?? Give me a break! AND THE SEARCH OPTION IS THERE FOR A REASON!!!!!!!!!!
 

Bayushi

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
1,236
I went on Hiatus from the forums (due to many reasons) and noticed when i finally got back into the hobby almost everyone i use to chat with was gone.

The biggest gripe i have with things here, and every forum i go to, is the whole "use the search function". Things seem to have become clique-ish and there isn't a lot of sharing of knowledge. Or acceptance of new people. We were all "noobs" once, right?

I drop in from time to time, read a few posts and go on my way.(yes i contribute nothing to conversation.) I just don't understand how things went down hill in such, what seems to be, a short time.


*** disclaimer***

Yes there are still people here who help new folk out. SKD, Nomad, Galapoheros, Michiel and a few whose names escape me at the moment. So i'm not saying it's all bad.... but yeah... I'm rambling, so i'll be going now
 
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Galapoheros

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
8,982
Many of the older members are to blame as they got bored and left. Which is sad in and of itself as they are not here to mentor the newbs. I would say there are more invert 'enthusiast' now than ever(the ones like your old school memories), but also a lot of 'others' mixed in. Plus a lot of people that research don't really have a need to post as they can lurk and become 'experts' without even posting.
That's what I think, the experienced people get bored, seeing the same questions over and over again, it cycles. I think it turns into something like teaching the same class over and over again. Even pointing out or trying to get newer people to keep in mind that there is the search function is something that is taught to people in a way. So then people get impatient, bored and leave, lurk around. I also think part of it is the economy, things seem worse than what we are being told by the gov or media ..what else is new. More houses up for sale in my neighborhood lately, along with the others that have been for sale a loooooong time. I heard the banks are holding on to houses trying to keep prices up, praying it will get better before they have to sell, don't know the details. They tell people they need to save and spend at the same time!
 

Michiel

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
May 22, 2006
Messages
3,478
Getting bored or frustrated by the same questions over and over again seems the price you pay as an experienced keeper. It is way too easy to adress people that express these frustrations as "holier than thou take" etc etc. We will have talk with you in a few years and see what you think about it then;)
Like some one else said: we where all noobs at one point. I, as a naturally impatient person (that is why I am not a good noob mentor:)), tend to forget that from time to time, and this sometimes results in grumpy remarks from me :) Now I try to remember not to respond to "Yo, what should I feedz my emp, prolly mealwurms", but sometimes I just can't stop myself from making a smart ass remark.

What is truly remarkable is that some people can't seen to find ANYTHING and ask a bazillion questions, while a quick look on Google yields more info than they could probably handle..:Or people that post the same question as posted three threads down on the board. :rolleyes:
Because of these kind of frustrations built up over the past years, I wanted to leave here and I even asked the mods to remove my account here, which obviously never happened :)
I also miss some people I used to learn a lot from, but I decided to stick around and I try to remember not to react to things that frustrate me. But, as a human that makes mistakes, I am not always succesfull.

We must not get to sentimental about it. Everything is always in motion and things change, we may not like this, but we can't change this the way we like. So, in the end, I'll stay I member here, and I only answer questions when I feel like answering them. We must train the noobs to be more selfsupportive and think for themselves. Learning does not automatically mean depositing theoretical knowlegde inside someones head :D

cheers, Michiel
 

KUJordan

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 22, 2005
Messages
344
Case in point:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=187860
C'mon now...

I wasn't trying to say that everyone here now is a noob or asks stupid questions. It just became very apparent to me how quickly the boards stopped advancing. It has been somewhat disheartening. I'm sure it is cyclic and it will pick back up again...

As opposed to getting bored, I think maybe a lot of older members got burnt out. And not jokingly, I do think the economy probably does have something to do with it.
 

recluse

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
307
Im still around and very much in the hobby. I do have to admit that this forum does not provide as much info. for me that I needed when I first started out in the hobby. Times change, peoples lives change, and yes those who have more knowledge than the average bear do most of their research outside this forum. I still like to look at the classifieds and interact but I was never that social anyway hence the name "recluse", my user name wasn't chosen for L. reclusa.
 

BAM1082

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 10, 2010
Messages
257
Why not have sub-forums within the scorpion forum....

Like :
*Basic Questions ... Newbie questions

*Photo Identification

*Help! It wasn't like this yesterday now?! OMG

*General Discussion

I’ve only been on here a little while, but I find some of the more interesting stuff gets pushed back by a lot of the same repeat questions.... having a sub forum to "filter" stuff out would be good.

Bam
 

Nomadinexile

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
2,674
You asked for thoughts, so here are mine...

I try to add when I have something to say. I don't want to fill up space with drivel though. I broke my camera hiking and taking scorpion pictures, so now I'm saving up for an awesome video camera with night vision and an 8mp still and an importing license.

I need to get my finances in order. I need to get a camera. And I need to get some nice terrariums going. After that, you will see and hear a lot more from me. In the mean time, I will mostly be trying to help newbies who come on long.

For me right now, it is the economy, or should I say my economy. Then again, I'm no expert, and it's not like I've been here forever either. But I will have a lot more information to provide in the future. I will be a lot more interesting.

We do need more people stepping it up. I'm going to try and foster that to the best of my ability, but you can help more from the sound of it.

Change is the only constant, but only we can make things better. We can talk about how things were, or we can make it better. I don't have time these days to look back. So I'm putting on horse blinders and charging ahead. Join me? :)
 

snappleWhiteTea

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
780
Why not have sub-forums within the scorpion forum....

Like :
*Basic Questions ... Newbie questions

*Photo Identification

*Help! It wasn't like this yesterday now?! OMG

*General Discussion

I’ve only been on here a little while, but I find some of the more interesting stuff gets pushed back by a lot of the same repeat questions.... having a sub forum to "filter" stuff out would be good.

Bam
this is a good idea. it think an area with only P.imperator would clean things up quite a bit.

stickys could really clean stuff up also. like FAQs about emperors would have a stickied, caresheets etc.
 

H. laoticus

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
1,017
I think there should be an "advanced" subsection, not a noobie subsection. This is because I doubt noobs will stop posting in the "Scorpions in General" section and I doubt they will find those subsections for noobs as they can't seem to find the Search function anyways.

The Basic Questions to Scorpions placed above the Scorpions in General section may be a good idea. Either way, I think moderation of new threads will help a lot.
 

snappleWhiteTea

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
780
I think there should be an "advanced" subsection, not a noobie subsection. This is because I doubt noobs will stop posting in the "Scorpions in General" section and I doubt they will find those subsections for noobs as they can't seem to find the Search function anyways.

The Basic Questions to Scorpions placed above the Scorpions in General section may be a good idea. Either way, I think moderation of new threads will help a lot.
who would determine whats advanced?
 
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