Facebook.

[Anyfoot]

I think it's about time some of the experienced keepers/breeders from this forum got together and set up a general tortoise group on FB and linked it in with the information on this forum. Sort of a way to help the thousands out there that need guiding to correct info. The S**t I'm coming across is rediculous.
Radiated stars are same as radiated torts.
Radiated stars
Closed systems enclosures are not good for any species of any age.
Because Leo's come from a dry arid area they should be in a table, vivariums cause pyramiding.
Pumpkin is s big no no for any species.

These are all coming from people running the groups not novices. The vivariums are bad example has over 7000 members.

We need to use the biggest social network to guide tort people here some how.

If anyone crosses the groups admin your out, so basically you shut up and watch bad advice being passed on or you speak up and get evicted.
Not every group is like it but the vast majority is.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I fight those fights single-handedly, sometimes I see some good ones pop up. I just ran across a suit of pages moderated by Annie Lancaster that seem reasonable.

I think this is a great idea.

I post 'come to the TFO page often, or work to take what I am saying into an IM so all that a$$hats don't bog me down.

 

[Yvonne G]

The Forum has a FB account:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tortoiseforum/

 

[Anyfoot]

I just joined. Maybe we should all push this Facebook account.

If Joe bloggs buys a tort and wants to know where to look for care tips, he's most likely going to go straight to Facebook, not search for a tortoise forum he's never herd of. I'll bet 9 out of 10 Joe bloggs go to Facebook.

The Facebook account needs pushing within the forum to make it know. It's a tool let's use it. I didn't know about it, how many others don't?

 

[Yvonne G]

I agree. Reading some of the posts over there, it seems like it's mostly people who don't 'live' here. It took Josh a heck of a long time to approve my membership request. I'm not a FB person, but I'm willing to go there and help out.

I'll try to figure out how to add the link in my signature.

 

[Yvonne G]

I added it from my Kindle, and I'm not sure it's a clickable link.

 

[Bambam1989]

I had Facebook account for about two months. I deleted the account after seeing what it was like.
I like TFO though. So many open minds and no trolling, it has a purpose and only wants to help. They back their info with facts.
On my quest for tortly knowledge I came across tons of info that was never backed up or just sounded like hogwash (ex. Don't give sulcatas water). I think it would be great to provide this knowledge to a broader audience like FB... Even though I don't like FB

 

[Big Charlie]

I don't have a Facebook account, and I don't want one. I can't view the tortoise forum facebook page without logging in. An annoying popup blocks most of the page.

 

[JoesMum]

I use facebook to keep in touch with friends and family. (And the day job involves eSafety training)

Facebook groups do need to be closely monitored. Maybe @Josh can make you a group admin @Yvonne G so you can approve membership requests... or chuck people out?

Happy to join if it helps

The worst advice will be on the open groups. Anyone can join, nobody moderates and they get huge membership because private groups aren’t worth the effort for most people

 

[Anyfoot]

I use facebook to keep in touch with friends and family. (And the day job involves eSafety training)

Facebook groups do need to be closely monitored. Maybe @Josh can make you a group admin @Yvonne G so you can approve membership requests... or chuck people out?

Happy to join if it helps

The worst advice will be on the open groups. Anyone can join, nobody moderates and they get huge membership because private groups aren’t worth the effort for most people

What do you mean @JoesMum ? What an open group?
All the groups I'm in are closed groups with a team of 3 to 6 admin. Not all, but some groups are advising stupidity at a high level. I'm in about 10 groups, if I'm honest I don't participate a lot, but do throw my two peneth in at times. I reckon 4 of the groups I'm in seem ok.

This was advice from head admin in a general tortoise group said.
There was a picture of tortoise that managed to pass a large kidney stone.
"This tortoise had been fed to much dandelions". This same head admin advised putting calcium powder on food 5 days a wk and nutrobol 2 times a week.
Every day torts should have calcium powder on food. Don't you think that could be the cause of kidney stones. Too much powder and not enough hydration.
Same head admin only got 2 torts, these were rescues. She's telling 1000's how to care for all species of all ages(neonates to adults). This is just one group.
I dare not join a sulcata specific group, the stories I've herd. Sheeesh man.

Tom would have a field day

 

[JoesMum]

What do you mean @JoesMum ? What an open group?
All the groups I'm in are closed groups with a team of 3 to 6 admin. Not all, but some groups are advising stupidity at a high level. I'm in about 10 groups, if I'm honest I don't participate a lot, but do throw my two peneth in at times. I reckon 4 of the groups I'm in seem ok.

This was advice from head admin in a general tortoise group said.
There was a picture of tortoise that managed to pass a large kidney stone.
"This tortoise had been fed to much dandelions". This same head admin advised putting calcium powder on food 5 days a wk and nutrobol 2 times a week.
Every day torts should have calcium powder on food. Don't you think that could be the cause of kidney stones. Too much powder and not enough hydration.
Same head admin only got 2 torts, these were rescues. She's telling 1000's how to care for all species of all ages(neonates to adults). This is just one group.
I dare not join a sulcata specific group, the stories I've herd. Sheeesh man.

A closed group is where you have to ask to join. The open groups let anyone join automatically and they're the worst.

I think the degree of post visibility will affect the number asking to join too. If the posts in a closed group are still visible to the outside world then you are more likely to get join requests. If everything is behind closed doors and people can't see what you're about then people are less likely to join.

The other problem with such groups is that they can atrophy to the point of just being a place where people ask if the forum is down. I am in a school governor one like that.

TFO thrives because of the forum. Trying to have the same thriving community in two places is hard... People don't have the time to get into detail on both.

Anyway, I have applied to join TFO on facebook. We'll see what happens

EDIT
And that advice is awful

 

[Anyfoot]

Yeah I'm not suggesting that TFO sets up in super detail on FB like on here. The FB page is to attract tort lovers, then direct them to care sheets and links within the forum.
I just had someone messanger me about torts she rescued in uk. She's all confused because of the different info out there and is now worried for her torts. I'll mention this forum.

 

[kanalomele]

I admin or moderate several FB groups. We referr people to TFO regularly and would love to link to the FB group. But it doesn't typically get alot of traffic. I post there to try to help support the page but it's simply not a very busy group. If anyone would like to increase the amount of activity there I am happy to help.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

What is the link. I didn’t know we had one

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I don't have a Facebook account, and I don't want one. I can't view the tortoise forum facebook page without logging in. An annoying popup blocks most of the page.

I agree.
Don't have a facebook account and won't get one.
I spend more than enough time in here as it is.

 

[Yvonne G]

What is the link. I didn’t know we had one

I've added it to my signature (but can't figure out how to make it clickable) and here it is:

www.facebook.com/groups/tortoiseforum/

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Ok, I joined but have not been accepted as of yet. My name under Facebook is my native name Ana Teme Kekiocan

 

[Tropics]

Yep, and whenever I link to care sheets here it gets deleted because it’s not by approved breeders or some such. The sulcata/leopard living in Africa (hence desert) is a big one too. Or people passing off pyramiding as normal. Oh well.

 

[Yvonne G]

Are you saying that on the FB site you link to care sheets from the Tortoise Forum and they get deleted? Or are you saying that we, here on the Forum, delete your links?

 

[Tropics]

Sorry, whenever I link to care sheets here on this site, it gets deleted on that FB group. Sorry for not being clear. And if I do type out the gist of the care sheet what usually the response is humidity is bad and they need lots of air flow.