# Quiet *Crickets Chirping*



## Rat Attack

Just wondering if its usually quiet here on the forum. I've been part of a few forms for varied interests but this one seems the most quiet lol. Just wondering if its normal or is it just me? Not saying anything is wrong with calm and quiet but I'm just curious.


----------



## Jaguar

yup, it's always been a relatively slow moving forum  when i first joined about 2 years ago it was overrun with spam bots... they had probably 3x as many posts as regular users, lol. it's come a long way since then, but i think the new vbulletin conversion scared off a few people... hopefully we'll see a membership rise with time.


----------



## 1a1a

Is that the process that prompted the (blocked on my computer) ads? Lame reason to bail.


----------



## Rat Attack

Jaguar said:


> yup, it's always been a relatively slow moving forum  when i first joined about 2 years ago it was overrun with spam bots... they had probably 3x as many posts as regular users, lol. it's come a long way since then, but i think the new vbulletin conversion scared off a few people... hopefully we'll see a membership rise with time.


 Thanks for the reply. I was just a bit curious. Slow moving or fast moving its a great forum with lots of useful information.


----------



## smesyna

No, there have been ads for quite a while. People just like things "how they were". This new version is very similar, and easy to use though. You guys also get to see way less spam.


----------



## Rat Attack

The way this forum is set up and laid out is very similar to another forum I'm on. Other than what they are about and some of the graphics it is almost the same lol


----------



## SlashGlambert

Really?
I love your sig by the way  I've seen a lot of forum layouts, not just ratties, with the same host/layout. Someone's paying for it too (thank you btw) so I'm thinking the host matters. I love my rats and this forum is awesome to check in on every now and then.


----------



## alliepenguin

I'm hoping we can get it to speed up. This forum is amazing, but definitely hoping that we can make it more popular. Might even start advertising on other websites, if that's okay.


----------



## SlashGlambert

yeah! I didn't know there were Rat forums and other rat lovers when I got my first rat. I'm really glad I found it too it helps tons!


----------



## StarFruit

I've been on for a couple weeks? Maybe more, I dunno. But I love this place. I'm surprised it isn't more popular.


----------



## Rozlyn

StarFruit said:


> I've been on for a couple weeks? Maybe more, I dunno. But I love this place. I'm surprised it isn't more popular.


My thoughts exactly, especially with the owner having secured the domain name of ratforum.com. That's the great thing about message boards though. They're always growing. I'm an Admin of my own (a serious role-playing message board), and we've nearly hit the thousand member mark. Activity varies from super crazy at times to pretty dead, just depending on the time of year.


----------



## SamIAm

This forum is pretty quiet but I love the way its set up and easy to use! Everyone here is super friendly too so glad I found it  I really love the sticky topics with no discussion I can look at all the cool cages and go back for reference without digging through comments.


----------



## PitterPatter

I actually find this place comfortable. It never usually takes longer than a day for a reply, but emergency type replies are scary because of how little people there are on at times. I love this forum because of how many awesome people there are here, and everyone's so polite and friendly (probably because everyone owns a rat - rat people are intellectual ). It would be cool to see this place grow a bit more, and have more long term members, since I imagine most people make an account and leave..


----------



## Jaguar

The problem lately is that our new members have been staying for a few weeks, posting a lot, and then completely leave for other sites with more activity and never come back, not realizing that if they stayed and continued to contribute this forum would have the same level of activity... it's unfortunate.


----------



## Maltey

I'm having the opposite problem!
Now my work schedule has calmed down I'm coming back to ratforum, but I'm finding every post I go to answered has been answered!!
Maybe it's to do with the time difference thing. :/


----------



## Iheartroxyrat

its the first hit on a google search for rat searches, thats how i found it  and im sooo glad i did! it might be slow moving but this is a really nice forum with great ppl and a lot of info! plus i think they are looking for new ways to kinda spice it up! i think rats are becoming more popular of a pet, ive noticed more and more ppl who have them or intrested in my ratties wanting to know more about them  yay they should be popular because they are awesome!!


----------



## Kinsey

I've been a member here for 3 years or so and yes, it always has been somewhat quiet. I like it though, GM is quite crazy and the bigger something is the harder it is to know people well. As is, I recognize most members here.


----------



## Arashi

Yeah, I suppose it is quite quiet.


----------



## Cashew1992

I agree in-comparison to another forum (gerbil proboards) i use this one is pretty much silent; i did at first thought that maybe people didn't care for new arrivals (narrow minded i know) simply because i was so excited about joining and making my "Say hello" post and then i only get one reply  silly yes i know but i can't feel any community spirit here  

I'm sure this isn't the case and the people i have encountered were lovely. I will be hanging around but until i get my rats i feel like an outcast xD !


----------



## Arashi

I try to greet the new arrivals, because I know how it feels to come in with a lot of enthusiasm in introducing yourself but no one notices


----------



## moongate

I have found that if I want to just read something I'll go to another forum and lurk. But here, I like that it is small, and that there are a few regular posters with new people posing questions and slowly getting to know them as well. I think that each forum serves it's own purpose. This one is my ratty home where I can brag about the boys and how happy I am to have them in my life. </end sappy moment>


----------

