Announcement: HH FAQ

Hamster Hideout (HH) Forum
Frequently Asked Questions

Profile matters:
How do I upload a picture as my avatar?
HamsterHideout.com can host your avatar for you. Go to 'My Controls' at the top of the forum. Select 'Edit Avatar Settings'. You can choose from the built-in gallery of avatars or upload your own picture from your computer.

Why do I get an error message when I try to upload my own avatar?
Note that the forum only accepts jpg, jpeg, png or gif file formats for pictures.


Can I put a picture in my Signature?
Yes. But you have to find an external host for your pictures. Please keep the picture at a size of not more than 600x100 pixels to avoid distorting the look of the forum.


Why is my forum time wrong?
The forum is based on Singapore Time (GMT +8). You can adjust the forum time based on your time zone using 'My Controls' at the top of the forum. Go to 'Board Settings' to select your location. Check the daylight savings box if you require it.


Why do I keep getting logged out even though I did not click on "Log Out"?
Try clearing your browser's cookies, then closing and restarting your browser. For Internet Explorer users, goto Tools->Internet Options->Delete Cookies. For FireFox users, goto Tools->Options->Privacy->Clear Cookies now.


What are the member ranks available and how many posts do I need to achieve each rank?
No. of Posts Rank
0 Baby Hamster
50 Rookie Hamster
100 Junior Hamster
250 Adult Hamster
500 Veteran Hamster
1000 Hamster Clone
2000 Ultimate Hamster Clone
3000 Full-fledged Hamster
4000 onwards Secret Career Track
There are also special member titles not related to post counts that are given out to deserving members from time to time. Reminder: Please do not spam the forum to increase your post count. Members who do that will have their post count reset to 0.


Why do some members have awards on their profile?
HH organises forum contests from time to time. Awards are given to winners of the respective contests. Check the contest section for more information: Contest


What should I do if I forget my password?
Click on 'Log in' at the top of the forum. On the next page, you should see 'I've forgotten my password! Click here!' Click on that and enter your username on the next page. You will receive an email with instructions on how to reset your password.


What should I do if another member asks me for my password?
Your password is strictly personal and should never be shared with anyone else, not even HH Crew. No one else but you will have a good use for it. Please alert the moderators if another member were to ask you for your account password. This can only mean that member is up to no good.

Post matters:
I typed something wrongly in my post. Can I post again?
Instead of posting again right after (we call this double-posting and it's discouraged), you can click on the 'Edit' button to correct the mistake in your post. You can also delete your wrong post and post a new one.


Why can't I view any of the topics at the HH Marketplace?
Those topics are only viewable by our members who log in. If you are not a member, simply sign up for a new account. If you are a member already, simply login to view.


Why can't I put more than 30 smilies in one post?
This restriction is put in place to avoid slowing down the display of the posts.


Why doesn't my post count increase after I had posted?
Note that posts are not counted in some of the boards. There is a red text to indicate that in the description. Also note that you should not post unnecessarily and excessively (for example, posting the same thing in many different boards) just to increase your post count. This is considered spamming and members would be given a warning.


Can I put a photo of myself or other personal info such as my hometown in my profile or post?
HH does not allow members under 18 to do that. This is for the personal safety of our young members. Our forum is indexed by search engines so if you post your photos, they might show up when somebody does a search on google or yahoo. This being the internet, you never know if a bad person is looking at your photo!


Why am I discouraged from putting my email address in my posts & signature?
Our forum is indexed by search engines and other online automated 'bots' (not related to HH) which may use your email address to send you spam or viruses. If you wish to exchange your email addresses with your online friends, please do so using the PM system so that the search engines cannot read them.


Why can't I send PMs (Personal Messages) to multiple members at the same time?
We do not encourage this practice because some members might abuse the system and end up spamming other members. Please use the PM system only if you have private and important things to say to your friends.


Why can't I send an email to other members using the profile function?
This function is reserved for admins and global moderators only to avoid spams. Please use the PM function if you wish to contact a particular member.


Why is my topic locked/closed?
This could be because your topic has been posted many times before. A reason would be given at the end of your locked topic. You may wish to do a search on similar topics.


Why is my topic moved? I can't find my topic!
One of the reasons could be that you have posted your topic in the wrong forum. We have different categories for different topics. You can click on the link in your topic title to go to the moved topic.


Why was my post deleted?
If your post is inappropriate, irrelevant or very rude, it will be deleted and you will be sent a PM notice. Remember to avoid chatting at the Hamster Care boards because they are for help, emergency or important issues regarding the care for your hamsters.

Forum Features:
Why do members have different colours on their names in the online list?
Different member groups have different colours assigned to them as follows:
Admin Team
Global Moderating Team
Moderator Team
Ambassador Team
Designer Team
Writer Team
Mod-In-Training Team
Member
Validating Member
Note: Validating members should click on the link in an automated email that they receive after registering on HH. This will validate their account and enable them to become HH members with posting privileges.

Other matters:
How do I become a moderator on HH?
Moderators are by invitation only so no requests please! We do not award moderator status to members just because they request for it. Generally, we look out for people who are very active in the forum and are helpful, friendly, kind, knowledgeable in the area that they will be in charge of. They should also be mature in thinking and behaviour.