Reptiles Australasia Issue 3...

**Deb64** · 24-Jul-12, 10:03 AM

Jamie you have appologised to the people that needed to hear it.... Its time now that you stop punishing yourself.... We all learnt some very important things through this.. one being the importance to forgive and move ahead rather than dwell on what was.... There is no need for you to keep saying IM SORRY...... There were so many blinded by this guy and are starting to see his true colors now.... Let is be a lesson learnt and walk with your head held high..... It may take a fool to be sucked in by someones bad ways... but it takes a real person to be able to walk away, appologise and move forward in life....

**Colin** · 24-Jul-12, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by saximus

So, Joy and Troy, if it was your idea to begin with, will you guys be considering attempting this again with a more trustworthy group of people or is it too difficult to start over?

exactly what Ive been wondering myself daniel. now that Reptiles Australasia magazine seems to have died after the two issues published, I honestly feel there still a market for a magazine of this type and although both the RA and Scales & Tails were designed to cater to different markets and readers, there would definitely be a cross over with people reading and purchasing both. And if the second magazine catered for a world market then theres a whole new market out there.

So Im also wondering would the Scales & Tails team be considering publishing a second magazine similar in format and content to the Reptiles Australasia magazine (as was Joy's original intention back at the start of his RA magazine)?

maybe even make it available on the net as a PDF download to offset printing and distribution costs. Also any thoughts of distibuting the Scales & Tails magazine as a PDF download as well? Or having a phone application thats so popular these days?

**Pythoninfinite** · 24-Jul-12, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Deb64

Jamie you have appologised to the people that needed to hear it.... Its time now that you stop punishing yourself.... We all learnt some very important things through this.. one being the importance to forgive and move ahead rather than dwell on what was.... There is no need for you to keep saying IM SORRY...... There were so many blinded by this guy and are starting to see his true colors now.... Let is be a lesson learnt and walk with your head held high..... It may take a fool to be sucked in by someones bad ways... but it takes a real person to be able to walk away, appologise and move forward in life....

Yep, I think I've done what I can... but I still feel like a d-i-c-k-h-e-a-d lol

!!!

That's it for me!

J

**Jay84** · 24-Jul-12, 10:13 AM

I really liked the sound of the Reptiles Australasia magazine, but i heard of its beginnings through the grapevine so made my decision never to support it by buying or subscribing from the very start.

It would be great if the S&T team could get this going and offer some kind of 'Combo subscription'?

Joy and family, you must be relieved now that you can come out and tell your story.

**boa** · 24-Jul-12, 05:37 PM

To be honest with you Jamie I was more than a little gobsmacked when i was told you had jumped ship and joined RA given, as I said earlier, the well documented 'dodgy' past of the 'boss'. I am one of the witnesses to the fact that RA was indeed Joys baby and it was in no uncertain terms stolen from her. This sort of behaviour is actually one of the factors that prompted a move as far away as possible from what I see as a toxic sector of the hobby I love.

Originally Posted by Pythoninfinite

If that was aimed at me, I'm not, and have not, made any excuses. If I'm in the wrong I'll cop it on the chin. As in most specialist areas, and especially on forums like this, be it dogs, cats, horses or reptiles, there are plenty of haters, and I've got my fair share, gathered over time for one reason or another. I'm not remotely interested in resetting their appreciation parameters - couldn't care less.

Jamie

**Joy from S & T** · 24-Jul-12, 05:48 PM

Now to answer a few of your questions:

Yes the option for a sister magazine to Scales & Tails Australia, as originally intended, has been back on the table for the last few months.... and no we definitely will not be considering any partners!!!!!!!!!

Regarding emag: We've been putting plans in place for some months now on going emag with Scales & Tails Australia as well as our regular hard copy and this is scheduled to happen before the end of the year, so watch for an announcement on that soon. Oops......... I just remembered that we actually announced it in the July issue of Scales & Tails Australia.

We have a few other irons in the fire at the moment as well that are keeping us quite busy, but we'll keep you updated as they all unfold.

Cheers

Joy

**TheCheshireCat** · 24-Jul-12, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Colin

I buy Scales & Tails from the newsagent in the city near where I work and have the complete set from issue 1. The overseas magazines they also have there are interesting but in my opinion have way more advertisements and are not as good a quality in general both in content or manufacture as Scales & Tails. and most of the articles in the overseas magazines are very general and not that informative in my view. I used to buy these overseas magazines all the time many years ago when they were all that was available for the reptile enthusiast but dont find them value for money these days or that interesting. Just my opinion.

I personally dont find Scales & Tails has over the top advertisements and the quality of the articles that are topical to keeping and breeding reptiles in Australia are excellent quality.

besides $10-11 every two months is nothing these days for people with a passion about their hobby.

Originally Posted by GeckoJosh

I agree with you Colin, the overseas mags I have found are riddled with adds and the print quality dismal at best

The overseas magazines were printing breeding guides on our native species years before we ever had specialized books doing the same, I don't buy reptile related magazines to marvel at the glossy paper or wonder if it's going to fit in with the style of my coffee table. I buy it purely for the information both in husbandry and scientific sectors.

I just looked through the latest issue of S&C and on 47 pages there are 26 ads, that's not including the classifieds page which to me seems excessive for a 50 page magazine. I also find that a lot of the articles in S&C have been covered previously by Reptile Australia.

So because I won't continue to buy the magazine means I don't have a passion for the hobby?

Sorry but my book collection begs to differ.

Again not having a dig, just giving my opinion.

**Joy from S & T** · 24-Jul-12, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by TheCheshireCat

The overseas magazines were printing breeding guides on our native species years before we ever had specialized books doing the same, I don't buy reptile related magazines to marvel at the glossy paper or wonder if it's going to fit in with the style of my coffee table. I buy it purely for the information both in husbandry and scientific sectors.

I just looked through the latest issue of S&C and on 47 pages there are 26 ads, that's not including the classifieds page which to me seems excessive for a 50 page magazine. I also find that a lot of the articles in S&C have been covered previously by Reptile Australia.

So because I won't continue to buy the magazine means I don't have a passion for the hobby?

Sorry but my book collection begs to differ.

Again not having a dig, just giving my opinion.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion and my goodness no-one is trying to force you to buy anything ....... As we've always said we enjoy good constructive feedback and it's always appreciated. However the actual facts might be good too! Here's the correct information and not a dramatised version: I just double checked our ads and including all the business card size ads in the back which you actually included in your count (and there are 12 of those which fit on a page), plus the page for the classifieds and herp forums etc ,,,,,, total pages of ads including covers = 19.23% ....... I must say, great looking ads too!
And then I compared this with three random overseas magazines.... % of ads in them = 29.87%, 31.25% and 42% respectively....... hmmmmmmm..... I enjoy reading the oversea's mags too. I like to check out the ads so I'm certainly not complaining. I guess we are being very conservative with our % of ads when you compare our mag with overseas mags..... Not having a dig at you either...... just stating actual figures not dramatics.......
Cheers
Joy

**GeckoJosh** · 24-Jul-12, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by Joy from S & T

n a page), total pages of ads including covers = 19.23% ....... I must say, great looking ads too!
And then I compared this with three random overseas magazines.... % of ads in them = 29.87%, 31.25% and 42% respectively....... hmmmmmmm....

These results are exactly what I expected

**Wally76** · 24-Jul-12, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Joy from S & T

Yes the option for a sister magazine to Scales & Tails Australia, as originally intended, has been back on the table for the last few months....

Great to hear Joy!

**TheCheshireCat** · 24-Jul-12, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Joy from S & T

You're certainly entitled to your opinion and my goodness no-one is trying to force you to buy anything ....... As we've always said we enjoy good constructive feedback and it's always appreciated. However the actual facts might be good too! Here's the correct information and not a dramatised version: I just double checked our ads and including all the business card size ads in the back which you actually included in your count (and there are 12 of those which fit on a page), plus the page for the classifieds and herp forums etc ,,,,,, total pages of ads including covers = 19.23% ....... I must say, great looking ads too!
And then I compared this with three random overseas magazines.... % of ads in them = 29.87%, 31.25% and 42% respectively....... hmmmmmmm..... I enjoy reading the oversea's mags too. I like to check out the ads so I'm certainly not complaining. I guess we are being very conservative with our % of ads when you compare our mag with overseas mags..... Not having a dig at you either...... just stating actual figures not dramatics.......
Cheers
Joy

Ummmm, sorry but no I didn't count those at all.
I counted from front cover to page 47, in those 47 pages there were 26 ads. So there were no "dramatics" at all really.
Perhaps you need to recount?

**boa** · 24-Jul-12, 08:17 PM

26 ads spread over 47 pages seems like a decent ratio to me and not really something to get fixated about.

Originally Posted by TheCheshireCat

Ummmm, sorry but no I didn't count those at all.
I counted from front cover to page 47, in those 47 pages there were 26 ads. So there were no "dramatics" at all really.
Perhaps you need to recount?

**Pythoninfinite** · 24-Jul-12, 08:24 PM

Some people like a few ads anyway - stories of reptiles + products and services = a rounded magazine, as long as it's in balance. I live remotely, so never get to browse the shelves of reptile stores directly.

Jamie

**TheCheshireCat** · 24-Jul-12, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by boa

26 ads spread over 47 pages seems like a decent ratio to me and not really something to get fixated about.

Fixated? I doubt it.

There are 45 accounts of advertising in a 50 page publication. Unless the basic formula for percentages has changed that doesn't equate to 19.23%

**Joy from S & T** · 24-Jul-12, 08:26 PM

Mate,,,,,,, I'm not getting into it with you, but thanks for the chuckle.

Bottom line is that the percentage is what I said. You are entitled to your opinion, and geez wouldn't it be a dull old world if we all had exactly the same opinion? If you like our magazine (ads included) and you buy it, then that's great and thank you for supporting us. That's how we are able to continue to support the hobby the way that we do.... is by people supporting us. What's the saying? What goes around comes around! If we all support each other then the hobby wins. If you don't like our mag, then that's ok too. We knew before we started publishing that we wouldn't be able to please all the people all the time!
As I said earlier, good constructive feedback is always welcome and we appreciate it as that's how we grew to be the success that we are today ... by listening to what people wanted....... I'm glad that you brought up the ad thing because it made me look at what other magazines were doing regarding their ads, and I hadn't done that in a while.... and yes we are still definitely on the right track, so once again thanks for that.
Take care.
Cheers
Joy

lol Boa...... it's 10 pages spread over a 52 page publication...... heck, this is fabulous advertising...... I wonder how many people are going to rush out and buy this issue just to count it up....... Thanks Cheshire Cat..... You're helping to boost this months sales.

Originally Posted by TheCheshireCat

Fixated? I doubt it.

There are 45 accounts of advertising in a 50 page publication. Unless the basic formula for percentages has changed that doesn't equate to 19.23%

oh mate..... that's funny...... 10 pages out of a 52 page publication definitely does equate to 19.23% lol...... shall we start counting words now??????? lol