Who attended the W.A Expo?

[Simon_Archibald]

Niall,

What price do you have on the Pygmy Monitors and the Speckled King Skinks? What ages? CB or WC?

Yes I have plenty striped tailed Pygmy monitors for sale, same with the speckled king skinks.
the albino motor bike frogs should breed this season.

That stimmy just looks like a Perth hills locality that should of been left in the bush, wouldn't even think to collect it if I came across it.
I actually wouldn't even bother getting my camera out for it either..

 

[AndrewHenderson]

View attachment 290645
Hard to believe this little fella has to be under lock and key as a Cat 5 reptile.

Mine has gotten big pretty quick. when they get bigger I can sort of understand why they ask for them to be locked to be honest. It won't be long before it will be at a point where if it got out it could potentially kill the dog. Or I could get killed, by the missus! haha

 

[AndrewHenderson]

From all accounts of what I've seen the expo looked epic and I think the success of it caught out the committee. lines out the door and down the street is more than what they would have imagined. I wasn't able to make it this year due being in Bali but if it's on next year I'll head down I reckon. They really do deserve a pat on the back for the effort and the organisation into it. With those door figures I wouldn't be surprised if some vendors from SA make the trip to showcase stuff next time.

 

[Bluetongue1]

The committee have yet to determine the numbers that attended. The reason they do not know exact numbers is that they were caught out with the floats provided to those collecting monies and when lots of change was needed in a hurry, it went from one to another without being counted. I have done my own analysis, based on total monies and the various expenditure items provided by WAHS. I have submitted that to the committee for consideration but expect to hear nothing back until after their next meeting.

In round figures, I’d say we had 3,000 patrons (adults + children in the ratio of 5 to 2). In the main display hall, with people hanging in there to get a good look at everything that was on offer, it surely felt like three time that number. Basically we expecting around 500 but hoping for double that. Instead we ended up with 6 times as many – a fabulous result, really unexpected and apart from the wait on a couple of lines, most everyone was more than catered for. Thanks to the planning, as Andrew mentioned.

I am personally blown away by the numbers and could not be more pleased with the overall result. It achieved its aim of promoting our hobby, the businesses involved in it and the society representing it in WA. The format of an affordable day out for the family proved a brilliant way to go. It is so very rewarding to see such an event come to fruition and exceed all expectations for those of who have been chipping away relentlessly over many years to enable our hobby to be recognised, expand and function more sensibly.

Blue

 

[bohdi13]

thanks for that blue, I certainly think that the West Australian reptile trade/committee has an extremely bright future. with the new species being put on the keepers list the reptile trade will only grow, grow and grow. when I first started becoming a reptile keeper I didn't see the WA trade going much further but after what I seen and what I know now I have changed my mind completely.

 

[Bluetongue1]

We are expecting to hear any day now on the result of the next six animals we applied for. Yet that is not the really important news. What is particularly important is the nature of the changes achieved as a result of the year of political lobbying. At the time, for all intents and purposes, it seemed that all we had achieved was to indefinitely set back the deadlines of those recommend changes that had been agreed to by DEC within the WAHS Submission.

A meeting with DEC in late February of this year revealed a truly significant change in their approach to the keeping of herpetofauna as pets. Probably the most important one for the average keeper is the decision to allow a continuous roll out of the larger list suggested in the original WAHS submission. The assessment of species will be taken on lots of six and dealt with as time permits, given that there is no provision to set aside extra time for the task. This is in contrast to the previously proposed five yearly review to look at adding another six animals.

This and the other changes delineated did not happen randomly. They were clearly the result of on-going political pressure applying ratinal and reasonable arguments for a fair go for WA hobbyists. So while it may have felt like we were rebuffed at every battle along the way, what is now eminently clear is that in the end “we won the war’. So all those toxic individuals that took delight in publically expressing how wrong WAHS was in the way it was going about things and proffering an enlightened positive outlook of cooperation that would really work, can now eat their words along with a very large serving of humble pie.

I personally have been involved in this process for 17 years and have been party to all manner of approaches. I know what has worked and what has not worked. Little wonder I get angry with Johnny-come-lately know-alls who profess to understand what is required and dress their arguments up in meaningless positives. The realities required to achieve real change are in another universe to what these legends in their own lunch boxes would have you believe. WAHS has actually achieved real change that will make an immense difference to our hobby over time... that is reality and as time goes by and the system advances, WA hobbyists should to be mindful of this.

Blue

 

[Niall]

Hi Everyone,

We (WAHS) have made the decision to have the next reptile expo in 2015 and the date is still to be finalised.
This will give the society more time to organise bigger and better things for the reptile keepers and general public.
Hopfully by then, DEC has announced the new species to the keepers list, this should then bring a lot more variety of reptiles on show and for sale on the day.

cheers,
Niall

 

[Bluetongue1]

That’s good to know thanks Niall.

Given the amount preparation required and taxing effects on those involved, I think it very prudent that this should be a biennial event at the moment. As the society grows and the keeping list grows and general interest in the keeping of herpetofauna increases, holding it as an annual event can be considered. This is my opinion.

Blue

 

[Jonah]

Lets hope we see that keeping list grow sooner rather then later!! Fingers crossed huh