I rescued a little Nicaraguan boa the other day. She's very tiny (at two years old) and wasn't properly cared for. Otherwise, she seems healthy. That doesn't mean anything in reference to IBD per se.

Does *anyone* know the actual prevalence of IBD in boas? I have always wanted some boas, but I'm terrified to keep them, because I have a beloved collection of balls that is irreplaceable. I've heard anywhere between rare to ALL boas (I know the latter isn't true) and anywhere in between.

Right now, the little lady is on a different floor in a different room from my BPs. I handle her and shower, and don't touch my BPs for at least 12 hours.

It's driving me *insane*. The paranoia is taking the fun out of what should be a fun pet.

Ideally, I'd like to eventually keep her in the same rack system as my BP collection. She will more than likely stay very tiny from what I understand about her, her age, locale, and her upbringing.

I contacted Dr. Jacobson, who has studied IBD at the University of Florida. He basically said I should be concerned, and have two tests done. The blood test seems inaccurate -- he said more often then not "he sees false negatives more than false positives". That's an unnerving prospect.

Has anyone had the blood test done on their boas? What is the process, your experiences, etc (please share)?

How worried should I be about this situation?