Balls n Boas same rack?

[BigLu]

Do any of you have ball and boas in the same rack?

[sg1trogdor]

Yes I have my albino rtb and my Dumerils in the same rack as my balls and my normal rtb in my other rack with my balls. May I ask why? heating is almost the same so as long as you are sure your boas don't have IBD Idon't see anything wrong with it.

[Neal]

You're going to get mixed opinions on this. Boa's can carry IBD and it's virtually undetectable unless your python dies randomly. I guess it all depends on what your snakes costed you if you want to risk that, and if you got your snakes from a reputable breeder or not.

[4theSNAKElady]

As long as proper precautionary measures are taken, I see no problem with it. I have only 16 snakes, and I have mixed species racks. Same rack, fine. Same tub, eh, not so much.

[twh]

.... heating is almost the same so as long as you are sure your boas don't have IBD Idon't see anything wrong with it.

this brings up a interesting point,how can you be sure boas don't have IBD? it's my understanding that large snakes can carry IBD without showing any sighs for years,while BP's die in a short amount of time.

i just had a friend in another city put her whole collection down because of IBD that probally came from a burm.i'm getting to the point that i don't want to get animals from anybody that works with both species.just thinking out loud here,any thoughts?

[rabernet]

this brings up a interesting point,how can you be sure boas don't have IBD? it's my understanding that large snakes can carry IBD without showing any sighs for years,while BP's die in a short amount of time.

i just had a friend in another city put her whole collection down because of IBD that probally came from a burm.i'm getting to the point that i don't want to get animals from anybody that works with both species.just thinking out loud here,any thoughts?

I know several people that think the same way that you do - and will not purchase a python if they know that there are also boas in that person's collection - just to keep their python collection safe. Overly cautious? Perhaps - but preventative just the same.

[4theSNAKElady]

It's hard to narrow things down sometimes, if you're talking about elimating any possible risk of exposure. Because many single species breeders have been to shows(exposure) and may have purchased animals from another breeder in the past (exposure) who bred different species, or perhaps purchased imports (again possible exposure). Plus, unless the breeder has been working with the same stock for years and years, and only uses animals he has produced on his own, there's no sure way to tell how many times any individual snake has exchanged hands, and what exposure it got. I mean, is there any possible way to completely eliminate the risk of exposure, if you want to continue to add animals to your collection? I don't know....perhaps Adam may have a better answer. I myself keep only balls and a variety of colubrids. But to me, taking a chance keeping other species is worth the risk, because I enjoy more than just balls. And I can surely tell you, I practice STRICT quarantine procedures.

[sg1trogdor]

this brings up a interesting point,how can you be sure boas don't have IBD? it's my understanding that large snakes can carry IBD without showing any sighs for years,while BP's die in a short amount of time.

i just had a friend in another city put her whole collection down because of IBD that probally came from a burm.i'm getting to the point that i don't want to get animals from anybody that works with both species.just thinking out loud here,any thoughts?

Testing is possible but I believe that the animal has to be an adult. I think. They take spinal fluid from just behind the head. I am not sure if the animal has to be an adult or just a certain size. I have always been told "larger animals" now what "larger" means I have no clue.