Quarantine too late?

So I got a new red tail boa today from a breeder at an expo. I brought her one and set her up across the room from my ball python. After setting her up I showered, then fed my ball python. About a half hour ago I read that boas can carry a virus that's fatal to ball pythons. So panicking, I brought my new boa downstairs to keep her quarantined from my Python. Is it too late? Could the four or five hours I had her in my room infect my ball python?

Always quarantine, regardless of species. It is possible, but I very highly doubt it.

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Never heard of a virus in boas that can kill ball pythons. But I would think that with a virus it would have to be in direct contact with the boa to get it, or in contact with something the boa recently came into contact with. Unless your boa looks sick I doubt very much you would have a problem.

IBD. Horrible disease. Kills BPs. Always quarantine. And honestly, always wash your hands before handling another species, and definitely before handling non-quarantined animals after handling a quarantined one. Or when going from one person's animals to another's.

Follow standard qt protocall in the future, including with this new boa.

Yeah there are correct steps to proper quarantine.
I QT from 3 to 6 months.

Basically to answer your question, yeah you are probably too late to try and do it right now.

So bringing her downstairs was pointless :( should I be preparing for my balls death?

Although boa might be asymptomatic carrier of IBD it's quite rare and there's no proof the virus that's likely causing it is airborne. Besides, if that's the case, quarantine wont help as you'll realize the problem only once you introduce the new animal into the collection and pythons start dying.

I wouldn't worry too much, keep the new boa in the basement and make sure it doesn't carry any other much more common disease or parasite.

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Originally Posted by Damariscotta

So bringing her downstairs was pointless :( should I be preparing for my balls death?

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Not as long as the boa is healthy.
You should ALWAYS QT any and every new animal

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Originally Posted by Damariscotta

So bringing her downstairs was pointless :( should I be preparing for my balls death?

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I would save that preparation for if any of your snakes start showing symptoms (and then get it verified by a vet) since if it's IBD, it's pretty much fatal to both species.

You may want to do some preventive mite treatment. They could be a possible vector for any diseases going between your boa and your ball and they could be hiding on your new boa.

I hope both your babies stay healthy.

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Originally Posted by cchardwick

Never heard of a virus in boas that can kill ball pythons. But I would think that with a virus it would have to be in direct contact with the boa to get it, or in contact with something the boa recently came into contact with. Unless your boa looks sick I doubt very much you would have a problem.

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There are several viruses that are airborne or can be transmitted by mites that can jump host and even use YOU as transportation, now as far as the specific virus known in Boas and for which there is no cure it is IBD which is tricky since Boas can be asymptomatic for years.

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Originally Posted by Damariscotta

So bringing her downstairs was pointless :( should I be preparing for my balls death?

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You have to know that there is a possibility that your Boa is a carrier but there is a possibility of anything with any species you bring in (such as OPMV that can also ravage a collection) which is why quarantine is ESSENTIAL. Now those two diseases are rare and trust me if a breeder had either in their collection people would know. and I would expect them to do the right thing which is close their collection off.

Now keep in mind that Boas can be asymptomatic for YEARS (which make even 6 months quarantine can prove useless if the animal is a carrier), the good news is that there is a blood test that can give you the peace of mind you need and know that your Boa is healthy and not a carrier.

Personally if I was to buy a Boa I would QT (like I do any snake), and I would get the test done before housing it in the same room than my other animals.

Here is a good read http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...f-Up-About-IBD