Paranoid about IBD

Ok. So I am fairly new to keeping Ball Pythons but have been keeping corn snakes for years, and a boa constrictor... thus is my problem.

I have been housing my ball pythons for around 3 months in the same room. Though my pythons are across the room. I keep being paranoid about IBD, now, I don't use the same tongs to feed etc. I don't swap cage items etc. But I have heard the virus is thought to be airborn as well.

I got the Boa about 2 - 3 years ago and she shows really no signs of IBD. She has regurged one meal when I first got her, the heat was not right completely, and I had bumped her up to meals that were probably a little large. Never a problem since. I have seen her looking up one time, and she retracted into her hide when I entered the room so thusly not stargazing.

I am still totally freaked about IBD. Do you think I am in the clear now? I don't have another room to move the boa into. I got her from a pet shop that is also a breeder of reptiles. aka NOT Petco etc. Getting rid of the boa is out of the question. My GF will NOT part with her.

The pythons seem perfectly healthy. I never have any issues with them at all. I am getting two new pythons from a very very trusted source but they are fairly expensive (for someone like me). Am I being paranoid? BTW, I am OCD about germs in general.

I believe in the 2-3 years you had the boa, it would show definite signs of IDB if it actually had it. I don't even think they can live that long with IDB.

It's possible for Boas to live there whole life with IBD and never show symptoms...However Pythons usually don't live more than a few months after being exposed.

Wow. I didn't know that. I could have sworn I read that they can only live up to about a year or two with it. I've even seen a few people say they quarantine for a year for that reason.

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Originally Posted by stormwulf133

Ok. So I am fairly new to keeping Ball Pythons but have been keeping corn snakes for years, and a boa constrictor... thus is my problem.

I have been housing my ball pythons for around 3 months in the same room. Though my pythons are across the room. I keep being paranoid about IBD, now, I don't use the same tongs to feed etc. I don't swap cage items etc. But I have heard the virus is thought to be airborn as well.

I got the Boa about 2 - 3 years ago and she shows really no signs of IBD. She has regurged one meal when I first got her, the heat was not right completely, and I had bumped her up to meals that were probably a little large. Never a problem since. I have seen her looking up one time, and she retracted into her hide when I entered the room so thusly not stargazing.

I am still totally freaked about IBD. Do you think I am in the clear now? I don't have another room to move the boa into. I got her from a pet shop that is also a breeder of reptiles. aka NOT Petco etc. Getting rid of the boa is out of the question. My GF will NOT part with her.

The pythons seem perfectly healthy. I never have any issues with them at all. I am getting two new pythons from a very very trusted source but they are fairly expensive (for someone like me). Am I being paranoid? BTW, I am OCD about germs in general.

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You worry too much. :) Boas can go a very long time without signs, yes, but it's not that common for them to go for their whole life without showing signs. They usually start showing some problems (or more) within the time frame you have suggested. Whether it be as simple a problems shedding, eating, or whatever.
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Boas look up all the time. They are special like that. :) A ceiling light, or a fan (or whatever) will make some boas gawk at them. Others do it for no reason. They just do it sometimes. Stargazing is very much different than just looking up. It's quite awkward looking. You would know it when you see it.
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You, and your snakes are fine. No sweat. :)