What is IBD?

So is it mainly Boas that have it or carry it? Because eventually I would like a red tailed boa as well.

All boas and pythons, and some families of snakes (vipers, colubrids, etc) can contract IBD.

Boas are singled out because they can be 'asymptomatic carriers'. They can carry the virus/retrovirus WITHOUT developing the disease, which means they can spread it to other snakes without ever becoming sick themselves. This is rare, but it happens. Extreme caution is warranted when owning both pythons and boas, as a result. A perfectly healthy boa could be harboring a secret deadly to the rest of your collection.

Most boas that contract the virus/retrovirus will develop the disease and die, though it often has a longer incubation period in boas, from what I understand. The worst part is, if IBD is spread primarily by mites, someone with good hygiene practices in their collection could have a carrier boa, and never know it until one day they have a mite outbreak.

I personally would keep boas and pythons housed strictly apart.

Well, that is very useful information and something to keep in mind. I think if I had both I would almost have to keep them on seperate properties. I could'nt stand the thought of animals dying of something so horrible that could have been prevented. Maybe I'll stick to BPs for now.

I had a boa that had IBD and had to be euthanized because of it. It's really a sad thing to see...there's no cure and they appear to be suffering.

Highly contagious, unfortunately all of us who handle from one reptile to another will have shake when we read this.......:(