Scared To Death My Snake Has IBD - My Collection?

Palpitate her down near her vent. perhaps there is something impacted. How is her skin color on the underside especially her head?

I have a sick little hatchling that I had to help pass a large urate that was blocking the vent. I believe it was causing toxic shock. her skin was going yellow and she had the head cork screw and was very weak..

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Originally Posted by immortalic

I don't believe it was from the Dumeril's, honestly, she's a very healthy snake. The only vet here that sees snakes, doesn't know what IBD is.

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Boa's are carriers for IBD. I have heard that some breeders expose ball pythons to the boas in quarantine and if the ball python dies the boa has IBD.

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Originally Posted by immortalic

I don't believe it was from the Dumeril's, honestly, she's a very healthy snake. The only vet here that sees snakes, doesn't know what IBD is.

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Sorry dude...you can't tell whether a snake has IBD just by looking at it. Your best bet is to find a qualified vet.

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Originally Posted by immortalic

I don't believe it was from the Dumeril's, honestly, she's a very healthy snake. The only vet here that sees snakes, doesn't know what IBD is.

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Boas can be asymptomatic carriers of IDB. They can live for years without showing signs of having it. I'm not saying this is the case, but It's possible.

I realize that boas can be asymptomatic carriers, but the guy I got her from has BPs and does absolutely no quarantine process, and all of his are perfectly healthy. Not only that, he was keeping her at his brother's pet store (where no one can handle her) and the baby BPs, and the Burm were also healthy. The palpitating didn't work, I will try again in the morning, also, her stomach is the normal fair-white. I also realize that I can't look at her and tell if it's IBD, just like I can't look at a snake and tell you the sex. I'm just hoping for the best, honestly, I'd hate to see any of them pass.

Also, if this is indeed IBD, and my other snakes have been exposed, how soon should I expect symptoms? I realize that it can take considerably longer with a Boa, what about my BP?

Hi,

Just to try and rule other possible causes out;

Has the pet store been treating for mites or anything on or near the feeders?

What kind of bedding do you keep the sick snake on and have you changed it lately?

Have you double and triple checked the temps in the enclosure with a reliable digital thermometer in the place the snake actually lies ( i.e. inside the hides)?

Also, if he was keeping the boa at the pet store then the fact it was previously kept with BP's means very little as it has just been possibly exposed to a whole pet stores worth of parasites and diseases. Did the pet store get any new animals in lately and are any of them ill? I ask because that also makes the health of their baby BP's and burmese at the time of limited use - but how they are now is still important so I would ask.

It might be possible to get the vet near you to go read up on the various parasites and diseases that can lead to similar symptoms - also getting a parasite check done might be wise. If the worst happens and you lose the sick one I would definately think it would be worth the money to get a necropsy done to see if you need to take any steps to protect everything else.

Best wishes.


dr del

The incubation period for IBD is unknown--it can range from just a few weeks, to a few months in pythons--usually several months at least in boas.

It's absolutely crucial to quarantine all of the snakes away from each other if you suspect it. It's transmitted by droplets and contact, so extreme attention to hygiene, and seperation, might save some of your other snakes if it IS IBD. Nothing from one cage must touch another--nothing that touches one snake should touch another or its cage before being sterilized. It is highly contagious. IBD is 100% fatal in snakes showing symptoms. If your snake doesn't show signs of recovering quickly from whatever event has caused the neurological symptoms, you should probably have it euthanized, order a necropsy, and disinfect absolutely everything. Avoid visiting others who have snakes until you can rule out IBD--you don't want to pass it to their collection.

Also, your friend doesn't know what he's talking about. IBD symptoms do not include mouth rot or lesions. They only include neurological signs, and loss of appetite in pythons. In boas, regurgitation can also be a symptom.

The sick snake was on RepitBark, and is now on paper towels, the ReptiBark was almost brand new when she got sick, and was clean. The pet store was using HotShot to treat for mites, on a snake that I once owned (6 1/2 foot Red Tail Boa), but was not near the feeders. I checked temperatures with an analog thermo/hydro combo, 3 times daily. They had just gotten in 2 cb BP babies, one of which was just extremely tempermental, but the health of the Burm, and all the BPs are excellent as of now, I just ot off the phone with him. Also, how much would a necropsy generally cost? I figure that I would have to send her body off for it. All snakes are quarantined atm, and everything is disinfected with a 10:1 water/bleach solution. No one, literally no one, around here has ever had a problem with IBD, ever. So none of us here really know much about it, except for what I have read on the internet about it. Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

What is the active ingredient in Hot Shot? I know it's a pesticide, but I didn't think it was safe to use around animals - at least not the one I'm thinking of. I guess there may be more formulations. Either way, it sounds to me like you need to find a different source of feeders.