Getting Unwanted BP - Some opinons needed

Ermm... Not to be rude or abrasive here, but...

I don't think ANYONE has answered the question that Pandora has been asking.

If she takes him/her to a vet and it is PROFESSIONALLY determined that the snake is HEALTHY and has no mites, is the quarantine still necessary?

I'm tired of reading through this and everyone just keeps saying "You should know you're taking a risk."

She knows this, and if you answer the above bolded question, she will be able to make a decision based on whether or not she can take it to the vet.

If she can, she'll take it and not worry about a quarantine.

If not, then she'll double-think about taking it in.

EDIT: Deborah must have posted while I was writing this.

But also - if the snake will develop something later on, an extensive test would show developing ailments, no?

Any snake can POSSIBLY DEVELOP an issue, that's common logic with every living being. But if every professional test possible is done and the snake is unquestionably healthy and clean, then you're sitting on the same risk you are with ANY snake.

Correct me in detail if I'm wrong, please.

Quote:

---

I don't think ANYONE has answered the question that Pandora has been asking.

---

Actually I did :gj:

Okay, I understand most of you are replying to this with the intention of putting yourself in my shoes, keep in mind I only have one other snake, not several like most of you.

I UNDERSTAND that I'm taking a risk. I know all the health concerns involved with what I'm doing. Like I mentioned, he'll be looked at by a vet ASAP.

Additionally, even though I AM putting Pandora's health at risk, I'm also putting another snake's on the line by ignoring the fact that nobody besides me has had interest in the guy in almost a month. His current keeper wants him gone; NOW.

I'm torn, really; but none of this is being done out of ignorance. I have no other room to keep him in. IF I got him in another room, it would be right next door to Pandora's current which, from my perspective wouldn't make much of a difference. And that's a very small chanced 'IF'

Here's his youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/ralphdavis

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

No one here recommend 1 week of quarantine they recommend 1 week of acclimation before interacting with their BP, those are 2 different things.

Even if look up by a vet you are still taking a risk as some things can show up later on.

Proper snake husbandry does not only consist in providing good care for your BP but also practicing strict quarantine procedures.

Read the story I posted above and you will understand what rushing and not quarantining can lead to.

As a potential future breeder (you said you wanted to breed) you need start practicing good quarantine now, this is part of proper husbandry.

---

Yes, I realize what happened to the other owner. I don't have several snakes. Just one. Even though I'm not at all prepared to lose her. I'd rather be able to save one if I can.
By the time I start breeding, I won't be living with my parents, who want all my snake activities confined to one space and one space only. Which is my room. Just because I'm making an exception this once doesn't mean I'll continue doing it when I have several snakes. Mmmkay?

Quote:

---

Even if look up by a vet you are still taking a risk as some things can show up later on.

---

In other words not everything can be seen or diagnosed on day one or 2 or 3 or after 7 days which is why people practice strict quarantine.

I have practice quarantine from day one even with 2 snakes............why because I will not jeopardize the health of my animals whether I have 1, 2 or 40 whether they are normal or morph.

Again your choice however I will state it again putting you new BP in the same room for a week is not quarantine.

And you should really read that story to understand the importance of quarentine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

Actually I did :gj:

---

And I edited accordingly =)

Pandora, I spent more than 20 years in the US military, and have had risk management drilled into my cranium for that entire time. Here's how I see it:

1) Understand the risk - I think you have that covered
2) List the pros and cons - Save a snake vs. loose the one you have. There are other pros and cons as well
3) Choose a course of action - This one is your call alone
4) Take risk avoidance measures - Full Vet check
5) Understand that you can do everything right and still have it turn out wrong.

In additon, untold numbers of people violate the QT rule with snakes from PETCO every weekend, and the last time I went to a major reptile show, there were 10's of hundreds of animals from multiple breeders all breathing the same air...other than Jen's collection, I haven't heard about any mass BP die offs.

if you're able to put the two snakes in different rooms, do it.

Spend as little time in one of the rooms as possible, and change clothes and take a shower if you have to go into pandora's room after being in the new snake's room if possible.

I know you said that you would have the rooms next door to each other, but really, imagine family members being sick. Isolating them as much as possible really does make a difference and seriously reduce the risk of transferring contagions.

Someone else posted something that brought up a point I'm a little curious about...
There's hundreds of snakes being brought into reptile shows all the time. All breathing in the same air, being touched by random people who have touched other snakes and not all vendors ask you to use hand sanitizer before handling their snakes. From what I understand, most BP health risks spread like wildfire within a matter of hours (correct me if I'm wrong). Also, a lot of people end up buying these snakes, just like I did with Pandora. So if these developing health risks are SUCH a concern that you can't keep a new BP in the same room as another one, how is it that a majority of the BPs brought to shows (that sometimes stay in the same room as several others for the entire duration of a weekend) don't end up dying off or getting any major illnesses?
JUST so I get that cleared up...