Owning BP's and Boas

Hello all! I currently have one Ball Python and am thinking about buying a Red Tail Boa. I know Boa's can carry IBD their whole life without showing symptoms. I live in a small studio apartment and as it is, would not be able to provide adequate quarantine measures. I was planning on buying the Boa at the upcoming November White Plains reptile expo, from a reputable breeder. Is it not a good idea? Please chime in with any personal experience about housing boas and pythons in the same area. Thanks!

I know nothing of RTBs but I would not do anything to risk my pets.

I'm struggling with the same issue. I just got a pair of BRBs. I do have the room to quartine them on a different floor of my house, (which puts them in the living room...I'm lucky to have understanding roomies). But, I would like to eventually keep all the snakes in the same room. Hopefully, someone with more knowledge can chime in...

ive owned both but noway would i house em together,though ive seen it done and neither seemed to mind , ibd is still pretty rare, as long as your ready to accept the consequences if he does per chance have ibd

I own both species and I house them in separate rooms. However, my son is getting antsy to have his boa in his room which is also where the balls are kept.

I have gotten all 3 boas from three very reputable breeders and I feel that giving them a 9-12 month QT period is sufficient. Also, all of the boas were captive bred and born from long lines of captive bred and born snakes.

I really think that the breeder and breeding has everything to do with the level of trust that you are getting a healthy snake. Couple that with an extremely long QT period, and I feel okay with the choice that I am making.

I'm just doing a regular quarantine which so far it's been a month and a half. He's gonna come out soon. They can live for years with IDB and I doubt I will be able to keep up quarantine for the rest of his life. It's just a risk you have to take if you want a boa. Getting from a reliable source always helps.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by starmom

I own both species and I house them in separate rooms. However, my son is getting antsy to have his boa in his room which is also where the balls are kept.

I have gotten all 3 boas from three very reputable breeders and I feel that giving them a 9-12 month QT period is sufficient. Also, all of the boas were captive bred and born from long lines of captive bred and born snakes.

I really think that the breeder and breeding has everything to do with the level of trust that you are getting a healthy snake. Couple that with an extremely long QT period, and I feel okay with the choice that I am making.

---

So two months is definitely too short, huh? :(

This is just me, but my balls are a huge investment (money that could/should have been dumped in my IRA). I won't risk their health for anything (I own NO other snake species). If I just had a few as pets, things may be different.

Just my feelings on it, but everyone has different goals.

JonV

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nevohraalnavnoj

This is just me, but my balls are a huge investment (money that could/should have been dumped in my IRA). I won't risk their health for anything (I own NO other snake species). If I just had a few as pets, things may be different.

Just my feelings on it, but everyone has different goals.

JonV

---

But don't some of the top Ball Python breeders also breed Boas? Maybe it's not THAT big of a risk.

Hi,

I seem to recall reading a post that claimed some breeders will intentionally expose a male bp to their boa collection to try and detect IBD much like miners used to use canary to detect gas.

It may be nothing more than an inaccurate rumour though.


dr del

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JayBP

So two months is definitely too short, huh? :(

---

Boas should be quarantined for a minimum of 6 months.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

I seem to recall reading a post that claimed some breeders will intentionally expose a male bp to their boa collection to try and detect IBD much like miners used to use canary to detect gas.

It may be nothing more than an inaccurate rumour though.


dr del

---

At first glance I thought, "Wow, how highly practical!" Then I thought, "Oh my gosh, how could I do this? How could I choose one who might die? Why is it that the males are always so dispensable?!"

It is a valid course of action; albeit wrapped within an ethical dilemma....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

Boas should be quarantined for a minimum of 6 months.

---

But they can live for years with no signs. So there is a chance even after the 6 months he could still have IDB and if that's the case I don't really see the difference.

boas won't show the signs of IBD even if they carry it. Your normal QT would remain the same. Pythons tend to not live past 30 days after exposure.

I'm not saying this is the right thing to do, but if you exposed a python to a boa for say six months and the python did not get sick, could you assume that the boa does not carry IBD?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PigsnPythons

I'm not saying this is the right thing to do, but if you exposed a python to a boa for say six months and the python did not get sick, could you assume that the boa does not carry IBD?

---

I have heard from others on this list, and elsewhere, that a ball python will show signs of IBD much sooner than 6 months. That said, I would think it might be reasonable to assume that after six months of exposure with no symptoms showing in the ball python that the boa is IBD free.

Does anyone know how common IBD in captive bred and born boas actually is??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by waltah!

boas won't show the signs of IBD even if they carry it. Your normal QT would remain the same. Pythons tend to not live past 30 days after exposure.

---

Well my normal quarantine is only about a month or so, not six months. Lol.

I guess it's my snake doesn't have it because I quarantine in my closet in my room where I keep my ball pythons. None of my BPs are showing signs of IDB.

I had wanted a Hog island boa but now I refuse to get one because of the risks. I already have two ball pythons, one of which was purchased long before I looked into the hogs. It's not at all fair to risk my existing snakes just to add to my collection. In my opinion, you should either keep only pythons/ only boas, or you should wait until you can house them properly in separate ends of the house. That, to me, is responsible snake keeping.

There's another option:

Pay the $300 to $500 for a liver biopsy on any incoming boas.

The fact is that a 6 month quarantine may not protect you from IBD.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mindibun

I had wanted a Hog island boa but now I refuse to get one because of the risks. I already have two ball pythons, one of which was purchased long before I looked into the hogs. It's not at all fair to risk my existing snakes just to add to my collection. In my opinion, you should either keep only pythons/ only boas, or you should wait until you can house them properly in separate ends of the house. That, to me, is responsible snake keeping.

---

Sounds irrational to me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

Boas should be quarantined for a minimum of 6 months.

---

Yup, when I got my first boa, I quarantined her for about 6 and a half months.

But again, does anyone know what the incidence of IBD is in captive bred and born boas from reliable and respected breeders???

Seems like I've stirred up quite the controversy! I can completely understand how a breeder would opt not to own Boa's due to the risk to their collection. What I want to know is a: What's the point of quarantining an animal that can remain asymptomatic? b: What percentage of CBB Boas carry IBD? and c: What percentage of Boas carrying IBD remain asymptomatic? Jeez, maybe I should just get a Carpet Python for a display snake :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by potatofloss

Seems like I've stirred up quite the controversy! I can completely understand how a breeder would opt not to own Boa's due to the risk to their collection. What I want to know is a: What's the point of quarantining an animal that can remain asymptomatic? b: What percentage of CBB Boas carry IBD? and c: What percentage of Boas carrying IBD remain asymptomatic? Jeez, maybe I should just get a Carpet Python for a display snake :P

---

Why don't you pm jimisnakes and ask him to post the answers to these questions; he could really help out with this!! :)

Also, don't give up on boas just because you have unanswered questions.... pm Jimi.....

I've been waiting for Jimi to chime in. . .Let us know what he says.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by potatofloss

Seems like I've stirred up quite the controversy! I can completely understand how a breeder would opt not to own Boa's due to the risk to their collection. What I want to know is a: What's the point of quarantining an animal that can remain asymptomatic? b: What percentage of CBB Boas carry IBD? and c: What percentage of Boas carrying IBD remain asymptomatic? Jeez, maybe I should just get a Carpet Python for a display snake :P

---

The December issue of Reptiles Magazine has an excellent article on IBD.

No one is going to be able to answer your question about incident rates in captive boas because (1) the majority of animals aren't being screened for the disease and (2) boas that remain asymptomatic are also not being tested in enough numbers to generate any reliable data..

If I was in the market for another boa, I would seek out a reputable breeder who is knowledgeable about the disease - I think it would surprise you how little many breeders, even Vets know about the disease. I would also pay extra money to have a biopsy done - whats $400 or so compared to the cost of your collection?

After reading the latest articles and after talking to our Vet, I would not assume that IBD is rare. Our Vet flat out told us that the IBD symptoms vary so much that many animals do not display the neurological signs that everyone seems to be hypersensitive about. Sometime it's renal failure. Sometimes tumors. Sometimes respiratory infections. Sometimes septicemia. Sometimes a host of subclinical maladies that deal with anorexia or regurging.

There is so much misinformation out there and so little in the way of cost-effective methods for testing for the disease that any data regarding infection rates, the percentage of animals that remain asymptomatic, etc. even if it were available, would be suspect.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mindibun

I had wanted a Hog island boa but now I refuse to get one because of the risks. I already have two ball pythons, one of which was purchased long before I looked into the hogs. It's not at all fair to risk my existing snakes just to add to my collection. In my opinion, you should either keep only pythons/ only boas, or you should wait until you can house them properly in separate ends of the house. That, to me, is responsible snake keeping.

---

I agree with you 100%

I have quite a few pythons - mainly aspidites and antaresia. I also keep various colubrids..........

I have two boas left in my collection. After a long bout of anorexia with one I had both biopsied for IBD - luckily, they were negative.

I will not be buying any more boas until they have a cost-effective and reliable method for identifying IBD and boa breeders begin advertising that they test their animals.