My female pastel has possible IBD

Hello, my name is Byron and I bought a female pastel in January from the Orlando reptile show, from what I thought was a reputable breeder. I bought her as a hackling. Tuesday night, we opened her box to feed her, and she was wobbling like a spider. She refused to eat. My wife then opened the box on Wednesday evening to check on her, and she was wobbling and cork-screwing. Wednesday evening after noticing these actions, we quarantined her immediately and started researching different diseases that have these characteristics. Thursday morning, she was completely on her back, skin twitching, and rear-half bloated. She is very motionless, and when she is lifted out of her box she has zero strength and completely limp. Only thing she is able to move is her head, to three inches behind her head. When she does move this area, all she is able to do is to cork-shrew. The snake has been on my rack since February. If this is IBD, what are the chances that my other snakes in the rack are infected with this disease? Also, is there any other diseases that this could possible be? The vet could really tell us anything, so any possible posts that would be helpful, would be greatly appreciated.

When a python is exposed to IBD, it kills within about 30 days. So, no blame can be on the seller that you purchased it from.

Have you brought in any new animals in the last 30 days, especially a boa?

Is it possible that you had a temperature spike in her enclosure that has caused neurological issues?

I don't know if they're entirely sure what the vector is for IBD between animals, but if it IS IBD, there is no treatment.

Thanks for the reply....no there has been no temperature spike and we do not own a boa. The vet told me that they are born with IBD and it just finally catches up to them. Does that not seem right?

Exposed to any chemicals?

Any kind of Mite Prevention your using?

Boas are the ones that are the carriers of IBD.

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Originally Posted by TankMasterOG

Thanks for the reply....no there has been no temperature spike and we do not own a boa. The vet told me that they are born with IBD and it just finally catches up to them. Does that not seem right?

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no chemicals. We have never had any mites on any of our snakes as far as we know.

Wait....we just thought about the only time she was exposed to a Red tail boa for about a week or so....that was five months ago.

It would have infected her quicker than that I would think.

I've heard boa guys will throw a ball in with they're boas to see if they're collection has IBD in it.

Like stated, IBD kills Pythons QUICK.

Poor girl....
I just hope none of our other snakes will get infected with this disease.

Just quarantine like a SOB.

If she doesn't make it, I'd get a Necropsy done to see what the cause of death was.

I'm hoping she pulls through for you though:please:

Yep she is quarantined. Thanks again for the help and the advice! Me too but I feel bad that she is suffering.

Should i go and freez her naw? or see what is to come of this? :tears:

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Originally Posted by TankMasterOG

Thanks for the reply....no there has been no temperature spike and we do not own a boa. The vet told me that they are born with IBD and it just finally catches up to them. Does that not seem right?

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No, that does not seem right - it's a contagion, and pythons cannot live for longer than about 30 days with it.

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Originally Posted by TankMasterOG

Wait....we just thought about the only time she was exposed to a Red tail boa for about a week or so....that was five months ago.

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No - too long ago. Were you handling any boas recently, or anyone else's animals and then come home and handle yours?

The question is.....

Can the IBD lay dormant and then rise up and kill?

There is still no PROOF of IBD so we can't say for sure that's what it is.

What are your temps? Can you go and double check with a temp gun?

Still sounds alot like a temp spike

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Originally Posted by rabernet

No - too long ago. Were you handling any boas recently, or anyone else's animals and then come home and handle yours?

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Yes i work at a fish store and we have a rtb and 1 bp for sale but i have never touched it. I have however touched the bp in the morning when I get to work and then I go on route to clean salt water fish tanks. When I get home, I take a shower everyday before going anywhere near my rack of snakes. My wife and I about two to three weeks ago went to guys house to buy some rats (found him on craiglist). He keeps all of the rats and mice out in a shed and there were a handful of mosquitoes. The rats were jumpy and vicious. My wife came down with a upper respiratory infection that night after getting home from the guys house. It put her down for a week. I wonder if there was something the matter with those rats. Any ideas?

Could be, if he used any type of chemicals on them for lice or what-not.

Then you feed them off....

Don't assume thats the problem though, just an assumption.

Still rootin for you man:gj:

2kdime....we dont have a temp gun. We read in a ball python book that for it to be a temp spike, temps have to reach over 100 degrees. Our temps never reach above 90 degrees during the day...

Could this be from an intestinal obstruction? You said that the rear half was bloated, right? Could your girl have swallowed a big chunk of bedding or something? What kind of bedding have you been using?

Yes her rear half of her is bloated, but she couldnt have swallowed anything. She is on the white non-printed paper

I really hope she's going to be alright :please:

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Originally Posted by TankMasterOG

2kdime....we dont have a temp gun. We read in a ball python book that for it to be a temp spike, temps have to reach over 100 degrees. Our temps never reach above 90 degrees during the day...

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How are you measuring your temps?

I have 2 empty temp tubs in my rack and both of them have 2 Springfield TER/HIDR one in the front and one in rear. is this not ok? i should get a temp gun soon..


Today she has moved her head about 3 times and not more then 4-5 inches.she is limp as a dead snake.. i dont know haw much more sick looking this girl can look... i would post some pix but i dont think it will do any good.. When do i know that this snake is not got to be ok ever...can this be temp spike? if so what is the outcome most times? is ther something to treat it?

Man, that sucks to hear about your snake, and for the record i'm sorry. If it were me, I would consider freezing her as I couldn't bare to see any animal like that, knowing she may be in pain, but I don't really know anything about IBD, so I would talk to a vet, or maybe ask somebody on here who has more knowledge about it.

I am so sorry. I am hoping beyond hope it is not IBD... maybe something you handled at the Tampa show? I don't know. IBD scares me a lot!

Did you feed her live before the symptoms appeared?

About 6 years ago, I bought a live mouse from a petstore by me to feed a small BP. The BP went into convulsions similiar to what you are describing the next day and died 2 days later.

It turned out that the mouse was kept on cedar in the petstore and was dusted with an anti-flea and tick powder on a regular basis by the petstore so if it was sold as a pet, there would be no fleas with it (they did this with ferrets, rabbits, all the furry animals).

Sorry to hear about your snake. It is very possible the snake was born with some type of problem, probably not IBD, and if so many wont make it to be sub adults. Kidney, liver or intestinal deformity, failure or blockage could be from birth or result from exposure to something.

Either way when you deal with any kind of live animal you are going to get your unhealthy ones, thats just how it goes. Dosent necessarily have to be anyones fault. It happens. Sorry

Could be parasites. Especially if it's an imported snake.

Poisoning is also a possibility.

If it dies and you want to get a necropsy done DO NOT freeze it, just put it in the fridge and then take the body to the vet. You will probably have to specifically ask for an IBD test and make sure your vet knows what to look for and how to test.

They are NOT born with IBD, that is wrong and if your vet told you that, find another vet.

Yes i did feed her live and i got the rats from a new guy and thay used pine. he did sell me some sick looking A.S.F. i still have them i got them as breeders so i didnt feed then.

i didnt notice till i got home but one girl has puffy eyes. can someone tell me what that is?i thoght it was old.The lab rats did not have it so i feed them..

This girl is 1000% not W/C i got her from a paster specelist.. i dont think it is his line that is the problem... i think i got some bad rats..i think i will start breeding Lab Rat because it is the only way to know that ther 100% healthy..
My wife is not going to like that but i think it is the best thing for them...

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Originally Posted by TankMasterOG

Thanks for the reply....no there has been no temperature spike and we do not own a boa. The vet told me that they are born with IBD and it just finally catches up to them. Does that not seem right?

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Tell the vet that they need to do some research on Inclusion Body Disease.

i told the vet to go back to school!!!
Today she has moved alot more..i dont want to say it but... she looks better then yesterday... but still limp.but she is useing her tounge.She has not done that for like 2 days..:confused:

Is there a lump like a small smooth stone at or near her vent?

I am rooting for your girl!

it sounds like a possible poisoing by acc, they rats could have hadsoemthign that she reacting too I would get your rodents else were cause that might be the problem, I hope she pulls thoguh and if she does keep QT for 4 months just to make sure it not passed on and also consider haing some blood work done on her there may be a clue to what worng that way..

I wonder if he used some kind of topical crap on the rats for some kind of bug or lice...

That could have poisoned your girl...

Keep her warm and hydrated....no food for now

F/T is always an option

Wilomn- There is not a lump near her vent...but when she pees, there is a green like dishcharge that comes out with her pee...

Any idea what this green discharge could be???