BOA question

I am currently doing research on BCIs. I am looking into the possiblity of getting one next year. I need y'all to confirm my suspsions(sp) that if I get a BOA that has an illness (that I didn't know about prior to purchase), I bring into the house, take all the precautions concerning quartine. Isn't it possible for a BOA to pass an illness on to my python that I currently have? And could it possible get passed on to my Corn and Easern King snake? I am under the impression that this is highly likely to happen if it has something. Although slim (if quarinte is done right) it can be passed on to my other snakes. And I take it, it is still possible to pass an illness on even after the quartine period is over. Please let me know if my assumptions are right or not.

Thanks

there is always a chance of passing something between reptiles. Use the general precautions such as not mixing species or keeping more than one animal in a container (in most cases), washing YOUR hands in between handling animals, keeping enclosures clean. If you keep your animals responsibly there will still always be a chance but you lower the chance just by using common sense.


I might add the first responsible step you have taken is asking this question and doing your research. Good for you :D

i do know that there is a diesease that can pass from boas to pythons.If it can pass to pythons i know it can pass to other snakes.I dont know anything about quarintine though.i'm sure someone more experienced than i am could help

If you properly quarantine your new BCI for a month, chances are very slim that you will pass anything along. IF anything though, you are more likely to pass disease on to your python then to your king and corn. IBD (inclusion body disease) seems to be of particular concern amoungst herpers. IBD can be carried by boas that dont show signs of any illness for quite some time while if transmitted to a python, will kill them rather quickly. There is no cure as of yet for inclusion body disease. It has a 100% fatality rate. That is why I keep my BCI in a different room from my pythons.

Even after a month of quarantine it is POSSIBLE to spread diseases, just not likely. You will usually know within a month if your snake is sick.

From what I have read, IBD can be passed from boid to boid, meaning boa to python and vise versa. To my knowledge it wont pass to corns or kings, and from what I have read it dont, but dont take my word for it on IBD passing from boids to corns and kings. That I am just not sure of. When you get multiple species, there is always a risk... I am glad that you have done your research tho and that you r asking questions. I think there is less chance of this kind of problem when getting a boid from a reputable breeder, but it is not fool proof either. Maybe, should you decide to get a boa, keep it in another room permanently and be sure you wash between handling. I have read of cases that ppl get boas and keep them completely away from thier pythons for the appropriate quarantine time, and after a year they have pythons with IBD because the boas carried IBD and did not display the symptoms.

wolfman....i keep a BCI and a BP in the same room, only about 4ft away from eachother. i ordered from alexhuereptiles.com. no problems at all, just talk to a breeder, most well known, established breeders will be safe. just keep precautions such as handle other snakes first, boa last

Well as of right now, I still have to decide where I would place his enclosure. I am leaning toward keeping it in the same room as my corn and king (my bedroom). My python is being kept in the hallway between the two bedrooms. But from what I can gather from this is that my assumptions are correct. There is and will always be the possiblity of spreading diseases from boa to python and visa versa. Hypothetical situation here: When I get my BCI, I take it to the vet, he should be able to tell if carries IBD (even if it has no signs of it) correct? I would hate to loose my python or other snakes from an illness that I never new my new boa had. i appreciate all y'alls help information on this subject any other information you can give me would be well appreciated.

Thanks,

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When I get my BCI, I take it to the vet, he should be able to tell if carries IBD (even if it has no signs of it) correct?

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Only if he does a necropsy of the BCI, which requires it to be dead first. Boas can be symptom-free carriers of IBD their entire lives, just like people can be carriers of tuberculosis and not know, except that IBD can't be tested for in a live patient yet.

One of the best things you can do is get your boa from a very reputable breeder. The breeder i purchased my BCI from runs a great system. Every new snake introduced into his colony is quarintined for at least 90 days, and if its not ready to breed, he still wont introduce the snake to his population. Then whatever snake he breeds with the newly quarintined snake he breeds in a different room, waits for the clutch.....sacrafices a baby, tests for IBD. His system sounded cruel the first time i heard about it, but i never realized the severity of IBD and what it can do to a boid population. I'm pretty sure every reputable boid breeder uses a similar system. Last i hear the breeder i purchased my BCI from still had some left overs from this year. If you want his contact information or anything, feel free to ask, i'd be more than happy to spread the word for a good breeder :D

That sounds cruel but effective. It would be nice if they could develop a way to take a liver tissue sample or whatever through a minimally invasive procedure on live animals.