Quaranting in the same room?

[Bogertophis]

I’m actually going to be getting a second bp here shortly and am curious to know more about the quarantine process. So I have a few questions of my own related to this topic...
1- is quarantine just for the possibility of the new snake having mites or are there other concerns?
2- how long do you have to quarantine?
im assuming given the previous discussions it is a no no to have your new snake in the same rack. That being said I am going to have to go get a second rack because I only have one right now. I’m really glad I read this post because I didn’t realize how strict this quarantine process has to be!

I'm glad you read this too.

1. Mites are only one issue. Here's a quick link to give you an overview: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/snakes-diseases

pathogens: a bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease.
Pathogenic organisms are of five main types: viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and worms.


2. How long to quarantine is open for debate: longer is safer, & we don't all have the same priorities (ie. a breeder with $100,000 investment will be a lot more careful than a typical pet owner.)

Generally speaking many do 3-6 months -assuming the snake came from a reputable source. The trouble is that everyone claims to BE a reputable source, so do your homework. Some diseases can be silent for a longer period of time- like a year maybe.

If your snake came from a source with no reputation to rely on (like from a guy on Craigslist or a pet store), or if it seems ill in any way, you'd want to quarantine for longer. Not trying to diss pet stores, btw, but their animals are generally shipped to them from multiple sources, & may have been exposed to numerous other animals along the way, both c/b & w/c (wild caught), native & foreign, & some of which may have died & were disposed of- just being real here.

And the stress of shipping reduces the effectiveness of the immune system too, so it's a good idea to keep any new snake with reduced stress (no handling!) while it settles in & then eats at normal intervals for at least 3 times without refusals for anything other than being in shed.

Similarly, if you buy from an Expo, keep in mind that while the breeder you buy from may personally be stellar, their animals are being exposed to others in the same building during the expo, via the air & via people handling & touching the various displays.

Quarantine is totally up to each owner- if you feel lucky, you might get away with ignoring the whole process; then again, treating 2 sick animals is a lot worse (& more expensive) than just one.

[Hazz332]

Thank you. I am purchasing the snake from a reputable breeder, but as you said that can only be taken with a grain of salt. Looks like I’ll be shopping for a quarantine rack before he arrives!

[Bogertophis]

Thank you. I am purchasing the snake from a reputable breeder, but as you said that can only be taken with a grain of salt. Looks like I’ll be shopping for a quarantine rack before he arrives!

It's always better to prevent problems if we can. And knowledge is power.