We're heavily into the planning stages of acquiring our first ball python or two (my nine-year-old son is getting one and I'm considering a second as "my" snake), and I was curious about quarantine. At present we have 1.1 Kenyan sand boas, housed in Nicky's room, both in their own tanks. My plan was to put his future ball python in his room also, with mine (should I go that route) in the master bedroom. But I've been reading about quarantine, mites, and IBD and I'm wondering how in the world we're going to manage this space-wise, because it seems from my reading that due to our sand boas, any new additions should end up in the master bedroom for 3 months or so prior to moving my son's snake into his room.

We don't have the option of an outside building, and I think our three cats (and the dog, when he's on a bark-a-thon defending us from squirrels) would really stress out any new snake so putting them in the more public areas of the house would be inadvisable from what I've read anyway.

Is my thought line correct, or am I thinking overkill? Because if we need 3 months in my room before I can move anyone into Nicky's room, then due to space considerations I should probably nix the idea of getting my own ball for awhile. Which is fine. I'm the adult, and I can wait. But if I'm being over-cautious please let me know because I'd like to get everyone settled at one time rather than spreading it out.

I'll do what's necessary. I'm probably over-thinking all of this, but maybe not.