Please be aware of the possible new BP "supervirus", and Q,Q,Q!!!

[4theSNAKElady]

Ok. So Iam not intending to scare or freak anyone out, I just figured It was my duty to inform you all of some info I just received. I care about this hobby, and the more people are aware of it, the better they can be in the know, and protect their own collections. So before I tell you, just two things: 1. The data Im telling you I got from two people. Some secondhand from my husband who talked to our friend who breeds BPs, and some directly from our friend...Ill just call him "Mr.Smith". 2. I'm just personally labeling this "thing" the "supervirus" so that I can identify with what whatever it is, and just that..a label for it. Cause as it stands, all interested/affected parties are unsure just what the supervirus is. Sooo...
My friend, Mr. Smith has been battling RIs for quite some time(past 6 months maybe) in his collection....which is about 50 animals or so. Hes spent 1000's of $$$ at different vets on baytril, organic meds, supplements, and batteries of tests. hes tried different beddings, different racks, different rooms, different humidity, etc. For some time, the baytril seemed to help and most of the animals got better. Then the RIs came back. Its started spreading through his collection. Animals have been dying. Hes done everything he can and nothings working. He at wits end. Something is going on, and whatever it is, its highly contagious. well, fast forward to last night. Mr. Smith makes a call to Dr. Stahl in VA. For anyone who doesn't know who Dr. Stahl is, he is probably the best known reptile/exotics vet on the east coast. A lot of big breeders on the east coast see/contact him.; Ralph Davis, Outback Reptiles, etc. Dr. Stahl gives my friend Mr. Smith some very scary news. Theres been some type of virus that's been DECIMATING Bp collections. Dr. Stahl has had to send bodies of animals to the University of FL for further testing/necropsies because he cannot figure out exactly what this bug is. He believes that it may possibly be something that was brought in on some African wild imports tho, because many big name breeders(whom he does not mention)who import from Africa are having issues with this very same bug, and are putting many sick animals in the freezer over fear that the rest of their animals will be exposed. Dr. Stahl also mentions that he theorizes that this BP "supervirus" is behaving just like the IBD virus in boas....in that some animals don't actually have the virus or show symptoms of having it, but are instead just carriers, and expose other animals to the virus. Dr. Stahl mentions that they are close to finding a cure for IBD, but this virus affecting BP collections is not the IBD virus....its something different that is just affecting BPs, believed to be carried over from Africa. Mr. Smith tells me that Dr. Stahl is going to do a necropsy on two of his sickest animals to confirm if they have the supervirus. It is going to be a very expensive endeavor, but Mr. Smith would rather know, then just wait around and watch his whole collection die off. Now, this is very important: Mr. Smith has purchased animals from a few different people in the past 8mnths-year or so. He did NOT quarantine. And he regrettably admits he messed up. Im hoping he can find a cure for his collection. I care about him, and I know this situation is hurting him in many ways. I wish there was something I could do to help him. However, I don't want to jeopardize my collection. Whenever we visit him, a "strip-and-shower" is a MUST as soon as we walk in our front door. Im not taking any chances. If anyone else has heard anything else, your input here is greatly appreciated. I believe its everyone's duty in this hobby to help each other out by making them aware of something that may have an impact on our hobby....regardless of whether it turns out to be nothing or SOMETHING. And please, please please PLEASE quarantine ALL new animals if you've never done it before....DO IT. for 3..4...6...months even. I love my snakes...and Im sure you love yours too. Protect em.

[bfirecat]

That is a bit disturbing...

[sho220]

Good lord...that's an epic "wall of text". Info like that would be so much more helpful if it was a bit easier to read.

Thanks for posting though...I'll have to read through it when I'm not so worn out...

[Mephibosheth1]

Please be sure to update this with information on the necropsies and the progress on any research on this virus.

[MarkS]

I don't believe that it's actually a 'new' virus. There is something that has been around for quite a few years. Here is a link that might help with research - http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=220629 I won't vouch for the veracity of the information posted since I have no first hand knowledge, but you can read through it and make up your own mind.

[Mephibosheth1]

So what is the usual quarantine procedures hat are recommended for reptiles?? I know with furry animals its usually a 14-21 day quarantine in complete isolation...

[dr del]

I QT for 3 months as a matter of course.

[wilomn]

Has your Mr. Smith sold any animals in the last 8 months or so?

[satomi325]

So what is the usual quarantine procedures hat are recommended for reptiles?? I know with furry animals its usually a 14-21 day quarantine in complete isolation...

Illnesses have been documented to incubate up to 9 months before becoming active. Some members QT for 3 weeks. Others 3 months. Some 1 year.
I personally do a minimum of 6 months.

Work with your established animals first then with QT after to avoid cross contamination. Once you work with QT animals, you shouldn't go back to your established collection w/o changing clothes/shower/whatever. If you breed and feed your own rodents, you cannot return the feeder back to the colony if the QT animal does not eat. That can potentially contaminate the rest of your colony.

[bcr229]

I don't believe that it's actually a 'new' virus. There is something that has been around for quite a few years. Here is a link that might help with research - http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=220629 I won't vouch for the veracity of the information posted since I have no first hand knowledge, but you can read through it and make up your own mind.

Thank you for finding and posting that link. I had read it a while ago and was going to try to track it down when I read the OP, but you beat me to it. Every snake owner should read it.

I do have an issue with something the OP wrote, as it's very important that everyone understand it:

Dr. Stahl mentions that they are close to finding a cure for IBD

IBD is a viral disease. To date there are no true "cures" for viral diseases; antibiotics only work on bacterial infections. There are drugs to alleviate symptoms of the illness, such as the ones to reduce fever, nausea, headache, etc. and which will help to fight off the infection. There are certainly vaccines for many viral diseases, but ultimately the infected host's defenses have to rally to defeat the virus.

Diseases like AIDS, ebola, the flu, the common cold, etc. are all viral. With what I've read about IBD, researchers hope to develop a blood test in the near future that will determine whether or not a live animal is a carrier. Currently it's identified post-mortem by examining liver and kidney tissue samples. Sadly the researchers are not close to finding a true "cure".