I messaged Allison Theus today regarding post-IBD clean-up, and she passed along some information that's very useful:
- The virus that causes IBD has a half-life of only eight hours and becomes inactive after a couple of days.
- The virus is susceptible to F10, clorihex, and bleach. Her procedure for moving snakes into previously occupied tubs is to clean the tubs with F10, wipe the tubs down with a Clorox wipe, and then let the tub sit for a week before moving anything in.
- The virus is transmitted via blood and bodily fluids, so cross-contamination is not as much of a worry. That said, she doesn't scrub water bowls with the same sponge and uses disposable gloves between snakes when cleaning as a precaution.
I hope this is helpful, OP. You should be able to clean and reuse your enclosure and life support (ie. heaters), but I'd recommend throwing out anything that can't be sterilized (ie. wood, substrate, etc.). A good cleaning of the room your boa was in should be enough to remove any lingering viral particles as well. In the event you find and fall in love with a new reptile, you don't necessarily need to wait a year for the virus to clear out.
I would recommend notifying the pet store as Bogertophis suggested. Furthermore, I wouldn't recommend going back there for any reptiles in the future if you decide to go that route. There's a good chance they'll still be using the same supplier. If you're interested in pursuing boas in the future, I can recommend a few breeders who do test and clear their boas for IBD (Allison being one of them).
Again, I'm sorry for your loss. You didn't deserve this.![]()