Owning Boas and BP's

[potatofloss]

Hello all! I currently have one Ball Python and am thinking about buying a Red Tail Boa. I know Boa's can carry IBD their whole life without showing symptoms. I live in a small studio apartment and as it is, would not be able to provide adequate quarantine measures. I was planning on buying the Boa at the upcoming November White Plains reptile expo, from a reputable breeder. Is it not a good idea? Please chime in with any personal experience about housing boas and pythons in the same area. Thanks!

(Posted this in the BP Husbandry forum also )

[blackcrystal22]

Hello, and welcome to the site if I haven't already welcomed you.

Make sure to check the breeder and if you can QT at least a room away, it is better than nothing.
If you live in one large room, keep them at opposite ends.

Boas are wonderful animals, and if your buying from a reputable breeder, you will probably have no IBD problems. I'm not too sure about good boa breeders, but you can check on FaunaClassifieds, and/or Jimi at Jimisnakes.com and see if any of his snakes interest you. I'm sure other people can chime in with some suggestions.

[potatofloss]

Thanks for the welcome. This forum is absolutely amazing! The thing that worries me is if boas can remain asymptomatic their whole lives; is quarantining really important? And if so for how long?

[BrucenBruce]

Can't tell you much about symptoms of IBD in Boas, but Jimi probably could - if not here, then at the White Plains show. Last trip through, his table was along the wall to the right of the entry door, and he's a terrific guy to talk with.

~Bruce

[Skiploder]

Hello all! I currently have one Ball Python and am thinking about buying a Red Tail Boa. I know Boa's can carry IBD their whole life without showing symptoms. I live in a small studio apartment and as it is, would not be able to provide adequate quarantine measures. I was planning on buying the Boa at the upcoming November White Plains reptile expo, from a reputable breeder. Is it not a good idea? Please chime in with any personal experience about housing boas and pythons in the same area. Thanks!

(Posted this in the BP Husbandry forum also )

The jury is still out on the quarantine period - especially when dealing with animals that can be asymptomatic, ie: boas.

My vet was telling me of a a client who brought in a carpet python and a ball python that were both showing classic signs of IBD. Liver biopsies were performed on both animals which confirmed IBD.

Here's the kicker, this person had not added a new animal to his collection in three years - the last animal being the ball python.

So where did the virus come from? Well it turns out that the client's 4 year old Nicaraguan boa later tested positive for the disease and has been technically asymptomatic for four years. The only possible clue may have been a sub-clinical infection that had been treated with antibiotics two years ago. The animals had been kept in different parts of the house - the carpet was a display animal in the living room, the ball python - a child's pet and the boa in the study.

The vet thinks that the ball python caught the disease when a food item refused by the boa was fed to the ball, and how the carpet finally caught it is anybody's guess.

The point is that the old guidelines about 6 month or one year quarantine periods may not be valid when dealing with asymptomatic carriers.

The boa apparently is still alive and still not showing any signs of infection. Both the carpet and ball had to be put down.

[starmom]

Here's what I posted in the husbandry section also:

I own both species and I house them in separate rooms. However, my son is getting antsy to have his boa in his room which is also where the balls are kept.

I have gotten all 3 boas from three very reputable breeders and I feel that giving them a 9-12 month QT period is sufficient. Also, all of the boas were captive bred and born from long lines of captive bred and born snakes.

I really think that the breeder and breeding has everything to do with the level of trust that you are getting a healthy snake. Couple that with an extremely long QT period, and I feel okay with the choice that I am making.

[Monty]

i own a boa and balls and i have them all in the same room the snake room is the snake room so once all is qurantined then i move them in there

[starmom]

i own a boa and balls and i have them all in the same room the snake room is the snake room so once all is qurantined then i move them in there

How long do you QT?

[Monty]

the balls i qt for 3 months and the boa i qt'd for about 7 months