Quick question..

When any of you get in any baby ball pythons what would the proper size enclosure be for the quarantine period. What is the period you quarantine them for?

I use either the 15 quart Sterilites (17"L x 11 1/8"W x 6 3/8"H) or the 32 quart (23 1/2"L x 16 1/4"W x 6 3/8"H) depending on their size. If they are literally hatchlings or close to it they go in the 15's. If they are a couple hundred grams (250 +) I put them in the 32's. Keep in mind these are racks and not single containers.

I ALWAYS quarantine for 90 days and send in the first poop dropped for a fecal and do so again towards the tail end of the 90 day period before I put them in my herp room.

Well, I would say that the cage size should still be appropriate for the size of the snake in question. For babies the shoebox size size is appropriate. With the new snakes I will get this summer I plan on quarantine time of 2-3 months minimum. It depends on the snake's health, feeding and stools. For my boas, I received them almost 5 months ago and they are still in quarantine. I will quaratine boas longer than ball pythons.

Originally Posted by Bill & Amy

Well, I would say that the cage size should still be appropriate for the size of the snake in question. For babies the shoebox size size is appropriate. With the new snakes I will get this summer I plan on quarantine time of 2-3 months minimum. It depends on the snake's health, feeding and stools. For my boas, I received them almost 5 months ago and they are still in quarantine. I will quaratine boas longer than ball pythons.

Are you able to get a decent temperature varient on the two sides of the shoebox size containers?

Also why do you quarentine boas longer?? more of a chance?

I can't speak for a stand alone tub cause I have never tried it, but in a rack the shoe box containers work just fine and gives a perfect thermal gradient.

I don't really have an explanation why I quarantine boas longer. I guess it would be because I have heard of more people with problems with boas (IBD), so I use extra precaution with them. I don't have a problem with a heat gradient in my small tubs, I just have 3" flexwatt at the very back of the tub and plenty of vent holes in the front. Front is usually within a degree of my ambient temps in room.

If you put them in a "RACK" arent you taking a chance with the rest of the animals in the rack or are they adequate for that purpose. I think I read somewhere that things like IBD and crypto can spread through a whole rack without direct contact.

Originally Posted by nicolai

If you put them in a "RACK" arent you taking a chance with the rest of the animals in the rack.....

You sure would be if there were other animals in that rack. The only time I put multiple new animals in the same quarantine rack is if they came from the same source/breeder. I am so anal about that kind of stuff that all new critters are kept in a completely different room from my established critters.

Oh OK.