Andre McAlister/New Concept Reptiles INQ

Aztec Fred, Thanks!

Sue, it's an old trick, but here's the catch, you would still have to have the ball etopsied to be SURE it died from IBD.  And (I'll ask this again) do we even know what the infection vector is w/ this virus?  I don't think it's aresol, if it was I don't think there'd be many boas or pythons left.  If anyone has read anything on it I'd love to know about it.  Brian

Brian, I know it is an old trick. I also don't think that I would be able to deliberately risk the  life of one animal to find out if another one is sick, even if the BP is considered more disposable than the boa. They are both worth the same amount of life and love, in my eyes. But I have a few more (hypothetical) questions.  If you put the BP in with the boa, and the boa should have IBD, is it definite that the BP is gonna die from it? Or could it just coexist with the sick boa and not get it? If it is a definite that the BP would get it and die from it, and the BP didn't get sick, then you would be pretty sure that the boa doesn't have it, therefore it would be safe to introduce the boa into your regular collection after normal quarentine practices (not the super extended ones that I have heard suggested to guard against transmission of IBD)? How about if the boa is a carrier and doesn't show any symptoms of IBD? Would the BP get sick and die from it then? Just a bunch of stupid questions from a colubrid keeper, so answer them if you want.
sue frederick

IBD is passed throught bodily fluids, and therefore also through mites.  At least this is what we know SO FAR......SO.....assuming you wanted to do the BP trick......simply put the BP in with the questionable snake, then throw some mites in there....JUST KIDDING EVERYONE....DON'T KILL ME......anyway, What you could theoretically do is swab the boas mouth or other bodily opening, and then swab the pythons mouth or other bodily opening.  This would transmit the disease if it existed in the boa.  The Python will die shortly afterward (about 2 weeks tops, but show symptoms very quickly)  If the snake HAS IBD, then the Python would not last long.  If it doesn't, then the Python will show no signs.

Just my opinions