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IBD disease / My ball and my boas

I picked them up on monday, a week ago today. I am still moving in so other than morning look ins I had not handled the snake. Thursday was the first time I had a chance to pull him out for feeding and that is where I said, Something is wrong, he was not acting right.

So from thursday to Saturday he exhibited; flipping, head shaking, and crossing over his body, like knotting himself up!

Went to the vet, and now I wait for results.
 
So the symptoms are totally new? Sounds more like something that happened where they were boarded (or since they came home) than IBD...it just seems too fast. Don't get all worked up worrying about it - wait til you get the results.
 
PLEASE:

If my snakes are confirmed to have the IBD, Can anyone tell me if I can keep them and not breed them? Not introduce any other reptiles?

Will they live the normal life?

I am thinking if they are ALL infected and I do not bring in any more into the room, then why not keep them.

Please let me know!

Thanks a lot!

Mike
 
to the best of my knowledge.. IBD will slowly kill off anything infected.. so no.. the others would NOT be able to lead a healthy life.. Hence why people put down their entire collection when they confirm they have it.

Also.. not sure.. but there are a lot of different theories on how it is spread.. I would be concerned if your entire collection was infected, that you may accidentally infect other peoples..

not a worth while risk.

If it is confirmed.. all others that were in contact must be put down. Sad, but necessary
 
You could keep them...they might not show symptoms for years, BUT - you couldn't breed them, get other snakes, touch other people's snakes, go to reptile shows, etc. Of course, we have no way of knowing if the development of inclusion bodies is painful or uncomfortable for the snake; but once they start showing any type of symptoms, the most humane thing to do is euthanize them. Why not address that question with the vet, IF the report comes back positive for inclusion bodies?
 
Like Harald said before, this seems awfully fast to go from outwardly healthy, to showing symptoms, to death.

Until the results come back, I would try and find out if any cleaning agents were used at the petstore you boared these animals and if the temps were controlled and acceptable.

Since it was a petstore boarding, I would tend to think they did something wrong that affected your snakes ie: chemical eposure, extreme temps, exposure to new or sick animals, etc.

Unless your snake showed symptoms prior and you did not notice, this seems to have progressed extremely fast.

Post the results when you get them. I would be curious to see what they reveal.
 
The Pet Store said the only chemicals used in the room are cleaning chemicals. They said the temps were normal for the snakes.

The vet has harvested all the organs and is doing a tissue sampling for testing.

The blood test results should be in tomorrow AM~

I will post more when I find out!

Mike
 
Yeah, don't get worked up until the pathology report comes back from the necropsy. I agree, it sure does sound fast. And if the other albino and the BP were both housed together, and are the only two showing signs, sounds sorta like cooking to me.

Good luck on the tests coming back negative. But wait till they come back before jumping the gun.


Rick
 
Being a Pet Store was involved,my guess is excessive heat exposure as well.Basking temps of 100*F are common on quit a few Care sheets via internet sources. :angry: Animal Care is well down the list on Pet Store Priorities
 
The ball is having a necropsy done on him today. Will this show if he was infected with the IBD?
Click to expand...
It should, because they can look at several different tissue sample from various organs, but if they find no inclusions it does not mean 100% that they are not present.
I know that No Pest Strips contain a chemical (vipona?)that can cause neurological damage which exhibits similar symptoms.
When I used to work at a petshop many years ago, we used no pest strips frequently when new animals came in as we were unaware of the dangers.
 
UPDATE:
Well my albino boas are positive. I have to have the rest tested. There are 5 more that were probably exposed directly, at one time or another, and then there are 3 others that were only in the same room.

What to do with the boas that are positive but not showing any symptoms. If I keep them seperated, never breed, etc. what do I do just wait for them to get sick?

Man I thought I read a lot, I seriously have never heard of this before.

Forget about the money, I did something wrong somewhere along the line. That is what will kill me for every snake that would have live a longer life, that I have to put down.

I hope some one who is starting out reads this and learns what not to do and how serious the IBD disease/disorder is!

TO ANYONE THAT SELLS A SNAKE KNOWING THE PARENTS OR THE SNAKE ITSELF IS INFECTED WITH THIS OR ANY OTHER DISEASE, I HOP THEY FEEL THE PAIN THE SNAKE DOES ON ITS LAST DAY AND THE PAIN ITS OWNER HAS WHEN IT HAS TO EUTHENIZE IT. THESE PEOPLE ARE LOWER THAN POND SCUM!
 
Man, I would be so upset, I would have to be escorted from their premises!!

I am terribly sorry to hear about your collection being victim to some shady dealing.
 
mjcnj said:
UPDATE:
Well my albino boas are positive. I have to have the rest tested. There are 5 more that were probably exposed directly, at one time or another, and then there are 3 others that were only in the same room.
Click to expand...
You started this thread by saying that you put them all in a cage...therefore, they have all been directly exposed. Unless you didn't bring them all.
Are you, in fact, stating that the person that sold you the albinos KNEW that they were (or were likely to be) infected? If so, you should initiate a thread in that person's name on the BOI.
 
That really bites. i was hoping to hear that they were cooked, or poisoned. Truly a shame man.

As for keeping them....well, that's been covered. You could keep them as pets, but they WILL eventually show signs, and you WILL be going through this all over again when that time comes. If you can handle that, it's up to you. I could not.

But that means if you wanted to be responsible about it, then you would have to miss all the herp shows, you couldn't be handling other peoples boids, and it wouldn't even be wise to visit, or be visited by, a Boid owner.

Another thing to consider is that even if others do not test positive NOW, 6 months down the road, another testing may prove positive. So a negative test now, doesn't mean you are clean. Actually, every 6 months or so for a couple years is what is suggested by My Vet, if you suspect IBDV may be present.


Keeping them as pets at this point, IMHO, is a no win situation. Better to clean house, better plan things, and be more careful when you start up again.


Really sorry to hear about this. A herpers worst nightmare is what IBDV is.
Rick
 
Also, time to give serious thought, as to WHERE did this originate? If it is a new animal, one you've had for a year, what ever the case may be. (To be honest, I do not think enough time has passed, for the python to contract, show signs, and pass away, from the boarding experience.)

If you suspect you know where it came from, you really should come to the front with it. Anyone you may have traded with, or sold to as well, should be notified.
 
My head is spinning right now!

Could never be sure of who sold me the snake that started off the problem.

If I could or somehow I can, I will sing like a canary. Just dont think in good conscience that I could unless I was 110%. I will let the places that I just bought from know.

I will update after all tests are done. I will also tell you my decision about keeping them or not. But why if I kept them could I not go to a show. I bathe regularly. I would not handle any snakes, especially after I handled one of mine.

Someone please educate me, thanks.

Mike
 
How could you, in good conscience take the risk of passing it to others?

Bathing regularly does not guarantee that you will not carry it on you, in one way or another.

Since it is still somewhat unclear on how it is spread, AND knowing that one animal gets it, the rest most likely will. I do not understand how you can think it safe to come in contact with others, and not be worried that they too will end up contracting it somehow.

It is disturbing me to see how lightly you seem to be taking this. This isn't pneumonia that one snake died from. This (to the best of my knowledge) is a VERY serious disease.

I would be petrified if I were you. I would sadly put them all down. I would cry forever. But I would know that at least it would STOP there.. no one else would have to do it because I was careless and selfish enough not to.

I do think you are being a bit selfish.. I am sorry to say, since I do not know you. But when you spoke about your snakes.. You did not say how you have them, and you would hate to see them die because they are your beloved pets or whatever..

Every time you commented on NOT wanting to put the others down, it was merely because they were albino and hets. So, comes off sounding like you just don't like the idea of all that money being killed off.

You would rather take the risk of others contracting it.. and having their entire collections put at risk.

Sorry to sound like a *****, but that is just how it is comming across to me.. And I would be ******* off if I knew someone that had this issue came any where near me, risking me getting it.. and not caring.
 
Rather then put them down. Wouldn't some research facility have a need for IBD infected snakes? Atleast then they would serve some purpose.
 
I am very sorry to hear this happen to you though. I didn't mean to yell for you contracting it. That is a terrible pain for anyone to have to deal with.

my last post was merely in regards to you wanting to keep them alive and go to shows, etc.
 
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