Thanks for the reply. Well, I have moved the snake away from the house, but I really can't just kill it. Since it seems to not have all the serious symtoms I hope that it maight pull thru, even if I'm aware of the very slim chances of this.

I have heard that this disease also can infect Boa constrictor and that other Lampropeltis can carry it without developing any symtoms.

I checked on the snake this morning and it gives a dead impression up to the point where the head becomes visible. Then she looks pretty normal, no roughness on skin or eyes.

As for humidity and temperature, I know that agalmas (and possibly any mountain king) hates temperature over 27° Celsius, and she has not been exposed to that more than on short periods last summer when temps outside rose above 35° C for several weeks and I had problems lovering temps inside the house. I always spray down the tank once or twice a week and humidity levels are kept in the range of 45 to 60 % constantly.

There's also the age-factor. It is said that this disease is caused by a virus and that all Lampropeltis carries it at some extent, but that only very few ever developes the disease, and when they do, it usually takes place at the age of 2 to 3 years of age. This snake is at least 4, maybe 5 since she was so big when I bought her from Bay State Reptiles in feb 2006. Steve at BSR then said that the breeder Eric Stoops claimed her to be 2 years of age, but the size of her suggested that she had to be at least 3 at that time.

Well, I only hope that I can save all my other agalmas from this. I've spent vast amounts of money and time to get this far.

/Peter

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