Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well perhaps not a novice, but someone with doubts about the health of store-bought herps, with a question that might seem elementary to those who keep and breed captives. I know from experience that compatibility among wild herps becomes meaningless unless they were all caught from the same area, because the bacteria in one snake will kill its tankmate from a different region (in fact a non-native can't even be kept outdoors in many cases). I know this problem must be multiplied when it comes to captive-born reptiles because being indoors promotes the growth of germs and you dont really know where a snake has been, how many times it changed hands etc. (At Petsmart they just put all the lizards in the same tank until they all get lesions.) I know that breeders may invest thousands of dollars in an animal imported from diverse bloodlines, so how do they counter this unseen risk? Ive always drawn the following conclusions, unless theyre myths:
1. Its impossible to know what pathogens are in a snake until its too late.
2. There is no way to "treat" a cage in advance to prevent tankmates from different environments from infecting each other.
Am I wrong? Is this just the same problem dog and cat breeders face but that reptiles arent vaccinated? Just some food for thought.

Len

I think you're overgeneralizing a bit. Some reptiles, even if they're captive bred, can tolerate high levels of bacteria. Best example I can think of? Reptiles such as monitors that are known to eat carrion.

I think if you've ever had a CB snake after introducing a WC snake to it, it has little to do with bacteria and more to do with improper quarantining. Moreover, non-natives CAN thrive outdoors if the conditions are right. A developed immune system isn't as much of an issue as climate and potential predators. Just look at how many introduced species have made themselves at home in Florida. Burmese pythons have been breeding down there for years and they come from the other side of the world.

As for your two conclusions, it is NOT impossible to detect pathogens in a snake before it dies. If you seriously believe this, then you need to have a good conversation with a reptile vet. Fecal tests should be a routine part of quarantine protocol, for your sick animals, your WCs, and any new animal you acquire whether it's CB or comes from a petstore or reputable breeder. Always make sure you have a healthy animal before you introduce it to your other animals.

As for treating a cage, you can clean a cage regularly, but obviously you have to treat the animals themselves to prevent infection (unless we're talking mites or something). And yes, there are medications that you can use to treat reptiles.
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chickabowwow

Thanks xelda. I guess quarantining never occurred to me, Ive always thought of it as a precaution for animals that can contract rabies. I intend to breed my WC nerodia sipedon and the last potential mate died suddenly in a matter of hours. Having kept her with a long list of other WC snakes with no problem I was shocked. The newcomer turned out to be infested with worms, but that was not the cause of death. I will be more careful.

Len