Reptile & Amphibian Forums

1. Does a animal with bad skin problems have the boid viral diease I keep hearing about?.. How would I tell? As a added note the snake is in quartine at a family members house since I bought it. Since I keep more expensive boas at my house and I shower and change clothes after working with it.
It broke out last month with a cest with sticky pus coming out it was clear. Next thing I know he is covered in them.. They are now gone cept he has not shed cept his head and underbelly. He has open sores and I soak him in benadine since his vet appt is thurs. Also he smacks his head into the wall of his cage when I walk by now and won't eat why does he do this?is this ibd? He use to not care when I came into the room... never had the problem with getting him out... Is he just sore?

This does not sound like Boid Inclusion Body Disease (BIBD or IBD). To diagnose this disease in a living reptile a biopsy must be performed in which inclusions are found. This requires luck to find, and the absence of inclusions cannot diagnose an animal negative.

It does sound like this animal needs further veterinary care, and thus your vet should be reconsulted, and the treatment plan re-evaluated. If your vet is not well versed in reptiles, your snake is a definate candidate for a referal as it sounds like advanced disease.

Whatever the problem turns out to be, I applaud your quarantine efforts, and under no circumstances should this animal enter your primary collection until 3-6 (or a year if your want to be stringent) months of perfect health are seen to make sure there are no relapses. Relapses, barring husbandry insufficencies, would indicate the animal is immunocompromised for a reason that may include infectious disease. If this comes up, discuss this with your vet, but seriously consider finding this snake a one reptile home or euthanizing it if it's quality of life is unmanageable.

Good luck though, I'm sure it will do fine once this bout is dealt with.

Ian

Okay my quartine was a little by accident... He is to large for the trailer court and I keep my beatiful boas there....
worst comes to it I would sell him wihen he is well
I can't risk the collection and I do a year on almost all reptiles in my collection
I dont think its boid diease since none of the symtoms seem to fit... He just seems off and he was by himself in the room for 6 mths already eating untill this and no nervoical problems