Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey everyone im so jealous of everyone elses snakes on this board lots of pretty snakes. that being said i just picked up a new snow bull and about two weeks ago i bought a sonoran gopher, i also have a normal ball python. my question is the ball python was taken to the vet when i first brought him home because he was sick rot mouth and resp. infection hes all better now. My two new snakes have not been to the vet i want them to get fecal sample check ups, all of the snakes are in the same room in close together tanks on a table. can they spread germs just by being close? i dont handle all of them at the same time or anything, usally one at a time-wash-repeat. also the snow bull has a scar or something in his neck its black looks almost like a lizards ear hole. he also has black "dots" in front of his eyes it doesent look like mites but i may be wrong (he was in a small deli cup for awhile could this be from rubbing all day? his nose is all red from rubbing). hes good weight and seems healthy not to active but when i pick him up hes fine. also for quick cleaning of water bowls is dish soap ok? not for disinfecting or anything just for quick water bowl cleans one or two times a week.

Though my experience w/ Pits is considerably less than most on this forum, and you haven't sent a pic, when I hear "black dots around the eyes" and "rubbing" I most certainly think mites. Definitely you should quarantine any new snake, and not have them in such close proximity to each other. It's recommended that new snakes be quarantined in a separate room for @ least 30 days before being placed in proximity to already established animals in your collection. Also, a fecal sample is a good place to start as to determining the general health of a new acquisition.

reako45

i will post some pics tonight...