Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My camera is dead so I can't show you a pic. My male hog is holding his head crooked and acting weird, a little lethargic and confused looking (I would be too if my head was on sideways) but he can still right himself when turned over.

If it is IBD, it'd be my guess that he got it from the female. They just finished breeding and she's going into her POS.

He went 6 weeks without feeding during breeding, then ate a small meal (mouse) now he's not eating again, although he is starting to go into shed himself...

Possible she injured him? Should I wait for the shed and see if he eats? ...or is it time to call the vet?!? Cost of testing?

Everythings "sounds" like IBD,most likely a case of RI with all the breeding stress he has endured.
Get him to a Vet to rule out the lesser charges before jumping on the IBD assumption.

Best of Luck!
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TnK

If you think it is IBD separate the animal from the collection you can also get a python...they don't take long to pass from IBD from what I understand. As the other individual said it could be something as simple as RI...
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Brandon Nixon

I have heard this suggested before and it is simply horrible to sacrifice a python for this purpose. If the boa is having neurologic type symptoms a vet visit is in order.

If the vet does choose the IBD route, testing can get expensive. Very seldom are inclusion bodies picked up on a blood smear, but it has happened before. Really, the only antemortem test(s) available are various organ biopsies usually liver /- kidneys. Even if the biopsies were to come back negative for inclusion bodies it does not rule the disease out.

antibiotics, treating for RI, hope it works!

That's actually the third time today I read about the python trick for IBD confirmation. It's an interesting idea at least, I mean, we all know that boas are far more valuable right? (joke) I might use a BP in the future to confirm healthy boas as part of a long quarentine before they join the breeding program, but I wouldn't put a python with a suspected sick boa. The canary in the coal mine is useful, you don't kill it on purpose.

Thanks for the help everyone, I'll keep you posted on the diagnosis/recovery!