Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My late ball python 0.1 normal died a month ago from an IBD - I purchased a pair 1.1 het. ghost yesterday.

Before placing them in the 55gal, everything was removed and thrown away, the aquarium was thoroughly washed, then filled to the brim with an Iodine sterlizing solution which was left in for 15 minutes. Everything including the new waterbowl and cage lid was left in the solution. Right now the two have the bare minimum in cage equipment (hide box, water dish, and bedding) but my concern comes from airborn IBD.

I'm going to move them out of the room and into an ajoining today, I was wondering how long IBD can remain virulent outside of a host body and what other precautions I should take to assuring the health of these two new snakes. They were purchased together, but should I separate them and reunite them a few months from now? They're a year old each.

According to my vet, IBD does not survive very long at all outside the host body and is mostly a body fluid transmitted disease. So according to that info all your IBD viruses should be dead.
Good luck, I hope none of your other snakes have it!
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

Thank you so much, that's a great relief to me.
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1.1 Ball Python

Well, I only know because I had something quite similar happen to one of my snakes, but I couldn't afford a full necropsy to find out if it was really IBD or not. They wanted $200. I bleached the cage and everything that had touched her, and there are some snakes living in the tank now that are fine.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

Thank you
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1.1 Ball Python