Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently purchased a ball python. When it arrived, I came to believe it had IBD. As the snake lost motor control and began to show other classic IBD symptoms, my belief was confirmed. As always, I observed strict quarantine practices. New snakes are always delivered and housed for 6 months at a separate premises 10 miles away from the rest of my collection to ensure the health of my snakes. I'm now very glad I do that! Take heed if you don't currently quarantine new animals. Anyway, my question is this: Does anyone know how long I should wait before introducing a new snake to the premises where the snake with IBD stayed? I've never before dealt with the disease, so I don't know if the virus is capable of lurking for a period of time and infecting new specimens. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! -David

From talking to a friend that is well versed on the actual virus, he says up to six months the virus can exist in an unhosted state.

I was advised to toss out anything porous that I kept in the animal's enclosure, just to be on the safe side.

what is ibd? ive never heard of it before. whats it stand for?

IBD stands for Inclusion Body Disease. It is a condition that can occur in boids. There is currently no known cure, so it is always fatal. It is, unfortunately, also very communicable, so an entire collection can easily be wiped out by introducing one infected snake to the group. That is why it is so important that all snake owners practice strict quarantine and disinfection routines. As I mentioned in my post, I was able to avoid infecting my collection by being extremely cautious about quarantined animals. When I purchase a new animal, it stays not only in another room but at a totally separate premises than the rest of my collection for six months. I use rubber gloves to handle the new snake, and I usually even shower and change clothes before returning to my collection. I know it may sound a bit extreme, but I haven't ever had a single case of IBD, mites, respiratory infections, etc. actually reach my collection in spite of the fact that I have received snakes with all of the above. You can find some really great articles about IBD on Peter Kahl's website at http://www.pkreptiles.com/informationterms/articles/ibd.asp.
They will tell you a lot more about the condition and how to prevent it from affecting your animals. Like I said though, it basically boils down to one thing: Always quarantine new animals regardless of how healthy they may appear or how reputable the breeder is - you just never know, and it's not worth sacrificing your entire collection. If you are unable to use a separate premises, at least use a separate room in your house. Be sure to use gloves when handling new or sick animals, and wash your hands thoroughly before handling a member of your collection. I hope that helps... Take care! -David Roach