Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone know if sand boas can get IBD?

Today I was holding one of my albino KSBs, and I noticed something was a bit off with her. It's like she seemed slightly disoriented when I was holding her, and every once in a while she would open her mouth a bit and then close it... Not like a snake might do with a respiratory tract infection (she doesn't have that), but more like a piece of substrate was stuck in her mouth. I opened it up and didn't see anything in there, though.

She ate a few days ago (her appetite is fine) and she was not displaying any signs of disorientation. So when I saw the way she was acting today, I immediately entered panic mode! The thing is, neither me or my snakes have had any direct contact (or indirect contact, that I can remember) with any other snakes besides my own for probably about a year... The last reptile show I went to was in October, and I didn't handle any herps there. I only go to one store to purchase frozen mice and I don't handle any reptiles while I'm there either.

I've also done some quick research online and I can't find any reports of Erycine boas getting IBD. Does anyone have any information about that? I'm going to call the vet tomorrow and get an appointment as soon as possible. Does anyone know how much a test for IBD might run? And how quick the results are? Right now I have the snake isolated, but she was living in a tank with a male, so I'm going to be keeping a close eye on him too.

Here is a video of her, please watch the whole thing and tell me what you think! www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDCrxeINmh4

Any advice will be appreciated!
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- Natalie
(San Francisco Bay Area)

So far I've found this: forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1193548,1195031

I'm quite certain my snakes have not come in contact with any African vipers!
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- Natalie
(San Francisco Bay Area)

Can you put the sandboa on something flat and then video it's movements? It's hard to tell what is abnormal when the snake is up in the air and in hand.

I have seen a few neonates do this in the past.
I have noticed in the cases I have seen that the animals seemed to be very dehydrated. After dipping their heads gently in the water and letting them get a really good drink a few times the issues pretty much went away. I did have one that I recall which was more severe and this animal would not drink. the snake did not look malnurished in any way and did not end up making it. I can tell you that no other snakes were affected by this and I have not had the problem repeat in my snake room more than two or three times. Each of these times were in different seasons and I havn't seen it again for the past couple of years.

Good luck! Quarantine and try not to worry too much.
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Steve Perry
North Idaho.