Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have an adult female Bredl's python that has been in my collection for two years and is exhibiting IBD-like symptoms, not eating, loss of coordination, etc. My question is that if it is indeed IBD, wouldn't the other snakes in my collection, mostly pythons, Carpets, Angolans, Womas, and Stimpsons be infected also? Even her cage-mate is fine. The local "exotic animal" vet in my area is pratically teling me my entire collection is going to be wiped out. Anyone hae any experience with IBD?

I had "suspected" IBD in 3 boas, after we saw signs in the first one we did our best to keep everyone separate, designated feed boxes, washed our hands between each animal, ect, but they were still in the same room, we had no other choice!
the 3 boas have passed and the pythons (who are supposed to die quickly from it) are fine!
watch for mites, many suspect they are a way its spread, try to keep everyone apart as much as you can, there is no guarantee your not going to lose them all, but its not a death sentence either!
but for us all PLEASE don't buy/sell anything until you have it all worked out!
keep us posted!
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hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

It is important for your collection's sake to find out exactly what is going on with your Bredli's python. Incoordination can be caused by many things, but the "star-gazing" symptom is caused by encephalitis and/or meningitis. So any disease or toxicity that will cause this will exterinally look like IBD.

Seek veterinary help for your sick python; but unfortunately IBD can only be reliably tested for post mortem (it involves cutting out brain tissue). Until a definitive diagnosis has been made, close your collection; nothing in, nothing out. Divide your snakes up as much as possible. If it is IBD or another contagious disease, this will hopefully save any that don't yet have it.

IBD is still largely unknown. Not much new information has been discovered in the last 10 years. We still do not know the exact virus that is the cause, which is the biggest obstacle ahead of a cure. A large part of what we don't know is how the asymptomatic carrier is defined. Boa constrictors are suspected to be able to carry the disease for years without showing symptoms. Do they shed the virus during this time? Do pythons have a similiar carrier status? What other animals can be vectors of the disease? It has been found in corn snakes and vipers; but this isn't the norm. So does this mean that getting a corn snake will jeapordize your boid collection?

I hope this helps a bit; there are still more questions than answers with Inclusion Body Disease.

Ian

hey Ian, is it ONLY brain tissue? we sent of several samples, but not brain, not that I know of (can't necropsy my own, to emotional, can as my friend who did it) just wondering!
Thanks
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hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

Nope, it's not just brian tissue. The inclusion bodies can be found in Any tissue. However since not finding inclusion bodies does not mean the animal is clear of the disease, you want to be certain that you are sampling tissues that are most likely to show a true result. It is best to send in as many samples as possible. The pancreas is also a good sampling site, but also include the esophogeal lymphnodes (if you can find them) and the liver. But you'll also want to send in lung tissue, heart, kidney; basically a tad of everything to help rule out other diseases as well.

I hope this helps,

Ian