Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Wedgie]

My little Wedgie died on Saturday. Whilst its impossible to diagnose effectively without a blood test all the symptoms suggest that he died of IBD. For those that are unfamiliar with the disease here is a link.

http://www.anapsid.org/ibd.html

Wedgie went downhill very quickly and lost his motor skills. Its unusual in a Python but it can happen. He stopped eating for a month which for a 6 month old is not unusual and no real cause for concern, what was a concern was in the last two weeks he became very sluggish, "star gazed" and generally kept very still. He lost a lot of weight very quickly and was constipated. His back end was in paralysis and whilst I managed to evacuate his bowls, the stool was hard and stone-like. To force feed would have maybe kept him alive a little longer but he would have been in pain. He simply wasn't growing, he hadn't shed for 8 weeks.

I have disinfected the viv, replaced all the substrate and replaced the water bowl and cave. I am acquiring a new Royal from the same clutch as Wedgie, he seems fine, is eating well and is twice the size of Wedgie at the same age. Can anyone tell me if IBD is hereditary or is it more likely that it is something he has caught through airborn infection?

Thank you
Butch
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[Lynne]

am so sorry to hear about wedgie. boas and pythons can be prone to this, and they can be carriers although not show symptoms. there really was nothing you could have done if it were this, as it is usually fatal. he would have had a good life with you, so dont go thinking there was maybe more you could have done.
all i can suggest is disinfecting hands between handling differant snakes. and quarintine any new ones.
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[Scott W]

IBD is very serious, ideally you should get a PM done to confirm cause of death.

If you don't own any other pythons or boas AND IF wedgie had IBD and your getting another from the same source then the chances are high that the second will have the same.

There are many other problems that can show themselves in a simalr way to IBD but it's still worth knowing 100% what the cause of death was.
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

[Lynne]

[Wedgie]

Thanks for your concern. I am getting the new Royal tested so I can be sure, I'm awaiting results as we speak. The Viv and all the accoutrements have been soaking in Tamodine-e overnight and they will be rinsed and left to come up to temperature.

I hope I'm taking the correct precautions. For what its worth, where the Viv is kept I have also wiped the walls, cleaned and disinfected the floors as a precaution.

I do not have any other snakes and so I hope this will see an end to the problem.

Poor Wedgie..very sad
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[Lynne]

i know what its like to lose something you love and cherish. keep your chin up.
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[The Medusan]