should i be worried?

[paulskin]

about 4 months ago i took a rescue royal on behalf on my friends at a local reptile shop,as it was just brought into the shop there is not much history on the snake,but is was healthy and and very tame nice looking snake,strike feeding medium rats, we fed him weekly for a few months and he never missed or regurged a feed,over the last 5 weeks he has gone right off his food not eaten at all and really backs off from his food.a couple of weeks ago he spent alot or most of his time bathing in his water bowl.
i must also mention i recently lost a baby royal through not feeding,i took it to my friend at the shop within its last couple of days and he said it looks like IBD(inclusion body diesese) which i had never heard of so was un sure to look for any symptoms,but it wasnt tested for it or anything.
should i be worried that my adult royal having this IBD?

[lilworm]

i would say before going down the idb road, how old is the royal, some royals fast this time of year, this may explain lack of appetite......

if bathing alot is he due a shed?? or have you checked for mites??

also at this time check your temps ect ect just to eliminate all the husbandry side of things first...then if all that is ok a visit to the vets is in need or if you were me i take the snake anyways but thats just me

info on ibd for just for reading sake

Peter Kahl Reptiles : Information & Terms

[paulskin]

im pretty sure husbandry temps ect is fine but i am keeping an eye.i was gonna wait 8 weeks max then take a trip to the vets.as said not much history is known about the snake but guess around 4 or 5 years old.and as for shed he hasnt shed since we have had him so im guess he is due a shed but has shown no more signs of needing to shed

[lilworm]

at 4/5 yrs old he may well be fasting its common but i would suggest a close eye on the bathing if he is doing constantly defo check for mites hopefully he is due a shed..as long as your happy everything is ok husbandry wise as you know it will be asked.... so thought i would be the first to ask it lol..

the thing is why someone your friend would suggest IBD without really going into symptoms,

and hopefully they told you...you would need immiediate vet help or take immediate action as IBD is pretty much fatal unless its an Asymptomatic carrier therefore if that was the case your other pythons/boas if you have any are at risk, and your snake will need to be seperated completely and strict quaranteen followed

[paulskin]

he said he had seen the twisty/stargazing symptoms in the baby royal i mentioned.i think a trip to vets will be best to set my mind at ease.

[Ssthisto]

Although stargazing happens in IBD, it's not the ONLY reason a snake might stargaze. Temperature problems and brain damage will also cause it.

[timberwolf]

Did YOU ever observe symptoms like that in your baby royal? the star gazing? is this Royal exhibiting any other sign?

IBD in Royals is usually rapidly fatal, and though on the increase is still quite rare, hopefully your Royal is simply being a Royal and worrying the life out of you because like lots of Royals, it has decided to give up eating for a while. Because of the age of it, it may well have other things on its mind than eating, like mating for instance, or as has been suggested it may be coming into shed.

My suggestion to you is to closely observe it for any other symptoms, and take it to the vet should it begin to show any worsening signs. In the meantime, keep it under strict quarantine and away from any other snakes until you are sure whats going on.

The only way of confirming IBD is by veterinary examination,(or post mortem testing) faecal samples will demonstrate inclusion bodies, so if you can get a poo sample take it to the vet to put your mind at rest.

Sadly there is no cure and as this insidious disease is fatal in pythons the only thing to do would be to have it PTS.

HOWEVER! Don't jump to the conclusion it's IBD before you eliminate the simpler and more likely causes.

[Pauline]

If your royal is eating medium rats it's obviously not a baby so I would guess that it is the normal royal fast. My almost adult male is refusing food and my adult female has just ended a 4 month fast.

[paulskin]

no im definately not one to jump to conclusions but the other half is worrying alot. i have not seen any other symptoms in this snake no. as for mentioning ibd,the only thing i have to go by is that my friend said that it looked like that in the baby royal, which i think there was a couple of that batch that was lost. but yeah i will keep an eye for any other starng symptoms.but if i dont see anything,at what point do i take it to the vets?