star gazing?

[dudsky]

hi guys, i found my juvenile bci sitting on his branch today looking up at the roof of his tank. as soon as i saw it, i got scared, i wanted to hear your opinions wether you think it can be star gazing of IBD or they just sometimes chill like that... i have a couple pics of him doing it here:

http://gallery.****************/index.php?photo=181628&user=52040

http://gallery.****************/index.php?photo=181627&user=52040
PLEASE help me with this.
thanks

[dudsky]

??the links are screwed up oops.
http://gallery.****************/data/52040boa_004-med.jpg

http://gallery.****************/data/52040boa_003-med.jpg

[Linds]

You cannot link from kingsnake. Best way is to upload your photos to your account here at ssnakess and post from there. There is more info, if you do not know how, in the HOWTO Forum ;)

As for stargazing...
Snakes do look up, like we do, so it is quite common to see your snake looking up. If your snake is constantly sitting with his head and neck vertical, then you may have a problem. Most likely a bacterial or parasitic infection. IBD can also cause it, but it is VERY rare (not sure why everyone seems to jump straight the conclusion that stargazing must be IBD :rolleyes: ).

[dudsky]

no i dont really jump to taht conclusion, its just that it is one of the symtoms of one of the worst illneses. as for the pics, thanks for help, i just posted them here

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/6690boa_003-med.jpg

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/6690boa_004-med.jpg

any more opinions? thanks in advance

[BOA68]

Thats not star gazing. The snake will have his head strait up and down and he will have several inches of his neck vertical also. I've been through this with one of my boas before. I wouldn't worry.

[JAdkins2451]

Dudsky, I thought the same thing when I saw mine doing that. The good thing is my friends dad is a vet. So I just droped of a stool sample. And he said its not uncommon for them to do that.

[dudsky]

awesome guys, thanks for help. chances are both my snakes wud have ibd if one of em was affected ,sincei clean their dishes together sometimes, and ibd is mostly transmitted thru liquids, but the other snake is a python, and it progresses way fasster in pythons then boas, so i wud guess the bp wud already be gone, if that was the case.

im cool now, he doesnt act any different, eats lieka champ. jst a quiestion tho, how badly is the decease contagious? i was thining once, i go to expos, and there is all these snakes i handle and ppl handle going from one to another, and if the decease was very contageous, and an affected snake was present, it wud be a disaster.............. anyways, thanks guys.

[BOA68]

IBD is extremely contagious. Chances are that if one of your snakes get it you will loose your whole collection because most people aren't as careful as they should be. Not washing your hands and arms between holding snakes can pass the virus and other cleaning habits can transmit it.

[Linds]

Originally posted by dudsky
i was thining once, i go to expos, and there is all these snakes i handle and ppl handle going from one to another, and if the decease was very contageous, and an affected snake was present, it wud be a disaster.............. anyways, thanks guys.

It's a good idea to change your clothes and take a shower when you get back from an expo or any place where you will be around unknown reptiles, not only for getting rid of the cooties, but foremost for any snake mites that may have tried to hitch a ride home on you ;)

[dudsky]

good point, i do taht since i work at reptilia, the reptile store in ontario canada. but what about taking a snake home? if u think about it, million of ppl came to hole it maybe and they held another milion snakes b4 they took this one. we shud all hope taht there well be no IBD in the shows. but i dun think that it is very contageous. i read that it is actaulyl not, and is transmitted by fluids like urates, fecal, saliva etc. i wont argue, but that what i read from a good source.