Quarantine procedures

**EL Ziggy** · 01-08-14, 01:15 PM

Hello all, I plan on going to the Repticon expo this weekend and if all goes well I'll be bringing home a new addition. I was wondering how you all go about your quarantine process. Does this mean the new snake shouldn't be in the same room as the others? I don't understand how being in another room of the same house will prevent the transmission of any parasites or airborne illnesses. How long do you all keep new reptiles in QT? I've heard anywhere from 3-6 months. I've also heard that separate feeding tongs should be used for new animals. Any other precautions I should take? Thanks for any helpful info.

revent · 01-08-14, 01:55 PM

Oh I'm excited for you. We have a reptile expo down in Portland next weekend I dunno if I'm going to go or not tho. Its a 3 hour drive and I'm currently not allowed to get any more scaley friends due to girl friends laws. I might try to work on her some more tho before then tho.

As far as quarantining goes. I just sorta set the new snake across the room and make sure I'm extra carful with washing my hands after doing any work with that animal or there enclosure. I do use different feeding tongs as well and I keep there cage fairly simple to more easily keep an eye on them so to speak. And I just use paper towels for substrate just to make sure its easy to see any poop or anything else that they could be passing or regurging.

venom_king · 01-08-14, 01:57 PM

the way i do it is the new animal in question will be put on the other side of the room to my existing snakes separate feeding tongs, disinfected rub, new towels, feed and clean last and after handling etc i wash my hands with hot soapy water and the put on hand disinfectant if the new snake went on my jumper for example that jumper will go straight into the wash and my quarantine takes upto 3 months thats because i buy all my snakes come from the same shop if they don't then 6 months no exceptions!!! hope this helps!!

**EL Ziggy** · 01-08-14, 03:40 PM

Thanks guys. I appreciate the info. Hopefully I'll have some good news to share this weekend

Starbuck · 01-08-14, 03:55 PM

ideally, they would not be able to transmit internal parasites unless they came into contact with each others feces (i.e. you cleaned out one tank, fed the other snake without washing your hands, and it ingested some parasite eggs etc. This would only work if the parasite did not require an intermediate host.

for mites, YOU represent the vector, and could potentially transmit the mites between tanks if they held onto your clothing or skin or hair, or if the bedding or cage furniture came into contact with the other cage/snake, or if they shared a common space, i.e. snake a was on the bed being handled, then later that day snake b was on the bed while you cleaned its tank.

viruses can be airborne, especially if one snake is sneezing etc, but your bigger worry is direct contact and vectoring by you, by feeding tongs, substrate, misters, prey items (if you offer to one snake, refuses, so you offer to the other...) you get where i am going.

You should have separate utensils and furniture for the new snake, and ideally they should be in separate rooms. i agree with others, a simple tank (paper substrate etc( will help you keep an eye on the new addition. General recommendation is 3-6 months quarantine. Never handle the snakes one after the other, imo i wouldn't even handle them on the same day.

others have all given pretty good advice

**EL Ziggy** · 01-08-14, 04:20 PM

Because there are so many snakes at these expos I was actually concerned about picking up mites and bringing them back home with me. Should I immediately wash my clothes and shower to reduce this possibility? I'll definitely keep the new addition on paper towel for at least the first month or should that be extended for the entire 3 month quarantine? I would think you'd notice mites pretty quickly. I'm getting all new cage furniture and I'll make sure to have separate feeding utensils and will not offer any refused prey items by the new snake to my others. I'm very consistent with washing my hands before and after handling any of my animals.

nyx · 01-08-14, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revent

As far as quarantining goes. I just sorta set the new snake across the room

Quote:

Originally Posted by venom_king

the way i do it is the new animal in question will be put on the other side of the room to my existing snakes

A friend of mine directed me to this thread, so I'll chime in: this is 100% useless. You may as well not bother with quarantine. Snake mites can easily travel across a room (rather quickly) and are vectors for serious disease, including IBD.

Whoever told you that this was correct quarantine was handing out depressingly wrong information. To be perfectly honest, private keepers are not really capable of true quarantine, but they can do better than "same room".

Separate room, different airspace, by preference different levels of a home if available. New animal is the last cage handled, with separate supplies (that do not travel, ever, from new to old). Clothes changed between handling sessions, and I shower after handling quarantined animals and do not return to the "safe" room. Some have had luck with diatomaceous earth as a preventative but mites can climb walls.

I do not treat prophylactically; the treatments for mites are all neurotoxic and best used sparingly and only in confirmed cases.

The best treatment for mites is this: purchase from people who don't have mites. Quite easy and pleasant to do, as well.

**EL Ziggy** · 01-08-14, 05:00 PM

Separate room, different airspace, by preference different levels of a home if available. New animal is the last cage handled, with separate supplies (that do not travel, ever, from new to old). Clothes changed between handling sessions, and I shower after handling quarantined animals and do not return to the "safe" room. Some have had luck with diatomaceous earth as a preventative but mites can climb walls.

I do not treat prophylactically; the treatments for mites are all neurotoxic and best used sparingly and only in confirmed cases.

The best treatment for mites is this: purchase from people who don't have mites. Quite easy and pleasant to do, as well.[/QUOTE]

Thanks NYX- Sounds like mites are the biggest issues I should be working to avoid. I live in a fairly large 2 bedroom apartment but both bedrooms are on the same floor so the critters wouldn't have far to travel especially if they can climb walls or possibly hitch a ride on me or my family members. That's why I wasn't sure if the separate rooms would make much difference. It may slightly reduce but not eliminate the possibility of transmission. I'll still take every precaution and I will most definitely be looking at the new addition very closely for any sign of mites. I'll also limit handling the new animal during the QT period. This is the one part of getting new animals that I don't like

Lankyrob · 01-08-14, 06:20 PM

When i arrive home from anywhere that has reptiles i strip immediately i enter the house, clothes go in the washing machine and i go straight in the shower - never had mites in my house so far

shaunyboy · 01-08-14, 07:04 PM

i quarantine in a different room

i use only quarantine equitment for the newcomers

if i work with the quaratine snakes,then i don't work with my collection on that day

i work with my collection on a different day,after a shower and a change of clothes

if i get a new snake from a trusted breeders closed collection,i don't quarantine at all

cheers shaun

**EL Ziggy** · 01-08-14, 07:07 PM

[QUOTE=shaunyboy;895040]i quarantine in a different room

i use only quarantine equitment for the newcomers

if i work with the quaratine snakes,then i don't work with my collection on that day

i work with my collection on a different day,after a shower and a change of clothes

if i get a new snake from a trusted breeders closed collection,i don't quarantine at all

thanks Shauny. Sounds like more sound advice. In my case I was going to purchase from an expo, hoping I would find a good deal on a nice bull snake. Should I forego the expo and just seek out a trusted breeder? I got my Cal King from a pet store and my MBK from reptiles by mack. They were very nice to work with but don't have the pit I'm looking for right now.

Starbuck · 01-08-14, 08:40 PM

I think you should get the snake you want, even if you do get it from an expo. You can limit risk there by buying from a well set up, professional breeder, who can give you information about the parents and history of the snake you are buying. Try not to buy from a table with a wide range of species and ages, as you are almost guaranteed that they did not produce the animal, will know nothing about its feeding or health history, and are likely just trying to make a buck.

I try to buy from tables who clearly are selling most of a clutch, or who can give me detailed information about the breeder they got the snake from. Alternatively, i have bought 1/2 of my snakes from private, non collectors on craigslist who were getting out of snake keeping (and i both cases i bought their entire group of snakes).
My point is that there is nothing wrong with buying from an expo, you can get great deals and see more individual animals before you buy than any one breeder is likely to have available. Just be vigilant about who you are buying from.
I love bull snakes, you should enjoy yours a lot