OPMV and Breeding Loans

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Does anyone know the latest occurances of OPMV? From what collections etc?

Cheers
D
 
It's a shame as there are tests available but not in this country, I was chatting to a mate in the UK about this and he said if he was in doubt he would just have the suspect animal tested, what a shame we don't have that option here.

There are NO TESTS and NO CURE for the disease. It can wipe your whole collection and and has in many cases in Australia and the world.
 
I thought the only test was a tissue sample from its brain.....this would be closure more than a test!!
 
The only test available here is to show an animal has died of OPMV, overseas they can have animals tested for the disease while still alive.
 
that is generaly true, They are able to take a biopsy and test it although here they don't consider it to be 100% effective and thi is discussion on the effects of biopsy on live animals because of the amounts of tissue needed for the test
 
not including the effects of sedation on an already sick herp....it would probably kill it just trying to find out
 
I think given a little more investigation by the veteranary ascociation of Aust. they will hopefully adopt the method here. I guess one way of looking at i is that while annoying that it isn't in yet it is good that The Australian medical and Veteranary ascociations take care to ensure that all processes adopted here are of the best available. let's hope it gets here soon though hey?
 
well im glad to put in my 2 cents worth that the opmv has not had a breakout in darwin so im happy to get my snakes off a 12yo professional seller/breeder.........i feel bad for the ppl who have opmv bad in thier states:(

Simone,

I hate to tell ya this, but your comment is a bit close minded and very naive. Just because there are no reports, doesn't mean that it isn't there. You might as well stick your head in the sand. Even I knew about diseases like IBD (yes it has some similar symptoms to OPMV, so who can tell until you take it to a pathologist and in either case it's fatal and as far as I remember there have been reported cases up there) when I started herping up there over 10 years ago. OPMV is a relatively new term to me, but a disease that kills nevertheless.

There are a lot of lax rules up there i.e. not requiring permits for childreni and it's a relatively fast growing hobby, with imports regularly coming from interstate. All it takes is one carrier up there to ruin the industry. You are already very aware that the environement up there grow pathogens very quickly.

There are many breeders out there who have never had any issues by understanding the nature of the disease and taking precautions to protect their hobby. Keeping herps in itself is rewarding but is a bit more of an expensive hobby than most other pets due to start up costs and management. The loss of a any let alone a large amount of our precious herps is devastating. To even hear the mention of this disease in anyones collection makes it worse.

In either case, it all just means we move on with the times and update our husbandry skills to involve quarrantine, barrier care, and cross contamination procedures. There are no requirements to be all detective Monk about it and have an OCD issue, it just means we take appropriate precautions. JMO

Furthermore, I have been led to believe that there is a test being developed based on an already existing test used for a lot of pathogens, and most commonly known and used for STD's like chlamydia and gonorrhoea. PCR- Polymerase chain reaction uses a sample like blood to find a specific genetic. It multiplies these codes and the crux is that it can identify the most prevalent specific genetic code. Quicker, a little cheaper, and doesn't necessarily involve euthanaising to get a sample.
 
unfortunately there have been cases where people have'nt been up front about opmv and have continued trading.these sorts of people are scum.we can only admire the people who are honest about it , as this is the only way we have a chance to learn about it and hopefully stop the spread of this disease in our hobby.

cheers dave
 
Cwarren,

Even if you choose to go ahead with the risky breeding loan, even with a loaned female that hasnt been in contact with other snakes directly, OPMV is still a risk!

How isloted has it been? a snake doesnt have to be in direct contact with a infected snake, its possible that OPMV could be delivered to the snake in a few ways, some possible ways IMO include, second hand enlcosures, second hand husbandry equipment, visiting herpers throught direct contact with the animal, or maybe carrying mites.

If you havent isolated every animal coming into your collect within the last 12 months and for a durations of 12 months, how do you know your animals arent carrying OPMV? Are you willing to risk others animals that are on loan to you?

I myself wouldnt risk my own animals or others animals for a breeding loan, its is so much easier to buy the required animal yourself....

Im not saying you have OPMV, but for all i know maybe i do? i have animals that i have had for less than 12 months........
 
ummmm isis i never said anything about it not ever being in the nt im just stating that ive not heard of it being here and hope to god that it dont cause i seriously love my pythons and couldnt deal with losing any of them......and my bad no not 12yo i meant a person whos been doin it for 12 years i would never have a need to quarantine any snake cause i wont do the loan thing and my coastal has been by herself since ive had her and freaks out at the sight of another snake even on the outside of her enclosure and like i said i hope to god i dont come across opmv here cause it would wipe out alot of awesome pythons and break alot of ppls hearts.....
 
ppl in here really shat the hell out of me i never said anything of the sort that there isnt anything like that here in darwin whether there is or not i just havent heard about it its wat i was saying ppl jump to the wrong conclusions of ppls comments which lead to ppl being nasty or making harsh remarks i aint close minded nor am i frickin naive adbacus you certainly dont know anything about me to make such remarks..... if you dont have anything nice to say then dont say it at all........i will state it again I DID NOT SAY THAT THERE WAS NOT ANY CASES IN DARWIN JUST THAT i HAVENT HEARD OF IT HERE.......Understand english?????
 
APL,

You still need to quarantine any new snake/s you get, incase they have something they can pass onto your other python/s.

Its not just about breeding loans, its new snakes coming into contact with the ones you already have.

Which is part of the reason i dont like the idea of keeping more than one snake in a enclosure, it only prevents the level of control you could have over a outbreak.
 
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yes australis i know that.....but thats the thing i havent gotten any other pythons at the moment only my coastal and yes i do know about wat i need to do....thanks australis :) i dont have any other python enclosure with two in it just the one per enclosure and if breeding time comes i was told by a breeder/seller here in darwin that if i wanted to breed my coastal that either mine or a male would be qurantined for 3mths b4 introducing them......whether thats true is another story.. but i so far am not getting any pythons from down south all are born and bred here in darwin
 
well im glad to put in my 2 cents worth that the opmv has not had a breakout in darwin so im happy to get my snakes off a 12yo professional seller/breeder.........i feel bad for the ppl who have opmv bad in thier states:(

APL, that's exactly what you said above, quoted from page one.

Man, you need to settle down...where was anyone nasty? I think you need to read better before you arc up like you do often in posts.

They made a point and what you said is a general perception people have, which is what I was trying to say - no one can say there is no breakout in their state/town...it's pretty safe to say OPMV is everywhere there are hobbyists. I would say at a guess that 90% of people that get it in their collection either don't know, or don't tell anyone. Sad thing about the disease, which is why regardless of reputation or how well you know someone, you still MUST quarantine new arrivals for 12 months or really you can't safely say you don't have it.
 
Its my understanding that 12 months is now the standard.

Its makes little to no difference what state you purchase the animals from.

I have little doubt that the NT would have OPMV cases, pythons are imported and exported from most states on a daily basis.....
 
well nome so far there havent been any reports here in darwin...... and as far as i know i hope to god that there isnt cause my cousin went through it down in dee why nsw with his collection and i can say that i hope it never comes up here.....and settle down and arcing up?? lol u seriously need to get to know me before you say im arcing up you have no idea about who i am or if im arcing up im just commenting if i was arcin up my second thrid fourth word would probably be a cuss word.......mate im as happy as larry at the moment i just dont like ppl calling me close minded or naive...........and i never said that there wasnt any type of breakout here at all just saying ive not heard of any breakouts here....
 
and if there was id certainly not be getting any pythons in with my coastal cause id rather see the day where she turns into a beautiful big python not 20mths old and dead in a box know what i mean .............
 
Hmmmm..

Its my understanding that 12 months is now the standard.

Its makes little to no difference what state you purchase the animals from.

I have little doubt that the NT would have OPMV cases, pythons are imported and exported from most states on a daily basis.....

I'm no expert but I've been in Alice for 11 years. I have not heard of any cases of OPMV, but to be completely honest I don't stick my nose into other people's business and ask "G'day, have any of your snakes ever had OPMV?" I did hear of a suspected case of IBD about 8 years ago. The very responsible person immediately put their reptiles into quarantine, ceased their breeding program and stopped selling snakes. I have not heard from this person since and fortunately have not heard of any further cases.

Alice Springs is only a small town. Who knows what is going on elsewhere.
 
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