What are the chances of recovery for an extremely emaciated 23-year-old ball python with septicemia and possible liver disease? One vet said "it is not hopeless, but it is grave." Another vet at the practice today told me the prognosis is "fairly guarded". Does anyone have experience nursing back to health a ball python who is so sick?

On April 4, 2010 I took owernship of my ex-boyfriend's 23-year-old ball python, Monty, becaue the snake is extremely ill and my ex-boyfriend doesn't want to take care of him. Monty is currently in the vets office under supportive care for at least two weeks due to septicemia, shedding, and liver problems. This morning the vet called to say that his skin tore open during treatment and wanted permission to sucture the wound, which I gave. This vet is very caring and I am sure that he was handled very carefully. Surprisingly, the vet reported that Monty ate an adult mouse several days ago. Monty had not eaten for a month and had only eaten sporadically prior to that.

Unfortunately, while housesitting for my ex-boyfriend (we are still friends but rarely see each other) I discovered that the ambient temperature in his cage was 72° and a temperature of the basking area was only 73°. The under the tank heating pad had broken unbeknown to my ex-boyfriend. I don't know how long it had been this way, but Monty has lost a lot of weight. He was only 680 grams when I took him to the vet on March 1, 2010. When I last took him to the vet in 2003 he was 1088 grams. So you can see that he has gone downhill quite a bit.

I know there are some very experienced ball python breeders on this forum. Do you have any words of wisdom for me? Thanks in advance for your assistance. Regards, Rita