Will my python ever recover?

[Bogertophis]

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It appears both nidovirus and inclusions are caused from contact with other infected pythons or mites. She certainly doesn't have any neurological or respiratory symptoms so, I think we can rule them both out. Although, there are specific swab tests my vet can do for these viruses..............................

I have no reason to suspect something is wrong with any of her conditions. She has been in the same enclosure with the same substrate, furnishings and temps/humidity for the past 5 years. I can look into adding some branches, but she has plenty of floor space to cruise around. I prefer simple and sterile without it taking the entire day to fully clean..........................

You mention it's possible she is losing weight due to a high metabolism, from being too warm. However, wouldn't she then poop more often? She just went 3 weeks without pooping which is the longest she ever went. She spends the same amount of time on both sides of the enclosure. The hottest spot (on top of the black bin) is 90 and the floor of the enclosure rages from 74-81.

.......................Do you know how I can make her gain weight without feeding her differently? I feel pretty strongly that she shouldn't be fed much differently....

And you've had her for 11 years, right, & no contact with other snakes in all that time -including what could be transmitted from you & your clothing, handling other snakes? So it's very unlikely that she's "picked anything up" then.

I'm not a fan of overly-complex enclosures either- & I'd never do bioactive for any of my snakes, but while I can appreciate where you're coming from, there's still way too little enrichment in her world. You complained that she's very inactive, yet you provide no incentive for her to move around. You complain she has poor muscle tone, but you don't get strong muscles by sitting around- you get them by moving, by climbing, by grasping things, by having traction to move against. If my entire world had nothing but slippery paper for the ground, I wouldn't be moving around much either- after 11 years, one gives up.

It's not asking too much to add branches or other climbing facilities (people make them out of PVC pipes or bamboo poles, for example) and I'd bet she'd love an elaborate "cat tree"- you could rather easily MAKE one too. (Just make sure nothing can tip over- anchor things in place.) Even criminals in prison are encouraged to exercise, you know- because it's essential to both physical & mental health. I feel sorry for your snake, to be honest, because you just refuse to acknowledge her needs.

Metabolism, whether fast or slow, won't cause a snake to defecate more often- snakes go when they NEED to go, in order to conserve water in their body, etc. 3 weeks without going is nothing- at least for a snake.

How to make her gain weight without feeding her differently??? That's just not how it works. (UNLESS she has intestinal parasites, for example- then getting rid of them would ENABLE her to gain weight- but you said her stool has been checked, right?)

You came here seeking help, but you aren't willing to make any changes?