Need Help!!

Question
Hi.. My name is Amanda. I have had a Ball Python (male) for about 3 months now. I got him from a petstore. The guy that sold him told me he was about 3 and a half years old and he hand raised him since he was a hatchling. He was very very tame. He loved everyone and anyone. I had a hard time for the first couple of weeks with his feeding. Which he then shed a couple days later. He eats once a week. He loved to bathe in his water dish. He showed no signs of being sick or that something was wrong. I held him Tuesday night before i went to bed. Wednesday morning he was up and about like he normally is. Wednesday night when i got home from work i noticed his position of laying was odd. I then took the lid off his cage and he was not moving. I inspected him all over and could not find anything wrong other than his under belly looked like he was trying to shed. His scales were flaking. His under belly was slightly a pinkish orange color but i believe it was due to the mulch that was in his cage. I dont know what happened because he was his normal self. Very active and when i get home he is dead. I was very attatched to him and really need someones help on what they think could of been wrong.

Answer
Amanda,
   What were you using for substrate? What was the ambient temp in the cage and what was the temp under the heat lamp? Did he have any large black spots on him after death? Did you notice any mucus or gaping of the mouth the week before death? How big was his cage?