Hi, I'm new and need some help from people who might have more experience in this area. I had a ball python that I had had for over a year, and thanks to a horrible now ex husband I had to re-home him a little over a year ago. I gave him to a friend that I thought would take care of him. I offered to watch his snakes while he went in for surgery and has recently moved and had no place to keep them. When I moved them to my house I got to see my old ball python and was horrified. This guy was leaving them in a shop with no A/C, I'm in Texas we have had a really hot summer so far, over a hundred for over a month. and for the first month of that he had a hot rock in the tank turned on. The snakes have been down there since late winter early spring. He barely fed the snakes, and did nothing with them pretty much for months. When I cleaned the tanks the bedding, cedar shaving (yikes!) were all stuck to the bottom of the tank. I have cleaned the tank and have put aspen in for bedding, I was in a time crunch to just get the tank clean, I plan to put cypress bedding in soon. I have a heat lamp on him since my house stays at about 77 degrees and I put him in a quiet room. He looks horrible. He looks withered and has the top half of his body covered in shed, possibly more than one sheds worth, if its possible. I know he ate a little over a week ago, 2 small ASF's, like just weaned size. I need advice on how to get the shed off this guy and to make him feel better. He looks small for his age, I got him as a hatchling in 2009. I have soaked him in water in a tubaware container with only couple of holes for air, and under a warm lamp for about 20 minutes and he seemed to enjoy that. But his is very nippy now, has always been a little nippy when I had him, but not like this. I have tried to offer him some food, but he refuses to eat. He was in great shape when I gave him to the guy. I just wanted to cry when I saw him on saturday. Any advice would be great.