PLEASE HELP!!! Damaged scales on belly!!!

[Bogertophis]

He’s now going towards the rhp (the CHE is now gone, rhp is on the warm side), attracted to the heat of it (I would think so anyway) he can not wrap around it. But, he is going around the edges of it (the guard), this was a very close fit in the viv so there are small gaps between it and the walls, he’s climbing up to it and squirming against.
Got three Qs:
Shall I just leave him to it?
Could he be going towards it because he thinks it’s food?
Could this possibly be neurological issue?
Or am I overreacting.

From where I sit (& not actually seeing set-up): it sounds like he is wanting the warmth. I'm fairly certain that it doesn't smell like food. And "neurological"? -no.

"Over-reacting"? It's not over-reacting when you pay attention to details & want to make sure your husbandry is spot-on, & not causing harm. It's not "over-reacting"
to want to know why your snake is doing whatever he's doing that you don't understand. (Please don't let anyone's snark keep you from asking necessary questions.)