Little bit of background story...

So, I used to have my BP's water dish halfway covered and located right by his hide and he used to soak alot. He eventually started soaking way too much I think partly because he was getting too big for the arrangment and the water dish was starting to make the best hide. I used to have the warm-side alot hotter back then so that may have had something to do with it too. I changed things around and uncovered his dish and he adopted his new hide and everything has been hunky-dory for a while.

Meanwhile, there's his whole chin rubbing thing. He's always rubbed the sides of his mouth against his grape-wood log. He used to only do it after feeding but now he does it anytime he's out and about. His mouth looks clean when he yawns and I can't see anything amiss on the outside. But, he just yawns alot and always does this rubbing thing.

Now to my story...

Yesterday he seemed like he was getting a bit darker on the sides and this morning I definately noticed his eye-stripe was looking really dingy. I figured he's probably a bit dirty. The coloration may have been just an illusion of the lighting at the time. But, rubbing his head all over the place was bound to get him dirty. Since he doesn't soak any more I looked up a bath thread I saw a while back and gave it a read.

I did the 1-inch of warm water in the bathtub thing. I probably should have taken more time to put him in because he freaked out a bit at first. ("help help I'm drowning!!!) He went under and then got his wits and started swimming. I've never seen him move so much it was wild! He recoiled once when there was nothing in front of him so I think perhaps he couldn't see too well against the big white tub as a background. Eventually, he chilled out some more but he was still looking like he wasn't having alot of fun so I went to get him out.

Now, he can be pretty cooperative about getting picked up at times but I don't think I've ever seen him quite this cooperative - LOL. Also, after I picked him up he was very serene. I pulled up the front of my shirt to dry him off a bit and he patiently waited while looking up at me like "Daddy?" or "Thank God for saving my life!" I'm not sure. Also, when I put him back in his tank he was very chilled out and basked for a little bit before calmy retiring to his hide. In the end I think he really liked it but maybe the details need improvement.

This head rubbing thing does worry me a bit though. I know he's getting close to shed (not in blue though - its just been several weeks) but it just seems like something that most people don't see often or at all. Should I get him a check-up at a vet?