The issue of building trust is very important, in this pic, the subject is a wild lizard, I have worked on gaining her trust(she is a she and gravid now) I did this since she was just hatched, actually I did this with her mother for eight years(she died in nature last year)

I watched both choose mates, breed, lay eggs and all manner of their natural behavior, I have much of this on film.

The point is, you can gain their trust, you can then bond with them. Both this girl and her mother spend hours upon hours watching me work in my shop. They appear happy to sit next to me and just watch.

I took this pic today, I was working on some metal, when I dropped a screw, and out she popped to see if it was something to eat. I do worry about them eating screws or me stepping on them, came close on both counts.

Then she sat by my feet and moved into the sun, then back in the shade patiently. So I went and got her some crickets. In this pic, I sat on the concrete and she climbs up in my lap and takes crickets. She also takes pinkies too.

Again the key is to gain trust and not offend them. No lizard likes to be held, particularly when they feel they are not in control. Once they trust you, you can indeed hold them. With monitors, once they trust you, you can throw them around, manhandle them and they do not give a flying hoot. But again, its all about trust and repetition.

I hopes this helps you. Oh, from your posts, I will mention this, do not get crazy over extremes. Like, oh it whipped me, or oh, today it ate out of my hands. Like with any trade of speciality, its all about repetition.

Please get your monitor a place it can call home. Cheers

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