Here's a little page about taming that I wrote:
Taming/Calming
Taming or calming a feisty blue tongue can usually always be accomplished. There are always some animals though that just seem to have feisty personalities...usually only wild caught animals. I would say the vast majority of captive bred babies that are handled regularly turn out to be very tame. I can't stress that fact enough: The more handling, interaction and time you spend with your animal, THE BETTER. And the earlier, the better. It's always best to try to get a baby, so you can bond and spend time with it from its very first months. There's nothing like raising a baby compared to getting an adult. There's absolutely nothing wrong with getting an adult though!
Blue tongues usually hiss or strike when they're scared and feel threatened. Your goal is to make them NOT scared. I know that sounds obvious, but think about it. Why are they hissing? Why are they biting? They are afraid of you, and not used to human contact (reason why most wild caughts are defensive). If YOU feel scared of your bluey because he is so defensive, consider beginning the handling wearing a pair of rawhide gloves. These gloves will not only protect you from bites, but also help protect your animal as well. If he is scared, he might nip at anything that's in front of him, and if he latched on to your hard knuckle, he could injure his mouth, or especially his tongue. This is especially risky for babies. Gloves also help with traction. It makes your hands much bigger, and their little claws can really grip that leather. Most blue tongues no matter how cranky, usually calm right down when handled though.
I would begin by handling your animal right out in the open with people, T.V, and anything else he can come to expect. I know you're thinking that might give him a heart attack, but you don't want to start the calming process in a quiet enclosed bedroom because after he's doing great in there, and you want to take him out anywhere else, it's like training him all over again. So, get him used to every day activities with people around right away, otherwise you're just working backwards. I obviously wouldn't begin though with 30 daycare kids running wild in your living room, although if you have an adult from a pet store, he'd probably be used to that. Maybe just you, your wife or husband, a kid or two, and the T.V. Get him used to everything that he will see and hear on a regular basis. If you set him in a blanket with his head poking out, he will just watch everything going on, and take it all in. Also, try setting him in your lap, and stroke his head and back. If he tries to scurry away, do not rush your hands over to pick him up. Slowly place your hand in front of him, and let him walk onto your hand. When he does, lift up, and place him back onto your lap. When you go to do any kind of 'petting', be sure all your movements are very slow. Slowly, place your hand about four inches in front of him, and slowly outstretch a finger. Take that finger, and slowly move it directly toward his head. From here, you can rub the top of his head, or his chin. Do not sneak up behind him, and rub the back of his head and neck, it's actually better to keep your hands visible. No surprises. I know this will sound stupid, but talk cute to him! A famililar and friendly voice definitely makes a difference in my opinion. When I was first taming my feisty baby Tanimbars, I didn't say anything for about 10 minutes. Then I said something like, "why hello", and he jerked away and looked up at me. It was a surprise to him. All in all, just spend some consistent quality time with your pet. Be careful taking your hissy animals outside. While it's true that many animals act more defensive when taken outdoors, a scared animal may hightail it on out of there before you even know what's going on. Make sure you're comfortable picking up a feisty animal, because it won't be the same as chasing him around in his tank (where you can rest, and contemplate your next move), and he won't be easy to catch. Especially with his mouth gaping at you. Generally regarded as slow and pokey, a spooked irate blue tongue can turn & move at astonishing speed. So, just use caution when you place them outdoors, and avoid bushy and wooded areas, as you could possibly lose your pet forever. They are experts at hiding, and excellent diggers.
Once your bluey is used to plenty of handling and interaction, it will become just a daily routine to him. Defecting, hissing and biting are all signs of being scared or nervous. Get them used to you, and they won't be nervous. If you avoid wild caught animals, mistreated/neglected animals, etc, you will have nothing to worry about. And don't 'rescue' pet store reptiles! All you're doing is giving them the money to buy another one, and receiving a disgruntled, possibly sick & wild caught animal in return. You're not rescuing the animals, you're patronizing the company so they can get more.
Bites
Blue tongues like any reptile, are capable of a pretty painful bite. Unless your's is unusually aggressive though, they seldom do. Sometimes they can get irritable, so if they warn you by opening their mouth (which is also uncommon unless they're cranky), or flashing their tongue in an intimidating manner, it's best to leave them be. Some wild caught animals may always be like this, in which case you should handle them regardless. A hard bite from an adult can definitely break the skin although that is rare unless you have one seriously angry or scared animal. To treat a wound, simply cleanse with antiseptic, apply triple antibiotic (Neosporin), and bandage.
