Yeah, I understand that owning any reptile comes with the curiosity of handling them. But husbandry always comes first, and you look like you've taken care of that. There are so many people with big lizards that are mal-nutritioned and stuffed in small enclosures, by the look of your ig's health you seem to have had the patience required to calm her down.



I don't know much about Ig's, I had one when I was very young, she was a really great lizard, everything you'd expect from a pet. But, being that I haven't owned any for so long I couldn't exactly say how old the one I own at present is. He's a little more then a foot with the tail, so not a baby, but still young. But yeah, its always best to try your best not to make her the center of attention... or at least make her THINK that, b/c obviously when trying to calm an animal they ARE the center of attention LOL.



Do your best to make handling consistent, but if you miss a few days here and there its no big deal at all. Just do your best with the time you have, she'll come right along. In my earlier posts you may have noticed that I was pretty cautious about handling reptiles not so keen on being andled. Thats because I own monitors, and had at one point owned a water monitor that was so easily stressed i barely EVER handled her.



But, in my recent experience with this new little guy, Ig's seem to be much more like bearded dragons or well mannered boas and such. And seem to be best handled when they are young rather then old (which is usually the opposite with the big lizards i have owned). Don't worry, she'll come along, but as the poster above stated, head rubs as long as she doesn't scury might be a good idea. And sometimes just simply letting the animal observe you doing daily activities can help in the trust process.



I don't nesicarily beleive reptiles in general can be tamed. They simply build enough trust towards someone to the point where they can be considered docile. Good luck, and keep doing what your doing and always remember when it comes to handling nervous animals no one can really inform you in regards of how to go about it more then your animal itself.

Peace

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