Ok, here's the deal. 99% of the population has no clue how to tame a reptile. I can almost guarantee you, whatever you think you know, is dead wrong. Maybe that sounds harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts. If you are willing to accept that what you've done in the past is wrong, and would like to learn the truth about how to tame a lizard, then read on.
Can a lizard be tamed?
Absolutely. In fact, you may be surprised at the level to which a lizard can be tamed. Snake-lovers don't like to admit it, but I personally feel that lizards are generally more interactive with their keepers--there's just something different about how they look at and respond to you. To put it in really simple terms, when you look into a monitor lizard's eye, you can tell he's looking back at you, thinking and wondering what you're up to. When you look into a snake's eye, you look into a black abyss.
Anyhow, back to taming your lizard. How tame can a lizard become? Well, that depends on your definition of a "tame" lizard. Here's where I have to burst a few bubbles: your lizard will never cuddle up to you--they just aren't capable of that level of emotion. If you desire that response, get a dog. However, you can get your lizard to a level where he or she will seek you out, voluntarily climb on you, feed from your hand, and the like. They are more intelligent than many give them credit for, and if scientific tests are to be believed, they can count to six, and repeatedly pass simple tests involving choices and food rewards (ie. push this particular color lever to get food). It's amazing to watch.
It's not fruitful to get involved in the "how intelligent is a lizard" or "what is the definition of tame," because they are both extremely subjective subjects. As ten people, and you'll get ten differing answers. Suffice it to say, lizards can become very interactive captive reptiles.
Taming Myth Debunked
The most important first step is actually not that easy. If you're serious about taming your lizard, snake, or turtle, you must be willing to forget everything you've ever been told about taming a reptile. Period. End of story. Don't bother reading any further if you insist upon clinging to the myths and suppositions you've been told in reptile shops and on the web.
How many times have you been told that the key to taming a snake or lizard isregular handling? It's a complete and utter myth, and in fact extraordinarilycontrary to the truth. You do tremendous (and often irreparable) damage to your relationship with the lizard or snake by force handling it. Whether you want to believe it or not, the reptile is petrified with fear when you do this.
Ok, let me guess, you're defensive response may be: "But when I hold my iguana, it's perfectly still in my hands, so it's pretty tame already." Wrong again! It's frightened to the point of remaining perfectly still, sometimes called "going cryptic." It's an instinctive response, the same response as when you see a snake or lizard in the wild, and they freeze--hoping you won't notice them. Trust me, do not force-handle your reptiles if you want to tame them.
Now that we've covered what not to do (regular forced handling), let's go over the solution to your goal of taming your lizard or snake.
The Taming Solution
The beauty of the best method for taming a lizard is that it takes theleast amount of effort--literally. If you follow the below rules, I believe you will be very successful at taming your lizard. This is what I do to tame my lizards, and it works like a charm: