New tegu mamma- help in bonding

[ToothlessMamma]

My husband and I got toothless from a breeder recently and we just put him in his new enclosure the other day. He absolutely adores it!
The breeder says he’s about one years old, but when we first got him he seemed really cuddly and wasn’t too spastic. It’s been a week now of having him, and it feels like he bonds more with my husband than he does with me.
My husband and I think that because he grew up with the breeder that he responds better with men. Because when toothless was stuck under a cabinet my husband coaxed him out of his hiding which really shocked the both of us.
We are first time tegu owners, we have two cresties, two gargoyle geckos, two boas, and one carpet python, so were not new to the whole owning a reptile.

I’ve noticed now that when we try to take him out of his new enclosure he huffs and puffs and makes himself look bigger and I read that if we let him “scare” us off that way that he will learn to do that every time. (Never once tried to bite us) Once he’s out of the enclosure, he’s not too much to handle. He will get startled easily and kinda jump. I know he’s still getting used to us, but I wanted to know what we can do more to help him get more comfortable with us. (More so with me)

Side note- he is shedding a little on his tail, and it is colder here in northern Arizona where we live. (Not sure if he’s still in the puberty stage and if he’s hibernating)

I’m not saying I want him to be that amazing puppy dog like lizard everyone portrays them to be over night, and I know I need patience to get him to warm up to us, but I wanted to make sure by giving his needed space is that turning back the bonding clock for him? Should we give him space now and slowly introduce ourselves and pet him once in a while or force himself out sometimes and have him bond with us?

 

[Dylan koch]

So I'm in Tucson arizona. And it could have to do with your tegu starting to go into hibernation/brumation my blues have been sleeping tons and my reds not so much! But things that helped me with bonding was I soak them in warm water every few days! And pet and massage them while soaking, when it was warmer I would take them outside at least once a day and let them explore my backyard and sun bask in natural light! Also just petting, talking and a huge one is i always take them out of enclosures to feed! That got them used to being held and ect very quickly and avoids incident with impactions and prolapses

 

[Dylan koch]

I also help them with their sheds when they are ready to come off which they absolutely appreciate and helped a ton with our bonding! And you have go show your not scared or easily frightened or flinchy! I pet their throats and massage their jowls which they seem to love! What kind of tegu is it? and are your sure if it's a male or female? I bought my 4 tegus orginally as pairs and just recently checked sexes and 95% sure I ended up with 1 female pure blue 100% het, 1 female blue ice 100% het which were supposed to be a pair! And pretty sure both of my reds are males! 1 red clearly is he has huge jowls but other isnt obvious but both of them your can feel the bbs on each side of tale.. and withing last week my large male has been trying to mount my other red! Constantly shaking his jowls trying to bite lightly while on top n mount