Yes, Rusty: Patience.
Sometimes I assume that people on forums already have lots of experience with reptiles and know all the basics. I should check that behavior. Patience is key with any reptile, especially monitors and the herps with "bad reps" such as anacondas, retics, afrocks, ratsnakes, etc. All these animals can be calm, trusting pets, but a lot of patience and the right environments are key.
Chris