I handle mine if he's out exploring the cage after work. He will come out of his hide if he's up for hanging out with me. About every 2 months he goes into a shed. There is no way he will be coming out of his hide at this point. This will last for a week and a half before his eyes go blue and about a week after. He doesn't want to be bothered. What I'm saying is....I can tell when that BP doesn't mind being handled and when he wants to be left alone. You can learn to read them after a while. When he's not in a shed cycle....I pick him up every day for about 15 mins and let him explore.