it does help, but thers this girl that held him during sci fair and he liked b eing held by her...i took pic of it and put behind his tank and he either flees to it or is sleeping under the substraight right under her pic...and im trying to get him to be like steves snakes (they slither to him) ...but how does handeling lead to tensing.....after a year wouldnt he have gotten used to it?