They are. Especially male veileds. I am super lucky to have a male and a female who are both VERY SWEET! Both make a b-line for me as soon as I open their enclosures.
First and foremost: This thread is for FUN! This is in NO WAY any effort to start controversy, fighting, or arguing! So don't do it.
Let's play a game of "what's wrong with these pictures"! I was at a very small locally owned "Ma & Pa" pet store, recently, when I came across these 2 cages. Now...
Give him a whole lot of time and patience. Offer him good wiggly worms and eventually he will probably become desensitized. Then, just work your way SLOWLY closer each time you offer him something. Once you can touch a branch in the cage, make your arm like an extension of the branch and hold...
There are forums and such that veterinarians can use to talk to others and try to figure out the more complex cases. My vet used it when my Echo had a stomach torsion.
The sad thing is that the vet probably won't know what happened, or why, so none of us ever will. And there just isn't any research out there that has been done, yet.
Sounds strange, but I wonder if she was faking it. Pretend like you're dead and the invader won't be interested in pursuing. Then, you get up and walk away a few minutes later.