I've never actually worked with devils, but I know that at Taronga (some years ago) staff didn't go in with them. While not naturally aggressive towards keepers they become accustomed to them (i.e lose their fear), and their powerful jaws can crunch bones which is why keepers didn't go in with them.
Not sure about hand-raised joeys as adults, whether they remain trustworthy or not.
I've got an old book about London Zoo which contains various anecdotes about animals as they behave in the wild. Apparently Tasmanian devils lie on their backs in trenches and grab sheep by their bellies, ripping out their intestines, as they walk overhead.
And that's specifically why zoos don't put trenches in their devil exhibits. Nor do they give them shovels (although in the olden days they were probably given 'shovel therapy', an early form of enrichment).
Some very funny comments so far.
I can't remember the name of the TV programme, but I watched some conservationists in Tasmania trapping wild devils recently. I was amazed at how docile the devils were, basically the researchers pulled them out of the traps and went probing around their mouths, looking in pouches etc, and the devils just lay there like they were drugged (they weren't).
I think the ones with the facial tumours might behave that way, but I recall seeing footage years ago of captured devils yowling and screaming (may have been Harry Butler).
