Gila Monster: The Venomous Reptile of the Southwestern US
Published by A venomous reptile that is found in the southwestern United States and northern regions of Mexico, it is the only venomous native to the U.S. and is just one of two venomous lizards known to exist in North America.
Gila Monster!
Slow moving, this lizard is of little threat to humans yet homeowners and hikers often kill these on sight because of their fearsome reputation. Gila Monsters are protected under state laws (Arizona and Nevada) and are not permitted to be owned in these states, yet other states have no law specifically declaring them illegal to possess.
Oddly enough despite their venomous bite, they have other attributes that could possibly make them a desired captive for the serious herp lover. The do not require much exercise room, are easy to care for and readily accept commercially-prepared food preparations.
Their sluggish, slow-moving and shy behavior makes it unlikely that a human would be bitten by one unless they were harassing, handling or otherwise presenting themselves in a confrontational manner. A Gila Monster would likely hiss, gape its open mouth and back away from a threat. Generally, one would only be bitten if handling these lizards, whose formiddable bite is said to be likened to ‘bulldog mentality.’ They clamp down hard, gnaw once or twice to inject the poison and then do not readily let go.
Gila Monsters eat pinkie mice, baby rabbits, nestling birds and eggs found on the ground. Often, they enter a burrow and eat the nestlings of whatever it finds living there. They then assume the ready-made burrow as their home. Despite their innate slowness, in close proximity they can lunge and bite with surprising speed. Their venom is probably more of a defensive mechanism than a hunting aid as their lack of speed would make it difficult for them to catch anything that can move away from danger. For the average herper a Gila Monster is an unwise choice. Although the Gila Monster and a related specie called ‘Beaded Lizard‘ are the only two known venomous lizards, the bite of the Komodo Dragon has long been known to be toxic. It had been believed that it was the potpourri of toxins in its saliva that did the trick, but I recall reading recently that it actually injects a venom into its prey upon biting. A venomous bite in a lizard is still an anomaly with even just these three examples.
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On July 5, 2009 at 10:36 am
A nice article on a scary reptile.
On July 5, 2009 at 11:36 am
very interesting article and well presented too..I LIKED it..Thanx for sharing this magnificent piece.
On July 5, 2009 at 11:38 am
The Gila Monster skull is so cool. It does look like an alien head!
On July 5, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Very good article my friend, i enjoy your work.
On July 5, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Very interesting! They kind of look beaded. They certainly have a nice design!
On July 5, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I didn’t realize they could grow so large! Great article!
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
On July 5, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Excellent piece! Loving that skull too!
On July 5, 2009 at 9:38 pm
That’s one impressive set of chompers those guys have. I think I’m happy to let them stay in the dessert.
On July 6, 2009 at 2:03 am
Very well written article, as always. The photos are explicit. Woe to the creature, and wow if Icome in contact with one. Yikes!! Liz
On July 6, 2009 at 6:11 pm
One of the first books I had as a child was about reptiles of the United States. I was fascinated by the Gila Monster, which I still think of as a beautiful creature. I sincerely hope that people will respect this species and leave it alone so that it never faces extinction. Thank you for a pleasurable read. RB
On July 12, 2009 at 1:06 am
This is pretty amazing!
On July 25, 2009 at 3:46 pm
eww… looks so terrifying!
On July 30, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Very informative, but it is safe to say i wont be owinig one.
On September 22, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Its interesting to note that Gila Monster venom is used in Byetta, a medicine developed for reducing blood sugar levels in those with diabetes. We need to give these and other creatures some respect and ensure that they have a place to live. Even if only for our own selfish reasons, we need to ensure their survival since we never know when they might prove useful to us.