The Species Spotlight animal for October is the Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum sp.). Gila monsters inhabit the Southwest United States and Northern Mexico. Their common name, “Gila,” is derived from the Gila River Basin located in Arizona. There are two distinct subspecies of Gila, the banded and the reticulated (Heloderma suspectum cinctum, and Heloderma suspectum suspectum, respectively). Gilas are one of the only two species of venomous lizard in the world, the beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum sp.) being the other. Their venom is widely considered to be primarily defensive, as they are able to easily overpower regular prey items. This theory would also help to explain their vivid coloration as a warning to predators. Though H. suspectum ssp. inhabit hot arid environments, they actively avoid the heat, and are usually found in burrows and shelters with ready access to water. Gilas have been described as having “leaky skin,” (Beck, Biology of Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards), and spend up to 90% of their time underground. In further efforts to reduce water evaporation from their bodies, Gilas are mostly active during the cooler morning and evening hours. Gila monsters are carnivores and in the wild feed on eggs, small birds, rodents, and insects. They can eat very few meals per year, as few as five, by being able to consume as much as one-third of their body weight at a single time. Captive Gila’s nearly always begin feeding on rat or mouse pinkies without issue. Due to habitat development throughout their range Gilas are listed as near threatened, and proper documentation is required with any purchase or sale to prove a specimen’s legality. Though they are relatively low maintenance captives, being venomous, Gila monsters are not beginner animals. If acquired through legal means, and given proper training on venomous handling practices, Gilas can make rewarding long-term captives for hobbyists. Photos credit CaliforniaHerps: californiaherps/lizards/pages/h.s.cinctum.html
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 01:14:36 +0000
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