Gila Monsters (Monstruo de Gila) are one of only a few venomous lizards in the world and the largest lizard native to the United States. They are protected and you should observe but not bother them or try and capture one. They have a mild neurotoxin but, do not have fangs. Rather the venom is released through grooves in their teeth when they latch on to a small animal or your finger as they chew. It is best to keep your children and pets away from them because, as with most wild animals, they can and will bite if they are bothered and feel threatened.
Their skin is beautifully designed in what looks like tiny beads in patterns of black, pink, yellow and/or orange. They can grow up to 2’ in length and, because they store up fat in their tails, can go for months without eating. In fact, if you see Gila Monsters in the spring or early summer, you may observe that their tails are slimmer than those seen in the late summer and fall because they find more prey in the late spring and summer than the winter months.
Their diet consists of eggs found in nests and young rodents they find in tunnels that pack rats make, burrows of mice, round tailed ground squirrel mounds and the like. The Gila Monsters are able to climb walls, trees, and are good at tunneling and digging into ground dwellings where they find burrowing prey.
In the video, you will see extremely rare footage of a Gila Monster consuming its prey. I observed and filmed it, just as it was finishing a meal of a round tailed ground squirrel it had pulled out of the burrow in the background. Since this Gila Monster found an active burrow, after it completed its meal, I watched it go right back to that same burrow, in search of another meal.
Gila Monsters spend as much as 95% of their life underground in burrows they make or have taken over from other burrowing animals. If you happen to see a Monstruo de Gila, it is either taking advantage of the sun to warm itself or on the move to look for food. There are exceptions to when and where you may see Gilas, however. One of my customers saw one several times in his back yard at night until, one night it climbed up his wall and went over into his neighbor’s yard.
Once again, these are beautiful lizards and, for the most part, create no immediate threat to humans. They are protected, are beneficial in helping keep down the rodent population but, on occasion, may become worrisome to a homeowner who may fear for the safety of their children, pets, or just feel nervous around reptiles. If you find that this is the case, please call 1st Response Wildlife and, as a licensed professional, I will help you better understand what can be done about your “Gila,” and, if necessary, move it to another location.
Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517
Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7. Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children. 520-260-9517 Thanks!
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