Reptile/Amphibian of the Week

[Teenage Herpetologist]

Hello everyone! I hope you have had a good week so far.

This week's Reptile of the Week is...

The Gila-Monster!!!!

The Gila-Monster is one of the very few lizards that are poisonous. The poison, which comes from modified salivary glands in the lower jaw, is not injected and may not enter the wound when they bite. Usually slow and clumsy, Gila-Monsters can twist their heads, bite swiftly, and hang on strongly. Gila-Monsters live under rocks and in burrows by day. They feed on eggs, mice, and other lizards. They can lay 6 to 12 eggs that hatch in about a month. So if you ever encounter one, here is my advice, look at them from a distance and leave them to the experts (unless you are an expert). All animals are beautiful from a distance, but if take over their space, things won't end up beautiful.

 

[jamest0o0]

Would love to keep one of these, they're badass, but they burrow all day from my understanding.

 

[Teenage Herpetologist]

Yeah, they do. But you would also have to be really careful to try not to get bit.

 

[kinyonga]

A vet friend of mine said that one of the neatest things was to be able to touch the Gila monster he had put under to do surgery on. Said the skin felt so neat!

 

[Teenage Herpetologist]

Woah, that sounds awesome.

 

[kinyonga]

I'm sure it was! They wou.ldnt likely even be able to do a check up on one without putting it under I expect.

 

[jamest0o0]

I've heard they're actually one of the more handleable poisonous/venomous reptiles.

 

[kinyonga]

I've heard they're actually one of the more handleable poisonous/venomous reptiles.

They might be...but do you want to risk a bite?
Another site @12 YEAR OLD HERPOTOLIGIST ...

One more...

 

[Fchamel]

Woah! Cool! Thanks @12 YEAR OLD HERPOTOLIGIST!

 

[Teenage Herpetologist]

Kinyonga, I was so close to putting those videos on this thread. I love Coyote Peterson.

 

[Chase]

I too have heard that gila monsters and beaded lizards are a “tame” venomous reptile to keep. I plan to have both one day

 

[jamest0o0]

They might be...but do you want to risk a bite?
Another site @12 YEAR OLD HERPOTOLIGIST ...

One more...

It's all relative to the situation. Ideally, only an experienced keeper would have them to begin with.

 

[kinyonga]

It's all relative to the situation. Ideally, only an experienced keeper would have them to begin with.

Hopefully. It doesn always wok that way though.

 

[MissSkittles]

They might be...but do you want to risk a bite?
Another site @12 YEAR OLD HERPOTOLIGIST ...

One more...

It’s a miracle that man has any fingers left.

 

[Teenage Herpetologist]

It’s a miracle that man has any fingers left.

Yeah. Coyote Peterson has been bitten many times. Bugs, turtles, alligators, snakes, he has been bitten by everything.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I too have heard that gila monsters and beaded lizards are a “tame” venomous reptile to keep. I plan to have both one day

I was just going to mention those. Mexican beaded lizard
Pics: https://www.google.com/search?q=Mex...XqGDQIHdYICeYQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1024&bih=636

Growing up I lived 2 blocks from the city zoo, which was one of my early stomping grounds. They had both—a Gila monster and a Mexican beaded lizard—though their descriptions weren't precise enough to tell which was which.

 

[Chase]

I was just going to mention those. Mexican beaded lizard
Pics: https://www.google.com/search?q=Mex...XqGDQIHdYICeYQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1024&bih=636

Growing up I lived 2 blocks from the city zoo, which was one of my early stomping grounds. They had both—a Gila monster and a Mexican beaded lizard—though their descriptions weren't precise enough to tell which was which.

Local zoos and amusement parks with animals have them both together as well. Luckily there wasn’t the issue with the descriptions. I think the pictures they used on the signs had pictures of the actual animal so it was easier to differentiate between the two!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Fortunately, the zoo of which I spoke has gone through a lot of major improvements. I understand the original building is now history. We haven't been back there in many years.

When I was a kid, admission was free; then they started charging a quarter. Today it's something like $12.

 

[Ambilobe123]

I have a gila monster: