Cool Facts About Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum)

There are more than 3,000 kinds of lizards. Of all those, only two are poisonous. These are the Gila monster and its close relative, the beaded lizard. The Gila monster does not use its poison for catching food. It uses it for defense. Its venom can kill small animals. But it rarely kills a person. Gila monsters will only attack people if they are provoked. When provoked, they hiss, just like their cousins, the snakes.

Basic facts:

Class: reptiles

Order: scaled reptiles

Family: beaded lizards, gila monsters

Length: up to 23 inches

Weight: up to 31/4 pounds

Diet: rodents, rabbits, and birds

Number of Young: 3 to 15

Home: northern United States and southwestern Mexico

Gila monsters live in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. They were named after the Gila River basin in Arizona. Spanish explorers first saw them hundreds of years ago.

They are most active during the rainy season. Gila monsters rest during the heat of the day. They lie in the shade or under the sand. They come out at night to look for food. Gila monsters eat bird and reptile eggs, birds, and other small animals.

They are slow-moving, except when they spot something to eat. Then they dart quickly with their powerful legs. Their jaws and teeth are very strong. They clamp on to their prey until it dies. Gila monsters can go without eating for many months.

Gila monsters mate during the summer. The female digs a shallow hole in the sand. She lays her eggs in the hole. Then she covers them with sand. The eggs hatch in about a month. There are usually between 3 and 15 offspring.