Gila Monsters

The Gila monster is a chunky lizard with skin that looks like it is covered in colorful beads. It lives in the deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Gila monsters are one of only a few venomous lizards in the world. They are named after the Gila River in Arizona. These slow-moving lizards are shy and rarely seen.

Beady Skin

Gila monsters have bumpy scales called osteoderms that have tiny pieces of bone inside. These scales give their skin a bead-like look in bright orange, pink, and black. The bright colors warn other animals to stay away. Gila monsters can grow up to 2 feet long. They have thick tails where they store fat for times when food is hard to find.

A Venomous Bite

Gila monsters have venom that they make in glands in their lower jaw. When they bite, they hold on tight and chew to get the venom in. Their bite hurts a lot but is hardly ever deadly to humans. They use their venom mostly for defense, not for catching food. Most of the time, they simply eat small eggs and baby animals.

Life in the Desert

Gila monsters spend most of their time underground in burrows to stay cool. They only come out to eat or find a mate. They might eat only a few meals a year. A Gila monster can eat a whole third of its body weight in one meal. They get most of their water from the food they eat.

Fun Facts

• A medicine for diabetes was made from chemicals in Gila monster saliva.
• Gila monsters can live more than 20 years.
• They move very slowly and are easy to catch, so they rely on their bite to stay safe.

Did You Know?

Gila monsters are protected by law in every state where they live, so it is against the rules to hunt or keep them as pets.