The Gila monster stands alone, however, as the only species on U.S. Various Heloderma lizards can be found from Guatemala to the Mormon Corridor. To date, it's unclear if some of these animals represent separate species or not. Many regions in North and Central America have distinctive-looking beaded lizard populations. Herpetologists are struggling to get a definitive headcount. Besides the Gila monster, it includes outwardly similar reptiles called beaded lizards. "The Heloderma genus may contain up to half a dozen species," biologist Bryan Fry, associate professor at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, says in an email. The only other poisonous lizard in existence is the Mexican Beaded Lizard, which lives a little further south and looks quite similar.Gilas aren't totally unique. He reported that it was extremely painful and that several people had to help disengage the lizard. He got thrown off in mid-air, landed hard on some rocks, broke some bones, and by incredible coincidence put his hand into the open mouth of a lounging Gila Monster, which promptly bit him. The other guy was doing motorcycle stunts in a wash, jumping ramps and whatnot, when he lost control of his bike as he was getting airborne. Only two documented cases of Gila Monster bites exist in southern Arizona, one of them being quite fantastic, and the other being an experimental researcher forcing the lizard to bite his arm so he could test his antidotes. Gila Monsters are venomous, but the likelihood you will ever be bitten by one is nil. Two Gila Monsters may be kept in the same cage without incident - if they are territorial, it's probably only at certain times of year.
Gila Monsters like to eat quail eggs, but those are difficult to find, and the quail have a hard enough time defending their nests without human interference. Put their terrarium near the window, or they will become torpid in your air-conditioned house.
Seriously, Gila Monsters like lots of sand, and some of them will eat chicken eggs. Though we usually greet guests with a drink and a comfy sofa to sit on, we adapt that for reptiles to a warm, sand-filled terrarium, a dish of water, and (in the case of Gila Monsters) fresh eggs. This doesn't stop them from visiting our house, however, and we never refuse visitors our hospitality. Gila Monsters are beautiful animals, but they are illegal to catch, kill, or keep in Arizona (and elsewhere in the US, I imagine).
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