But don’t worry too much, they rarely go after humans. They’re not an animal that you’d want to tangle with. On top of that, Gila monsters are venomous, meaning that their bites are poisonous, and their strong jaws ensure the poison goes deep into their victims. Like we said earlier, Gila Monsters are big, tough animals and there aren’t many other species that are strong enough to take one down. There are lots of wild stories going around about Gila Monsters, but it’s good to separate the truth from the legend. They can even smell an egg buried half a foot underground and climb trees or cactuses to go after this tasty treat. They have even been caught scavenging or eating meat that’s already died or been killed by another animal.Ī Gila Monster’s favorite meal is eggs. When they do eat, Gila Monsters go after small animals such as birds, frogs, mice, other lizards, and insects. Did you know that in the wild a Gila Monster only eats four to five times a year? Imagine being that full after the last meal that you wouldn’t eat for another two months! They are slow to walk and even slower to digest. Living in constant heat, Gila Monsters don’t like to move around too much. People have even seen them rolling around and splashing in puddles! On those rare occasions when it does rain, Gila monsters love to go out and make the most of the unusual weather. In fact, they like it so much in these cool dark spots that they spend almost 90% of their time hiding from the scorching desert sun. You might find one under a rock or in a small thicket of scrub oak.
They have strong claws that they use for digging and jaws which clench prey and don’t let go.īecause they live in a very hot and dry region, they love to find shelter in shady places, where there is more likely to be moisture. They grow to about two feet long, which includes a tail that is about five to six inches.Ī Gila monster’s skin is covered in rough scales which are colored in a very beautiful pattern of orange and black. Gila Monsters are huge lizards that live in the Sonoran Desert, which stretches through Arizona across the border into Mexico.
As such, they have few known predators, though they are sometimes hunted and eaten by coyotes, birds of prey such as eagles and hawks, foxes, and mountain lions. Gila Monsters are the largest lizards in the United States. If you make a purchase from one of the links we will make a commission from Amazon. Please assume that all links are affiliate links. This website is supported by its readers.
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