Heloderma collection

[gilamonster]

I spent some time yesterday doing cage cleaning. So, I figured while I had all my gilas out I'd take a few pics. I thought some people on here enjoy seeing some pretty good looking lizards.

Gila's are my favorite lizard since I was a little kid. And finally having the chance to work with them as an adult has been great. The first lizard pictured is 17 years old and really big for a gila-she's just under 21" in length. The other four are about 9 years old. Here in a few weeks I'll also have a few baby beaded lizards added to my collection. I'll add some pics of them as well.

 

[gilamonster]

Picked up a few new additions yesterday.

This is a Rio Fuerte beaded lizard-H.exaspertum He will continue to get more yellow over his body as he gets older.

 

[gilamonster]

And this is another beaded lizard-H. horridum Who comes from high black lines and will continue to lose the yellow and get blacker as he grows.

 

[gilamonster]

Well, about 3 months later and the color changes on the beaded lizards are quickly coming. I love seeing them change.

 

[Waorani]

Very nice. Always wanted one. Had a couple injured on project in AZ years ago but we had a rehabber in Scottsdale on board and both were released a couple months later. Colleague also picked up a juvenile injured on road and it ended up AZ Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. But despite lots of time looking, I only saw one juvenile scurry (I thought they were supposed to be slow) across a road before I could even get a pic.

Haven't looked in a long time - who are some go to breeders/sellers these days?

 

[gilamonster]

People always think they are slow-which they are most of the time. That's just because they aren't usually in a hurry. But, they can move when they want too!

For breeders, Dr. Seward/Steve Osboure/Chris Grubbs/Steve Angeli and a few others are out there. I'm hoping to have some gila's available here in 2020.

 

[gilamonster]

Well picked up another beaded lizard H. horridum and a Gila H. suspectum over the weekend. All my older adults came out of burmation a few weeks ago. Almost time to start pairing them up.

 

[Waorani]

Nice! Hadn't checked in on this thread in a while so just noticed. Keep me in mind if you happen to have any available this year. Retired biologist/herp guy - I taught @Godwin everything he knows!

 

[gilamonster]

Nice! Hadn't checked in on this thread in a while so just noticed. Keep me in mind if you happen to have any available this year. Retired biologist/herp guy - I taught @Godwin everything he knows!

I actually got skunked this year. The two gila's I thought were females-based on body and head shape. Both turned out to be males. I really need to invest in a ultrasound machine! So, I have one hope left for next year. She/he will be old enough to try next season.

 

[Godwin]

Nice! Hadn't checked in on this thread in a while so just noticed. Keep me in mind if you happen to have any available this year. Retired biologist/herp guy - I taught @Godwin everything he knows!

Several years back a few adult Gilas and juvenile Mexican beaded lizards came into the live collection at Auburn. The Gilas were fat, lazy slugs and could be hand held if you were careful. The beaded lizards were scrappy and no one tried to hold those. Changes at the university brought about changes in the live animal collection and all the venomous species were sent elsewhere.

I had the opportunity to see hatchling Guatemalan beaded lizards at Zoo Atlanta. Those were some nice looking little guys.

 

[gilamonster]

In case anyone besides me is interested. Here is a pic showing the color change from the above H. horridum. Both are just over a year old now, and will still get some more black coming in this year.

 

[gilamonster]

Some more color change progression pics, wish I was a better photographer, as my phone washes their true color out a lot.