Gila Monster

My neighbor Bill looked out onto his back patio and much to his surprise saw this Gila [hee-la] Monster. It was about nine inches long and it was just sitting there quietly. He came running out of his front door over to my house and told me to grab my camera.

I took this picture through his glass door. Gila Monsters have excellent daytime eyesight and hearing and are deceptively quick so we didn't want to scare him away before getting pictures.

There are only two venomous lizards in the world, and both live in the Southwest; one is the Gila Monster. They have been protected by Arizona law since 1952.

Unlike snakes, the venom glands of the Gila Monster are in the lower jaw. They do not have control over their venom. It is always injected instantaneously when it bites down with grooved and sharp-edged teeth in both jaws. The Gila's defensive bite does not deliver enough venom to be lethal. However, the venom contains substances that quickly cause excruciating pain. This weapon system is designed for defense rather than gathering food.

After just a couple a shots, I think it saw us moving and it high-tailed it out of there, climbing the brick dividing wall out of sight.

More facts about Gila Monsters

I'm going to speak with my doctor today and insist we make a plan to reduce/adjust medications gradually. I have been sleeping ten or more hours every day for over a week and that has to stop. I believe as you get older, your body changes and that what once worked well may not be working well anymore.