Description:
Scientific name: Heloderma horridum
Life span: 20-40 years
Helodermatidae is the family of lizards that includes the Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum). The big venomous beaded lizards of Mexico are reptiles. Both men and females have large skulls that are stocky, while male heads tend to be wider. These lizards have tiny, bead-like scales that don’t overlap. The majority of their scales, with the exception of the bottom, are covered in bony osteoderms. Mexican beaded lizards are primarily black in color, with varied amounts of yellow bands or dots; some individuals are entirely black. They can live during the months of estivation thanks to the short tail they have that they employ to store fat.
Native Region/Habitat
Mexico and southern Guatemala are home to Mexican beaded lizards. They can be found in two Atlantic drainages from central Chiapas to southeast Guatemala as well as two Pacific drainages extending from southern Sonora to southwest Guatemala. These lizards can be found in tropical scrubland, thorn scrub forests, pine-oak forests, and tropical deciduous forests.
Behavior:
Only active from April to mid-November, Mexican beaded lizards spend about an hour each day above ground. These are reptiles that are semi-arboreal and climb trees at night to hunt for prey. They bury themselves under rocks or in burrows throughout the day. Mexican beaded lizards kill their victims with the use of their venom while simultaneously weakening possible predators. Moreover, they hiss when threatened.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Enclosure:
In captivity, the Mexican beaded lizard requires the same care as Gila monsters, although larger enclosures are needed due to its larger size. It is required to use a vivarium with a large floor area of at least 200 x 150 x 100 cm. Provide the lizards adequate rocks and hiding places. A spotlight or a ceramic heat source with a thermostat can also deliver the necessary wattage of heating. Put some water in a shallow dish for soaking.
Temperature:
Temperature 29 to 35 degrees Celsius during the day. Temperatures at night shouldn’t drop below 23 °C.
Diet:
The food intake is comparable to that of Gila monsters. They consume a variety of small mammals in the wild, along with bird and reptile eggs. They require a diet high in calcium and protein while in captivity. Freshly killed rodents, eggs, chopped meat, and bone meal should all be included in the diet. The use of supplements is advised.
Humidity:
The dry woodland is the Beaded Lizard’s natural habitat, hence in captivity there is no requirement to regulate humidity as long as the mean humidity is approximately 60%.
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