Gila monsters do not make good “pets”. However, they can be ideal captives for the serious herp enthusiast. In fact, many of the characteristics that make them ideally suited for their environmental niche, also make them well suited for the captive environment. They generally make undemanding captives.

Gilas are protected throughout their range and cannot legally be taken from the wild. There are, however, animals being removed from the wild illegally that show up in the trade. Avoid acquiring any animal unless you have proof that it is legally captive bred. Not only will you avoid the potential legal implications of dealing with poached animals, but also you will increase your chance of successful propagation—captive bred Gilas are more likely to breed in captivity than animals taken from the wild.

There are several reputable sources for captive-bred Gila monsters. I always recommend acquiring hatchlings and raising them yourself. That way you can be more certain of the origin of the animals, you have complete control over their environment, and you are not inheriting someone else’s failures. The main disadvantage, if your intent is to breed them, is waiting 2 ˝ years or longer for them to become sexually mature.

You can be successful breeding Gilas with only a single pair. However, you increase your chances for success significantly with a larger group. I consider a group of about eight animals to be a good-sized breeding group.

High quality captive-bred Gilas like this banded Gila monster make ideal founders of a breeding colony.