 Gila
Monsters make hardy, undemanding captives.
Adult Gilas can be maintained in aquariums,
large plastic containers (e.g., Rubbermaid
65 quart clear boxes), or custom cages.
Adults should have a minimum of 3-1/2 square
feet of floor space. In the wild, Gilas
spend most of their lives inactive and
underground, so large amounts of space are
not required. The cage should be large
enough to provide a good thermal
gradient—warm on one end and cool on the
other
Some people maintain Gilas in groups in
larger cages. However, individual housing
facilitates feeding and maintenance. In the
wild, Gilas are usually solitary animals
except when they congregate in the spring
for mating.
|
 Cage
substrate can be as simple as newspaper
or wood shavings.
I use Sani-Chips®, a chipped aspen
bedding product. It is inexpensive and very
easy to spot clean. In addition to
regular spot
cleaning , it is a simple matter to totally
replace the bedding
periodically
In order to create a temperature gradient
and allow the animal to thermoregulate,
under cage heating (such as Flexwatt® heat
tape) should be provided for a portion of
the cage and controlled with a thermostat or
a dimmer switch. Maintain a temperature of
85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit measured on the
substrate over the heat source. For animals
preparing for the breeding season, a good
range of temperatures is critical. I prefer
a larger range of temperatures, from the low
to mid-70’s F on the cool end to the low
90’s F on the hot end. |
