Zoo database

Gila Monster

Heloderma suspectum

Natural diet Gila Monster

Vertebrates

Gila monsters are carnivorous and often prey on small vertebrates such as birds, reptiles and rodents. Besides this, insects are occasionally consumed. Naturally, they may consume up to one-third of their BW in one meal. In captivity, this amount is often divided over multiple days.

Feeding advice Gila Monster

Feed quantity per day

1-3% of body weight

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 1.8 kg and eats 2% of its body weight, it will get

1.8 x 0.02 = 0.036 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

99% Meat products and whole prey
1% Supplements

Proportions (fresh product)

0.99 x 0.036 kg = 35.6 g meat products and whole prey
0.01 x 0.036 kg = 0.4 g supplements

Diet suggestions

In moderation

Variety of insects

Additional advice

Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least one feeding moment per day.
The supplements should be given according to the appropriate dosage that is mentioned on the labelling.
Foraging behaviour can be stimulated by dispersing the food throughout the enclosure (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

Hepatic lipidosis
Metabolic bone disease
Infectious stomatitis

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

Large mice >23 g

DK Whole Prey Supplement

Multimammate Mice (Mastomys natalensis) (25-40 g)

Dwarf Hamster Medium/Adult

Jeroen Hartman

Team leader Warehouse