According to news reports, the man's girlfriend told authorities she entered the room in which the venomous reptile was housed after hearing her boyfriend, and found the lizard biting his hand.
A Lakewood, Colorado man has died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) February 12. According to news reports, Christopher Ward’s girlfriend told authorities that she entered the room in which the venomous reptile was housed after hearing her boyfriend, and found the lizard, named Winston, biting Ward’s hand.
The girlfriend then called 911 and watched as Ward started to vomit and then pass out and stop breathing. He was taken to St. Anthony Hospital and placed on life support but then died four days later. An autopsy and toxicology report are pending.
Lakewood Animal Control informed the girlfriend that possession of Gila monsters in the city is prohibited without a permit and it is unclear if Ward had a permit, according to The Denver Post. The lizards were removed from the home and are currently at Reptile Gardens in South Dakota.
The Helodermas: Beaded Lizards And Gila Monsters
The Gila monster can grow to more than 20 inches in length but 13 to 19 inches is the average size. Its native range includes Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Mexico, in desert and foothills of mountains. In the wild, the Gila monster consumes rodents, eggs, and small reptiles. It is related to the beaded lizard, another venomous lizard species. It is native to Mexico.
