Diet
Mexican Beaded Lizards are carnivores that specialize in raiding nests, feeding mainly on bird and reptile eggs. They also eat small birds, mammals, frogs, lizards and insects.
Average lifespan
Mexican Beaded Lizards are long-lived and can reach 20 to 40 years. The oldest on record lived for almost 34 years.
Size
Adults usually measure 57 to 91 centimeters (22 to 36 inches) in length, making them larger than their close relative, the Gila monster.
Weight
Adult Mexican Beaded Lizards average about 800 grams (1.8 pounds), and large individuals can weigh more than 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds).
About
Mexican Beaded Lizards live along the Pacific side of Mexico, from Sonora to Oaxaca. They are found in tropical dry forests, thorn scrub and pine-oak woodlands, from sea level up to about 1,500 meters (4,900 feet). Their name comes from the small, bead-like scales that cover their body, which contain tiny bones that act like armour.
Size and behavior
Mexican Beaded Lizards spend most of their lives underground or hidden in burrows, and in the wild they are active above ground for only part of the year. They are good climbers and will scale trees to reach birds’ nests. When threatened they back away, gape and hiss before biting, and they rarely bite people unless handled or provoked. They store fat in their thick tail to survive long periods without food.
Diet and nutrition
Mexican Beaded Lizards find food mostly by smell, flicking their forked pink tongue to track down hidden nests. They are one of only a few venomous lizards in the world. Instead of injecting venom through fangs like a snake, they bite down, hold on and chew, letting venom flow from glands in the lower jaw along grooves in their teeth.
Deserts & Dry Scrub
More animals to meet
Conservation status
Mexican Beaded Lizards are protected as Threatened under Mexican law and are listed on CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade. They are threatened by habitat loss, illegal collection for the pet trade and people killing them out of fear and superstition.
Fun fact
Scientists studying the venom of beaded lizards and their close relative, the Gila monster, discovered hormones that led to exenatide, a medicine now used to treat type 2 diabetes.
Common Name: Mexican Beaded Lizard
Also known as: N/A
Visit in person
Animals on display vary by location and may change from day to day.