A primary focus of our work here at Professional Breeders is in the colony development and selective breeding of Gila Monsters. Our Utah Banded Gila Monster founder stock originates from the extreme northern tip of the established cinctum range in Washington County, Utah. The naturally occurring color and pattern examples and associated genetics from this far north locality are considered the most extraordinary for Banded Gila Monsters. See the excerpt below for the description of Heloderma suspectum cinctum, first described as a new subspecies of Heloderma in 1956.
We have established six unrelated maternal bloodlines in the colony that are producing annually. All of the members of the adult colony display the classic mottled salmon-pink, extreme orange, or chalk-white coloration on a black ground color.
At birth, hatchlings are white and black banded. In the first few weeks after hatching each offspring begins an ontogenetic change to the adult color and banded pattern, a process that continues through the fourth year of life.
Selective 5th and 6th generation breeding for classic pattern refinement and extremes of high percentage pink, orange or chalk-white coloration is our objective, as well as the development of rare and unique patterns with examples shown below.
Distinguishing desirable traits in newborn hatchlings include:
1) Reduced black head spots
2) Reduced black on the body or tail with corresponding expanded white, with some specimens having just 3 enlarged white tail bands
3) Expanded white leg bands
4) Presence of white toe spots
5) Overall uniform pattern symmetry, or alternatively, a highly aberrant pattern.
Our efforts have resulted in over 1000 Gila Monster hatchlings produced and sold since 1982. This work continues to set the standard for extreme color and pattern traits in Gila Monsters and contributes to the expanding herpetoculture interest in Heloderma. We are very pleased with the extraordinary hatchlings being produced as a result of this focused breeding program. Adult Utah Banded Gila Monster colony specimens and hatchling examples produced in previous years are shown above and below.
The colony was established from zoo bred specimens and specimens on breeding loan from a university. A letter of transfer from Professional Breeders® and complete zoo and university documentation of legal origin of the founder stock will be provided with each hatchling(s) to satisfy all U.S. Fish and Wildlife possession requirements.
Excerpts from "The Gila Monsters and Its Allies"
by Charles M. Bogert and Rafael Martin Del Campo, a 1956 American Museum of Natural History Publication
