Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A friend of mine is trying to gain custody of her nephew and she was told that her sister has a gila monster. She read that gilas were venomous and so it has fueled her desire to get the toddler out of the home.

I told her it wasn't very likely that they had one, but it would be hard to know for sure without a photo. She was able to take this photo with her cell phone. I tried to enhance it, but it's not so great still.

Again, I know it's not great, but any help would be appreciated. The pattern kinda makes me lean toward a savannah monitor, but I am not very good at identifying animals without the help of my fiance!

Thanks! Christina

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Thanks!
Christina

Well the link with the image didn't work... How about this one?

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Thanks!
Christina

Note: tinypic.com is a good image hosting site!
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Thanks!
Christina

not a gila monster. looks like a monitor or tegu.
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2 tham radix
1 Chicago Tham s. semifasciatus
2 elaphe vulpina
1 gray tiger salamander
4 Aphonopelma hentzi
1 G rosea
1 Haplo minax
1 Brachy angustum
1 Brachy sabulosum
1 Brachy vagans
1 Cent. hentzi scorp

Thats a Tegu from the genus Tupinambis, most probably merianae.

Ingo

Definatlely a black and white tegu