This week, a 34-year-old Colorado man died in an extremely rare response to the bite of his pet Gila monster.
The man, whose identity has not been revealed, suffered a bite from a juvenile Gila monster and died, marking the first fatal case of a Gila monster bite in the last 94 years.
Experts have now warned that such an incident was “inevitable”.
Chris Lewis, head of captive research at wildlife charity Born Free, told MailOnline there is no way of knowing whether he will have a fatal reaction until it is too late.
Mr Lewis says incidents like this “will always be inevitable if people keep animals in conditions that are not natural for them”.
A 34-year-old Colorado man died days after being bitten by a venomous Gila lizard he kept as a pet.
The Gila monster is unique among North American lizards for its venom, which it secretes through its lower jaw.
The venom is known to cause swelling, burning, vomiting, dizziness, and low blood pressure that can cause fainting.
However, the last recorded death from a Gila monster bite was in 1930, more than 90 years ago.
It is believed that the man may have suffered an allergic reaction four days after being bitten.
Lewis said: “It is generally believed that the poison is not fatal and that this individual suffered an allergic reaction.
“But what this highlights is that no matter how poisonous an animal is, it will always pose a risk if kept as a pet.”
Lewis points out that there is “no kind of precautionary test” that owners can perform to see if they are at risk of a fatal allergic reaction.
He explained: “Until someone is bitten, they won’t know if they are allergic to the animal’s venom.”
The Gila monster is unique among North American lizards for its venom, which it secretes through its lower jaw.
While its venom is rarely fatal, the Gila monster’s bite is powerful and can still be dangerous and extremely painful.
A care sheet published by exotic pet store Reptile Rapture notes: ‘A Gila is usually docile, which can lull you into a false sense of security. At any moment he could bite.
“Sometimes the only way to get the lizard to let go may be to submerge it in water or squirt hand sanitizer into its mouth.”
In both the US and the UK, owners need a special license to own a Gila monster.
Lewis says Born Free’s latest research shows there are at least 38 privately owned Gila monsters in the UK.
However, he claims that existing laws are not enough to protect owners of poisonous animals.
“There is very little or nothing in the legislation that requires the safety of the homeowner or other people in the home,” he said.
Handling venomous lizards safely requires training and proper bite-proof gloves, neither of which are a requirement for owning a Gila monster.
Gila monster bites are not fatal, but its jaws are so strong that one pet store recommends holding the animal under water or spraying hand sanitizer in its mouth to loosen it.
Gila monsters are also extremely long-lived and require expensive specialized equipment to keep them healthy.
Lewis added: “It is completely bizarre that the public can keep animals classed as dangerous.”
In the wild, Gila monsters are not particularly aggressive animals.
They move extremely slowly and rely on their natural camouflage to blend in and ambush small mammals and birds.
If threatened, Lewis explains, Gila monsters are much more likely to hide or flee and only bite as a last resort when they are under a lot of stress.
However, placing these animals in captivity significantly increases the risk of them feeling like they need to bite defensively.
Dr Charlotte Regan, wildlife manager at World Animal Protection, told MailOnline: ‘In the wild, interactions between humans and Gila monsters are quite rare; They are mostly nocturnal and spend a lot of time underground.
“Keeping it in captivity as a pet fundamentally places the Gila monster in an unnatural environment and under unnatural circumstances, including its proximity to humans.”