blood squirting lizards!

[Bartman]

I was truely amazed today. I was watching some tv and crossed this show that like counts down the top ten things about aniamls...fastest, slowest, most odd, etc...so they were doign the top ten defences. Like the turtle was one with the shell and the bee's were number one but they were talking about the horned lizard from australia i think...something devils, i dunno, but its defence was squeezing its head or something and rushing blood to its eyes and the pressure would build up until it shot at the preditor..then with the time he gained he'd jet...anyone heard of this? I thought it was amazing! They had video footage too

[C_Ellenzweig]

All horned lizards squirt blood from their eyes. There is a GREAT article about them in a recent issue of REPTILES magazine. I can find that issue right now, or I'd let you know what month it was. It was very recent - I think either Nov. or Dec.

Colin

[Bartman]

If you knew the exact month id really appreciate that :D
thanks!

[norman]

I'[ve heard about that. I think if my dinner squirted eye-blood at me, I'd let it be on it's merry way, too!

[C_Ellenzweig]

If you knew the exact month id really appreciate that

I'll look for it.

[Bartman]

thanks!!!

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

Ive never witnessed any of my horned lizards participating in autohaemorrhagy and Ive been keeping them for quite some time. Also, every flick that I have seen involving them doing that is the same scene. Ive never heard of Molochs useing this technique, kinda spiffy. Xain

[brandi]

i've only seen it once, its gross, even by my standards. but i've caught lots of horned lizards and it only happened that one time, so i don't think its super common.

[Wuntu Menny]

Actually, not all horned lizards are blood squirters. Most of the species available in the pet trade are of the non-squirting type. But yes, it is a pretty amazing mechanism.

WM

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

I agree. Not all Horneds do. However, Texas horned lizards are the example species that do it and this is the species I mainly kept and bred. Kinda sad when you dont experience everything in a field of a hobby. heh.
Xain

[C.m.pyrrhus]

I have seen horned lizards myself try their blood-gushing tricks with me. Out of the ones that I have seen, most would only ooze out a few drops, but a select few have gone as far as squirting it to the point it was on my face in a good few places. This year I caught one that had already had done this prior, having dry blood around his eyes when I found him. In my experience with them, it is not a very common scenario, but a good 10-20% of the ones I have witnessed have used blood to some degree.

[C_Ellenzweig]

The article I read says they are much more likely to squirt blood at dogs (almost 100% of the time) With humans, it's in the 50-60% range. It is thought that it may be a deterrant againt wild dogs.

Colin
PS - Still looking for the Horned lizard issue of REPTILES

[marisa]

When I was young we had a horned lizard of some sort for five years or so. He lived in a large round low fish bowl, no lid on it, no heat, no uvb and sand. We fed him meal worms exclusively. LOL. I can't believe he lived so long.

Anyways he did that squirting thing once and that was early on in his captivity.

Marisa

[C_Ellenzweig]

Found it! The article is in the January 2004 issue of REPTILES. Sorry, I thouht it was a 2003 issue, as I bought it in December.

Colin

[Bartman]

thanks so much..

So wait people own thorny devils..can someone post a pic of there horned lizard? I made a post a while back about spiny devils or something to that, they come from australia and everyone told me that you cant keep them because they eat special ants..the ones you guys have are diff?

[brandi]

i don't know about horned devils, but here is a pic of a regal horned lizard (Phrynosoma solare) we found out in the Superstitions (in Arizona).

[brandi]

eeerm.... doesn't seem to be workin... here's the link to the photo in my galery. http://ssnakess.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=16798

[Bartman]

thanks
anyone know what kinda grass this is and if i can use it in a uro tank? And see this guy keeps thorny devils in captivity..i wonder what hes doing

[Bartman]

http://matt.ginzton.net/trips/oz2000/photos/jun21p/P0000074.JPG

[Wuntu Menny]

everyone told me that you cant keep them because they eat special ants..the ones you guys have are diff?

Sorry, horned lizards are specialized ant feeders too. For this reason they don't do well in captivity. Aside from a VERY few exceptional keepers, most horned lizards don't survive longer than a few months in captivity.

Having first hand experience keeping Phrynosoma, I won't recommend them to anyone I don't feel has "expert" qualifications. I'm of the opinion that it takes more than mere advanced abilities to have these animals thrive outside their natural range.

As I'm no expert, my attempts to keep them ended in failure. The record longevity in my care was three years for a WC juvenile, but this specimen never even reached subadult size in that time even though it ate an incredible number of ants and crix daily. In retrospect, I probably should have read more accounts of their dismal record and left them alone. I'd rather see pix of a live one where it belongs than have it slowly withering in a cage due to my own ignorance.

WM

[marisa]

I wonder what mine was then. I can't see it living a few years on nothing but mealworms if it was the ant eating horned lizard.

Damn now I am going to be up searching all night LOL

Marisa

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

So wait people own thorny devils..can someone post a pic of there horned lizard?


People obtaining certain permits can own mollochs in Oz..
I tried finding pics of my Horneds, however I seemed to have lost all of them besides a horrible pic of a baby I once had.. (Gave him away as I did the others and my breeders.)



I made a post a while back about spiny devils or something to that, they come from australia and everyone told me that you cant keep them because they eat special ants..the ones you guys have are diff?


The species of Iridomyrmex mostly found eaten by mollochs are Iridomyrmex flavipes. They eat these guys like ours eat harvesters.. Iri's are only found in Australia and being how Native species can not be exported on normal circumstances and not very many people work with ants, much less Iri's.. Good luck on finding a supply. That's one reason noone here or there keep Mollochs.

As being a horned keeper/breeder as well, I honestly dont see any reason for someone who is honestly dedicated and legal not to keep them. Simply being if you can provide proper care and feeding. Also, call Antsalive.com and they will send you a queen if you provide proper paperwork from your state department but they only do this every so often. Or go out in April/may and collect several dozen winged harvesters and set them up in the proper enclosures and hope...
And yes, ours are different.
I, too, do not recommend anyone caring for these guys..
However, Ive found it rather easy to not only care for horneds but to breed them. Just gotta' pull down the basics on them as with any other animal..

By the way Brandi, awesome animal. One Ive always wanted to work with.. Thats also one of the lightest Ive seen. Are they normally like that in your area?
Xain

[reptiguy123]

Where did you get that avatar?:D

[Bartman]

LOLOL :D:D

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

That's my girlfriend. Im a jealous man. Stop looking. Stop I say..

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

Ok I found a pic of my Male Texas Horned Lizard off an old wep page of mine.. http://ssnakess.com/photopost/data/512/1227horned_lizard-med.jpg

[Bartman]

what do they eat?

[JeffT]

Take a look at WM's post, it should clear things up.

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

Harvester ants should be a main diet for these guys. About
70-80 % of the overall diet. They also eat crickets and other species of ants, not sure of the name, but Ive fed other red ants and small black ants. Also, noted that I have observed sevreral animals feeding off of small black ants of some sort. Dust the crickets with a vitamin mixture. They are to be fed every day until they show that they are no longer interested in feeding. Possibly try two feeding sessions. I can't emphasize enough, feed often and feed ants. You may try adding a few insects into the diet of these guys but be sure that Harvester ants are mainly fed.