blood squirting lizards!

Bartman · 02-02-04, 11:06 PM

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 · 02-02-04, 11:11 PM

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 · 02-02-04, 11:30 PM

If you knew the exact month id really appreciate that

thanks!

norman · 02-02-04, 11:32 PM

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 · 02-02-04, 11:34 PM

Quote:

If you knew the exact month id really appreciate that

I'll look for it.

Bartman · 02-02-04, 11:36 PM

thanks!!!

KrokadilyanGuy3 · 02-02-04, 11:44 PM

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 · 02-03-04, 01:11 AM

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 · 02-03-04, 01:22 AM

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 · 02-03-04, 01:35 AM

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 · 02-03-04, 01:41 AM

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 · 02-03-04, 12:28 PM

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 · 02-03-04, 12:33 PM

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 · 02-03-04, 01:03 PM

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 · 02-03-04, 04:52 PM

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?