Horned Lizarde a 1st Lizard That Shoots Blood from Its Eyes – The Crazy True Story (With Slow-Motion Video)
Imagine a tiny lizard no bigger than your hand. Suddenly its eyes fill with blood and – WHOOSH! – It shoots two red streams right out of its eyeballs like a superhero.
The attacker gets hit in the face, freaks out, and runs for its life. This is not a movie. This is real life – and almost nobody knows about it until today. Keep reading!
Too Busy? Here’s the 20-Second Mind-Blowing Summary
Yes, there really is a tiny desert lizard that shoots blood from its eyes like a superhero!
When a coyote or dog tries to eat it, the horned lizard (aka horny toad) builds up pressure and – PHSSST! – blasts two red jets up to 6 feet straight into the attacker’s face. The blood tastes like burning poison to dogs and foxes or looks like a Poisonous creature (but totally harmless to you).
The predator freaks out and runs away every time. National Geographic and BBC filmed it in slow motion and got millions of views because it’s insane. You can also watch the video at the bottom of this blog.
It can lose 30% of its blood and still live, but sadly these little badasses are disappearing because we’re destroying their desert homes.
Mind blown in 20 seconds? Good – now scroll for the full crazy story and videos!
Table of Contents
National Geographic filmed it in slow motion. BBC put it on TV. Scientists spent 40 years studying it. And today, in the next 5 minutes, you’re about to discover the full insane truth: how it works, why it works, how far the blood shoots and the one enemy even this blood-shooting superhero can’t beat.
Ready to have your mind blown? Keep scrolling it only gets crazier from here!
What Is This Little Monster? (The Horned Lizard Explained)
The horned lizard is a real lizard that lives in the hot deserts of the United States and Mexico. Most people call it a “horny toad” or “horned toad” because its body is wide and flat and it has real spikes on its head, but it is NOT a toad at all – it is a true lizard with scales and claws.
It is usually only 3–5 inches long, small enough to fit in your hand. Its body looks like a tiny pancake covered in rough, sandy skin that blends perfectly with the desert ground. On its head sits a crown of sharp bone horns – that’s why it got the name. The two species famous for shooting blood are the Texas horned lizard and the regal horned lizard.
The Day a Scientist Watched It Happen Live (You Won’t Believe This)
Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, an American scientist named Dr. Wade Sherbrooke was studying reptiles in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. One day he saw a predator hunting a horned lizard that was perfectly hidden – it looked exactly like a rock. The predator got closer and closer and finally opened its mouth to bite.
Dr. Sherbrooke thought the lizard was finished. Instead, the lizard’s eyes started to swell, the skin around them turned dark, and then – PHSSST! – Two strong streams of blood shot out from the corners of its eyes and hit the predator right in the face. The big animal jumped back, shook its head like crazy, and ran away. Dr. Sherbrooke stood there completely shocked. That moment turned an old desert story into real science.
How Does It Shoot Blood from Its Eyes? (Easy Step-by-Step)
The horned lizard has one of the strangest defense systems on the planet. Here’s exactly how it works:
- A predator gets too close and the normal tricks fail.
- The lizard closes tiny veins that take blood away from its head.
- Blood pressure builds up fast in special pockets around the eyes (called ocular sinuses).
- The thin skin at the corners of the eyelids breaks on purpose.
- Muscles squeeze hard and fire the blood out in two targeted jets.
- It can shoot from one eye or both – and aim wherever it needs.
The lizard can lose almost one-third of its total blood and still survive and run away.
How Far Does the Blood Really Shoot? (The Answer Will Shock You)
Dr. Sherbrooke and other scientists measured it, the strongest jets go up to 6 feet (almost 2 meters)! That is taller than most children. Most shots are 2 to 4 feet, but some stressed lizards have hit people standing several steps away.
Why Does It Only Work on Dogs, Coyotes, and Foxes?
The blood itself isn’t poisonous, but it tastes and smells absolutely disgusting to animals in the dog family (coyotes, foxes, wolves, and pet dogs). Birds, snakes, cats, and humans barely notice it. The next section explains the secret.
What Does a Horned Lizard Eat? (This Is Secret)
Horned lizards eat almost nothing but harvester ants – sometimes thousands in a single week. Those ants are full of bitter, burning chemicals for their own defense. The lizard stores those chemicals in its blood. When the blood hits a coyote’s tongue or nose, it feels like fire and tastes like the worst thing ever. That’s why the predator runs away in panic.
What Other Tricks Does It Use Before the Blood?
The blood jet is the final emergency move. Before that, the horned lizard tries everything else:
- Perfect camouflage – its color and shape make it invisible on the sand
- Flattening its body against the ground so it looks like a rock
- Puffing up with air so it’s too wide to swallow
- Stabbing the predator’s mouth with its sharp bone horns
Only when all of that fails does it press the “blood button.”
Is the Horned Lizard Dangerous to Humans or Pets?
Not at all! The blood is completely harmless to people – it might stain your shirt red, but that’s it. It can annoy a dog for a minute because of the bad taste, but it won’t poison or hurt your pet. These lizards are very shy and only shoot when they truly believe they are about to die.
Can You Keep a Horned Lizard as a Pet?
Unfortunately, almost never. Most states protect them by law because their numbers are dropping. Even if it’s legal where you live, they only eat live harvester ants (no pet-store food works), and they get stressed and die quickly in cages. It’s best to leave them in the desert and just enjoy the videos.
The Giant Mystery Scientists Still Can’t Solve in 2025
Even with all our technology, scientists still say: “The evolutionary origin of this blood-shooting defense remains unknown.” There is no fossil of a lizard that shoots blood “a little bit” – the ability just appears fully formed. It is one of nature’s biggest unsolved mysteries.
The One Enemy It Can’t Beat – Why They Are Disappearing (Sad Part)
Coyotes and dogs run away from the blood, but humans don’t. We build cities, roads, and houses in the desert. We spray pesticides that kill the ants they need to eat. New fire ants from South America are pushing out the old ants. Because of all this, the Texas horned lizard is now listed as Near Threatened, and in many places there are none left at all. A real-life superhero is slowly disappearing because of us.
Watch the Real Slow-Motion Videos Right Now
Millions of people have watched these clips of the weirdest animals Horned Lizard on the planet– you will too.
Final Words – The Most Badass Animal on the Planet
In a world full of lions, sharks, and eagles… one tiny desert lizard looked at danger and said:
“Hold my blood.”
And it actually works. The lizard that shoots blood from its eyes is living proof that truth is crazier than any movie.
Mind blown? Share this right now – your friends won’t believe it until they read it too!
FAQ – All Your Questions Answered
Is the lizard that shoots blood from its eyes real or fake?
Yes, it is 100% real. The horned lizard’s blood-shooting defense has been studied by scientists for over 40 years and filmed in slow motion by National Geographic, BBC Earth, and many others – you can watch the videos yourself on YouTube.
Does it hurt the horned lizard when it shoots blood?
It doesn’t cause permanent injury, but it is very stressful and the lizard can lose up to one-third of its total blood volume, so it only uses this defense as an absolute last resort when it thinks it is about to die.
Will a horned lizard shoot blood at people or pet dogs?
Only if it feels extremely threatened (for example, being grabbed or cornered). The blood is completely harmless to humans and will only make a dog sneeze and run away because it tastes terrible to them.
Why do people call it a “horny toad” or “horned toad”?
It’s an old nickname from cowboys and settlers because the lizard’s body is wide and flat like a toad and it has real horns on its head, but it is actually a true lizard with scales and claws – not a toad or frog at all.
Are horned lizards becoming extinct or endangered?
Some species, especially the Texas horned lizard, are listed as Near Threatened or fully protected in many states because their desert homes are being destroyed and the ants they eat are dying from pesticides.
What do horned lizards eat in the wild?
They eat almost nothing but harvester ants – sometimes dozens or even hundreds in one day. That’s exactly why their blood tastes so awful to coyotes and dogs.
Can I buy or keep a horned lizard as a pet?
In most places it is illegal because they are protected, and even where it’s allowed they are nearly impossible to keep alive – they refuse pet-store food and only eat live harvester ants, plus they get very stressed in cages.
How far can a horned lizard really shoot blood from its eyes?
The record is over 6 feet (almost 2 meters), measured by scientists. Most shots are 2–4 feet, but that’s still far enough to hit a predator right in the mouth and nose.
Who discovered the horned lizard blood-shooting defense?
American biologist Dr. Wade Sherbrooke was the first scientist to study and document it properly during his field work in the Arizona desert in the 1970s and 1980s.
Is the blood poisonous or dangerous in any way?
No, the blood itself is not poisonous. It just contains bitter chemicals from the ants that taste and smell horrible to dogs, coyotes, foxes, and wolves, but it is harmless to humans, birds, and snakes.
Which horned lizard species shoot blood the best?
The Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) and the regal horned lizard (Phrynosoma solare) are the champions – only about five of the 22 horned lizard species have this strong ability.