Biology
5 to 8 years in the wild or 10 years in captivity
How long do horned lizards live?
There are currently 17 named species of horned lizards in North America. This comes from the publication by Dr. Wade Sherbrooke found here: http://www.hornedlizards.org/uploads/2/0/0/7/20078385/february_2021.pdf
How many species of horned lizards are there?
Yes! But usually only to members of the canid family like dogs, coyotes, and foxes.
Do Texas Horned Lizards really squirt blood from their eyes?
A mosaic of arid or semi-arid environment with native plants, bare spots, and some shrubs or woody cover.
What type of habitat do they prefer?
Males bob their heads and females respond by lifting their tail.
What is the courting behavior of horned lizards?
Three – Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum), Round tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum), Greater Short horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi)
How many species of horned lizards are there in Texas and what are they?
Red harvester ants, beetles, termites, but not red imported fire ants.
What do Texas Horned lizards eat?
Habitat loss, red imported fire ants, pesticides, non-native plants, herbicides, pet trade, and a combination of all of these.
What factors are causing the decline of horned lizard populations?
Females are usually larger than the males. The tails of females are shorter. Males have bulges at the base of their tails and femoral pores on their thighs.
How can you tell a male horned lizard from a female horned lizard?
They are reptiles. Their scientific genus is Phrynosoma which means “toad body”.
Are they toads or lizards?
Raccoons, skunks, coachwhip snakes, loggerhead shrike, greater roadrunners, ravens, hawks, and other mesopredators.
What predator(s) eats them?
Yes, Solenopsis invicta are a problem for horned lizards because they out compete the native red harvester ants for food and will often deplete the resources that the red harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, depend on to survive. They also will attack and kill young hatchlings of horned lizards.
Are fire ants causing problems for horned lizards?
14 to 47 eggs
How many babies do female Texas Horned Lizards lay?
You can be fined if you handle or harm a Texas Horned Lizard as they are protected as a threatened species in Texas.
Will you get arrested for picking up a Texas Horned Lizard?
Temperatures between 34.2 C to 38.5 C.
What temperature do horned lizards prefer?
Maybe some day! If the research continues and is perfected, this may occur.
Will I be able to have horned lizards released on my property?
7.1 inches in 2019 by TCU although usually they are about 3.5 to 5 inches in length.
What is the longest measured documented Texas Horned Lizard?
San Antonio Zoo, Caldwell Zoo, Dallas Zoo, and Fort Worth Zoo
What zoos in Texas are currently conducting a breeding program?
Reptiles like horned lizards (ectotherms)will do this in times where the food is scarce and temperatures are not ideal for survival, such as winter. They will go into a period of inactivity from October and come out to resume activity around March.
What is brumation?
No, Texas Horned Lizards are a threatened species in Texas and are protected. They do not make good pets because of their specialist diet of red harvester ants and the fact that they are wild animals!
Can I keep a Texas horned lizard as a pet?