ABOUT HEY, HORNY TOAD!

It started in an empty field.

I grew up in Midland, Texas—the heart of horny toad country!

We lived on the west side of town, near the edge, with vacant land just across the street. I spent much of my childhood in that field, among the little mesquite bushes and grasses, looking for… horny toads.

I especially liked the tiny ones. Sometimes I’d catch one and keep it in an old coffee can for a day or two. But I knew they liked ants, and my mother didn’t want ants in the house. So back outside they went.

Maybe it was my easy nature, but I never had one squirt blood from its eyes at me. Some of the bigger ones would flatten out, though. I took that as my cue to let them go.

That fondness never really went away. I created this website to share what makes these little lizards interesting, for people who remember finding them and kids who haven’t met one yet.

These days, the best way to enjoy a wild horny toad is to leave it where it lives. A few tips for finding one.