Have scientists discovered a camel tear contains enough antibodies to neutralize the venom from 26 snakebites? No, that highly specific claim is not true: While poison experts have found snakebite damage to mouse tissues might be reduced using antibodies derived from camel-like species, those studies stop short of saying it is a cure for snakebit humans.The post includes no evidence, nor link to studies or quotes from experts to back the simplistic claim that camel's tears are an antivenom. Researchers are studying antibodies from camellids that have first been immunized with snake venom, according to a toxicologist.
The claim originated in a Nov. 28, 2025 Bluesky post (archived here) on the @pleasebegneiss.bsky.social account, which opened "in the emergency room for a snake bite and they rush in a camel to watch 'The Notebook'". The post continued:
One drop of camels tears contains potent antibodies strong enough to neutralize venom from 26 deadly snakes, a breakthrough discovery in anti-venom science
Here's what the post on Bluesky looked like at the time this fact check was written:
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post by pleasebegneiss.bsky.social.)
A camel that has not been exposed to snake venom will not have antibodies against snake venom. So the claim being circulated is out of context.
This is the same process used to create the current US snake antivenom in sheep, and what was previously done in horses. Once immunized, these camels will generate snake venom antibodies in their blood, and antibodies can also appear in other bodily secretions, like tears.Humans also have antibodies in our tears, so this is not unique ... if I was immunized with small doses of snake venom over time (I would not recommend this), its possible that I will also have antibodies to snake venom in my tears!
