The invention relates to a blood taking device (1), in particular, for newborn babies and small children or small animals, comprising a blood taking vessel (2), provided on the front end thereof with a cannula (5) with a sharpened tip (4), whereby a porous, gas-permeable limiting element (8) which automatically stops the flow of taken blood, is arranged by pressing in the blood taking vessel (2) in a defined position. The rear end of the blood taking vessel (2) is sealed by a plug (11) which may be temporarily opened for taking blood (11), which dispenses the taken blood by means of a stroke running in a sealed manner in the blood taking vessel (2), which empties under pressure at least a part amount of the blood retained before the limiting element (8).