These Tiny Frogs are Yawning — But Not Because They’re Sleepy

Continue reading...

You know the feeling. It’s getting close to bedtime, you get sleepy, and you start yawning automatically. You may even find yourself yawning in the middle of the day in a mid-day lull. These yawns could be caused by drowsiness or even boredom. Humans yawn almost automatically and for good reason: it signals the release of hormones that increase heart rate and alertness. It’s your body’s way of keeping you awake, if only briefly. But what about other animals yawning?

In the video above, a cute little rain frog looks ready for bed. It yawns big, but it’s not for the same reason as humans yawn. When a frog yawns, it has nothing to do with sleep or boredom. Instead, it signals a very important transformation process. Watch the video above, and we will explore the topic further.

Brief Facts About Rain Frogs

The common rain frog or bushveld rain frog (Breviceps adspersus) is native to parts of Southern Africa including Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. They have bulbous, brown-green bodies with stubby little legs. Male rain frogs can vary from approximately 1-2 inches in length while female rain frogs are considerably larger, spanning approximately 1.5-2.5 inches. Rain frogs are not endangered at all compared to other frog species in the region. They maintain a conservation status of “least concern.“

Rain frogs live in temperate rainforests or open grasslands throughout subequatorial Africa. During winter months, they burrow underground. Once the wetter summer months arrive, they emerge at night to mate and eat. Rain frogs prefer to chow down on small grubs like termites, ants, and other small invertebrates. Interestingly, rain frogs are also known to climb on top of each other and eat their skin. This may have something to do with their yawning. Let’s learn more.

Why Do Frogs Yawn?

Yawning is not reserved just for rain frogs. It’s a very natural part of a process most frogs undergo during their juvenile years. While it may look familiar to us, a frog’s yawn is actually part of its skin-shedding process. During their youth, frogs shed their skin regularly. Some even do it daily. This yawning gesture seen in the video above is the frog’s way of breaking apart old skin to shed.

Young frogs will also eat their dead skin to preserve precious nutrients. They do this by opening their mouths, pulling apart dead skin, and bringing it towards their head. Perhaps this is why rain frogs are known to eat each other’s skin. It sheds the old skin so a fresh layer can grow.

It may look like yawning to us, but it’s an important part of a juvenile frog’s transformation process. If you see a yawning frog with some jelly-like substance around its mouth, you’re seeing dead skin in line to be eaten. It’s not yawning because it’s tired. It’s doing a bit of “spring cleaning” so it can mature at a healthy rate.