Animal Facts:
Frogs – like toads – are amphibians and therefore cold-blooded, which means that their body temperature changes with the temperature of their surroundings. Other than toads that live on land when not mating, frogs are always found near freshwater sources, though.
The common green frog, also known as the green paddy frog, the Asian greenback frog or the green grass frog, spends more time on land than most other frog species, but even these frogs prefer lakes, rivers, marshes and rice paddy fields because they’d die if their skin dried out too much. And they also need a water source to lay their eggs. Frogs go through a metamorphosis in life, growing first into tadpoles before they reach their adult stage.
It starts when a male frog holds a female around the waist in a mating hug to externally fertilise her eggs when she releases them. These tiny eggs, of which there can be hundreds, will clump together in groups known as frogspawn. After about one to three weeks the baby frogs, known as tadpoles, hatch. This tadpole stage is also known as the larval stage. After first eating their egg yolk, tadpoles feed on plant material in the water and slowly metamorphose into frogs over the next 14 weeks. Skin grows over their gills and they develop lungs with which they can breathe air.
An interesting fact is that tadpoles can control the timing of their transformation. If there’s danger around them, they can metamorphose more quickly to escape. On the other hand, if the water they live in has lots of food sources and few predators, they can delay their metamorphosis and remain tadpoles for up to a year.
Once they are in their adult frog stage, they moult, shedding their skin about once a week. When the old skin has been shed, the frog usually eats it.
To tell a male frog from a female frog, one only needs to look at their ears. A frog’s ear is called a tympanum and it’s located just behind the eye. If the tympanum is larger than the frog’s eye, the frog is male. If it’s smaller, the frog is female. Other than that, males and females look the same, with the common green frog being a medium-sized amphibian with green and brown skin.
It is one of the better jumpers among the frogs and an excellent swimmer, thanks to its powerful webbed back feet.
When in the water, it helps that the frogs’ eyes and noses are on the top of their heads. This allows them to see and breathe while most of their body is underwater.
The bulging eyes of the frog allow them to see in front, to the sides and slightly behind them. What few people know is that frogs use their eyes to swallow their food. When a frog swallows prey, which in the case of the common green frog consists of small insects, such as flies, ants and termites, it blinks. This pushes its eyeballs down on top of its mouth to help push the food down its throat.
They catch their food using their sticky, muscular tongue, which is attached to the front of their mouth instead of the back like a human’s tongue. This enables the frog to stick its tongue out much further.
When it comes to drinking, frogs don’t do so with their mouth. Instead, they ‘drink’ by absorbing water through their skin. Frogs have permeable skin, which means that liquids and gases can pass through it.
They also take in about half their air through their skin and the other half through their nostrils. This means that frogs absorb any pollution, chemicals or toxins in the water and air very easily, which makes them an indicator species – the health of their population tells scientists about the health of the environment they live in.
The common green frog lives solo or in a group. If they live in a group, which is called an army, they interact using a call that’s unique to their species. It sounds like a squeaky warble.
Even though the common green frogs’ vocalisations are softer than those of many other frog species, the males do have vocal sacs, which are pouches of skin that fill with air to amplify the sounds they make.
Some spiritual meanings:
As a traveller between land and water, the frog symbolises the importance of delving into your emotions and your subconscious while staying grounded.
You might also be called to walk between the planes, going from the spiritual to the physical and back.
Additionally, water is a source of healing.
Do you need to heal?
Or can you provide healing for others?
The frog goes through stages of metamorphosis from tadpole to adult frog, afterwards shedding its skin regularly.
Are you planning a big career move? Are you about to enter a new relationship? Are you going to have a baby?
Big changes are coming your way. And you’ll thrive through transformations.
As a tadpole, the frog resembles the male human sperm; therefore it is linked to fertility and abundance.
Having a frog jump into your life means you might experience more prosperity.
Leap forward without fear.
Tadpoles can control the timing of their transformation.
Ask yourself if you’re ready to step forward.
Do you need to wait a while longer? Do you need to prepare yourself?
Or are you waiting too long and putting off making decisions?
Since the frog lives in the water and the moon influences the tides, the frog is also associated with female energy.
Are you in tune with your feminine side? Can you express it?
Work on finding a healthy balance between your male and female sides.
Frog people tend to stay close to home. Do you have a safe place where you can retreat? Do you feel too exposed outside?
Set healthy boundaries to feel safer.
The frog cannot exist in a toxic environment.
Do you need to purge negativity from your life? Do you have a healthy immune system? How can you improve it?
It’s important for you to detox your body, mind and emotions. Express your emotions and work on healing your limiting beliefs.
The loud croaking of the frog speaks of the importance of your throat chakra.
Is yours open and healthy? Can you express your authenticity and speak your truth? Do other people hear what you say? And do you listen to others?
More to discover:
If you want to read up on more spirit animals or want to learn more about spiritual topics in general, pick up a copy of my two-book series “Willow and Strix” ©, available as paperback or ebook (free for kindle unlimited users) US – UK – DE and in other countries
A. Wakan's Spirit Animals 