May 13th is National Frog Jumping Day!

If you want a holiday, we have a holiday for you. There is a holiday for every animal and an animal for every holiday. Today is the hoppiest of hoppy holidays, National Frog Jumping Day. Now, whether that means you are supposed to jump like frogs or jump with frogs or watch frogs jump… we’ll leave that up to your interpretation. Instead, we bring you the history of National Frog Jumping Day, fun frog facts, and of course, plenty of videos and pictures.

History:

There appears to be two origin stories to this holiday.

In 1865, Mark Twain published his first short story, Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog. Later, he changed the name and published it as The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. This same story also had a third title, The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. The jumping frog story features a competition between two individuals placing bets on whose pet frog jumps higher. The frog featured in this story is named Dan’l Webster.

In addition, the Claveras County annual Frog Jumping Contest, which began in 1849, is also an origin of this holiday. This California event includes a fair, music, activities, and of course, a frog jumping contest. This may also be part of the origin of the frog jumping holiday.

If a national holiday isn’t enough, the international counterpart to celebrate all things hopping is February 19. It’s good to know the rest of the world gets to celebrate too!

How to Celebrate:

Find a frog. Be kind to the frog. Take pictures. Post on social media. #frogjumpingday

If you happen to be in Calaveras County, the fair lasts multiple days and the frog jump always occurs on a Thursday. Participants can bring their own frog or borrow a frog from the “frog spa”. Frogs are well cared for and properly treated.

The current record for frog jumping was obtained in 1986 by a frog called Rosie the Ribeter, who jumped an extreme 21 feet, 5-3/4 inches.

Fun Frog Facts:

Frogs shed their skin completely each week. (And then they eat the shed skin!)

A group of frogs is called an army.

Most frogs have teeth, but only upper teeth. Their teeth hold prey in place until they can eat it.

The largest frog in the world weighs up to SEVEN pounds!

Frogs can lay up to 4000 eggs at a time.

Poison dart frogs are brightly colored to warn potential predators they are poisonous.

Frogs do not need to drink, as they absorb moisture through their skin.

Watch’Em Hop Hop Hop!

Leave us some comments with your froggy photos or check us out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and comment with your pictures. If you have a pet frog, YOU could be our next pet of the week! Not into frogs?– No worries, we have all kinds of animals to celebrate and there are animal related holidays weekly throughout the year. What’s your favorite? What would you like to see? How do you celebrate? Let us know and your idea could be featured next!

Happy National Frog Jumping Day!