Newts "yawning" ??

All of my newts appear to yawn periodically. They stretch their mouths open wide, extend their throats, then close up again. It doesn't seem to coincide with feeding, time of day, season, water quality, or anything else that I've noticed. It's absolutely ADORABLE!

But, what exactly is this behavior, and why do they do it?

Hi, my CFBNs yawn too but not very oft. I'm not sure, maybe due to O2 content in water? Should be interesting to find out...

Sam

Just as I read this thread, I turned my head to see my Paramesotriton yawning. I think he must have known that I was just reading about it . It *is* cute. Maybe he's just stretching?

My newts do this but not as frequently as your's. But, I think it does have something to do with a high rate of absorbtion of oxygen while in the water. That just means the air bubbles in the water are so small that they end up being taken in by the newt.

I heard that yawning in humans (besides signaling boredom) is also a way of expelling excess CO2 and taking in larger quantities of O2, dunno if it's the same with newts...heck, not absolutely sure it's the same with humans either ;p

Yawning in humans during boredom or being tired is actually your body "jump starting" its self. Because your heartbeat and body functions were going at such a slow pace for too long.

My aquatic newts yawn sometimes!

So does a newt yawning say something about the amount of oxygen in the water? Too much? Not enough?

I have seen terrestrial newts yawn too by the way!

I don't really think there's a reason. Mine are lazy and don't do much, so yawning just seems appropriate.

There is always a reason Elisabeth

Oh man, maybe they're bored with me! I just couldn't take that!

i found this in an artical on the site

Spring Disease
Spring Disease is caused by bacterium ranicida and occurs in some temperate species of amphibians during the breeding season. It is usually fatal.
Symptoms: excessive yawning, lethargy, skin discoloration or color loss.
Treatment: There is no known cure for this disease, though your vet may try an experimental treatment using wide spectrum antibiotics.

i hope this helps}

Freezing can be a symptom of fever going up but you can also just be cold without having a fever.
Nah, I think yawning is part of the normal behaviour of most newts - It would be nice to know why yhey do it though, not that I really think anyone knows since we hardly know why humans do it.

Some people think it is due to an excess of CO2 - but this is probably not it( see provine et al dont remember the paper but it was in the late 80s). So it is still a mystery, however stretching of the face muscles are essential and yawning is contagious which is very interesting(social behaviour?) etc. The hypothalamus are involved in controlling the behaviour(part of the brain).

So lets do some research! In what circumstances do your newts yawn?

mine yawn at random i think. nothing to do with anything much as far as i observe...

My pleurodeles yawn all the time, they bring their arms up as they do it too, it looks real cozy. I have a pachytriton too, but I have yet to see it yawn.

my axys yawn all the time, and promptly get a mouthful of curious weather loach. my male hong kong warty always seems to start everyone off, he'll come onto his log, yawn, mosey off somewhere, and turn round to see everyone else yawning. it's quite fun to watch actully

Mine seem to yawn after they eat.

[Mike East]

Snakes yawn too, but I suspect that both reptile and amphibian yawning has more to do with stretching/settling jaws/muscles/food items than oxygen.

I always YAWN by the time I read all the new posts on here after a HARD/LONG day at work. LOL


p.s. My taricha's used to Yawn too.