Do More People Fear Frogs Than Rats? The Surprising Truth

You might have heard that more people are terrified of frogs than rats. It sounds plausible—frogs are slimy, they hop unpredictably, and some are poisonous. But here's the twist: this claim is backwards. Rat and mouse phobia actually affects more people than frog phobia does.

The Real Phobia Rankings

According to research on specific phobias, musophobia (fear of rats and mice) ranks as the 6th most common phobia overall. Studies suggest it affects up to 5% of the population, with about 9% of people being very afraid of rodents and another 17% being at least a little afraid. It's consistently listed among the top 5 animal phobias worldwide.

Meanwhile, ranidaphobia (fear of frogs) or batrachophobia (fear of amphibians) is specifically described by researchers as "less common than other types of zoophobia." When scientists list the most prevalent animal fears, frogs rarely make the top tier—that honor goes to snakes and spiders, which dominate the animal phobia category.

Why Rats Win the Fear Factor

So why do rats trigger more phobias than frogs? The answer likely lies in exposure and cultural conditioning. Rats live alongside humans in cities worldwide, rummaging through garbage, spreading disease, and occasionally scurrying across subway platforms. This constant proximity creates more opportunities for negative encounters.

• Rats are associated with filth, plague, and disease in popular culture
• Urban dwellers encounter rats far more frequently than frogs
• Childhood experiences with rats in homes or schools can be traumatic
• Media often portrays rats as villains or symbols of decay

Frogs, by contrast, mostly keep to themselves in ponds and gardens. Unless you live near wetlands or handle amphibians regularly, your frog encounters are probably limited.

The Gender Gap

Interestingly, women are twice as likely as men to develop specific phobias like musophobia. Overall, about 12.2% of women experience specific phobias compared to 5.8% of men. This gender difference appears across virtually all animal phobias, though researchers still debate whether it's due to biological factors, socialization, or reporting differences.

The cross-national data shows that animal phobias as a category affect about 3.8% of people worldwide during their lifetime—making them the most common type of specific phobia. Within that category, though, frogs are far from the top of the list.

The Bottom Line

While both phobias are real and can be debilitating for those who experience them, the numbers don't support the claim that frogs inspire more fear than rats. If anything, our rodent neighbors have earned their spot as one of humanity's most common fear triggers, while frogs remain relatively low on the anxiety scale. Sometimes the truth is less ribbiting than the myth.