Let us speak of frogs and swimming pools.

Re: Let us speak of frogs and swimming pools.
Yes, there is a product at https://www.petacatalog.org/prodinfo.asp?number=HP210 The ad says, "Snapped onto the pool ladder or attached to the wall, the Frog Saver helps frogs, lizards, and other small animals. Toad-ally awesome! Frog not included."

Edgar hit on the problem, in a roundabout way. Frogs just head for somewhere cool and damp/wet at certain times of day.
My horde sit merrily on the pondweed (garden pond) with just their noses sticking out of the water all day. They occasionally have a quick "griddip" with each other, but on the wholw they are a lazy bunch of buggers.
When that sun goes down behind next door's hedge mind you, they are out of the pond in no time, guarding my plants by scoffing almost their own weight in slugs and snails all night.

What they need is a "wet" garden to laze around in. It doesn't have to be a pond, is easy to do, and brings no end of wildlife into a garden. Great "discovery" part of the garden for kids, as well. These things can be built so they are child safe, and I've even seen them with low, natural style fencing, to keep squawking diaper wearers well away.

Then the frogs will probably ignore the swimming pool altogether.

Here are some ideas....it may even bring in a bit of business, GW.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/wildbritain/gardenwildlife/myspace/content.shtml?18

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/bog/nph-ind.cgi?n=90

frog retreat and chlorine in swimming pools
I wanted to pass on that I built a frog retreat in the water on the skimmer inlet in the deep end, between the pool and skimmer basket, that I made from 2 large limestone rocks. We shut off that skimmer years ago since it had a leak and haven't fixed it yet. We have another one in the shallow end and it does the job just fine. The rocks look good. I couldn't find 1 rock that was tall enough for the frogs to sit on and be out of the water so I stacked 2 of them...like a frog hill. I have 2 dogs that try to catch them so I had to come up with some kind of sanctuary for them. The dogs can't see them when they're in there and if the frogs are in the main pool area, they retreat to their hideout. I swim laps and they just sit in their happy place and watch. I am concerned about winter approaching. One of the frogs is missing a back foot...dog almost got it, so I don't know if it can get out of the pool. I don't know if it can stay there through winter...even though our winters aren't too bad here in central Texas. I'm not sure if the plastic chair will work since my stairs are very wide and I don't have a ladder in the deep end.

I don't use very much chlorine since I discovered liquid copper algaecide. We have DE filter, not sand, but it shouldn't matter. We've been using it for awhile and it's amazing stuff. You don't have to wait to get in the pool after adding it and the water is very clear. As per instructions we added it every 2-3 weeks this summer...5 oz. for 25K gal. pool. It's very safe and we have no more algae problems. We only add 1/3 gallon of liquid chlorine about once a week...no chlorine tabs used in skimmers either, keeping levels barely showing. I swim daily and never get sick. We live in Texas and we've always had to add lots of chlorine to fight algae and even then, we still had problems. Now I can open my eyes underwater without them burning and the frogs never die either. I hope this is useful information. I love my frogs and dogs.

well, what i did is use a noodle to fish out a frog.

We used to have a terrible time with frogs entering our inground pool and had to do pool patrol every morning. Frogs are attracted to chlorine for one. This year I switched us over to a pool ionizer system which has not only eliminated the use of the expensive chlorine product but there have been no frogs in our pool for the first time since we have lived here. A cavaet is that it seems when it rains they love to take a bath anyway.

As for a liferaft for the poor creatures my wife placed an artifical lilly pond in the pool but it ended up getting caught in the trap.

D. Aanderud
Spotsylvania, VA
[email protected]

There is a solution! A new invention that allows frogs to escape from dying in inground pools. It is called the Critter Skimmer, and it is a ramp that is attatched to the skimmer cover that allows them to crawl out of the pool. It really works. All inground pools are designed to push everything into the skimmer, so the frogs will always find their way out.

Just replace your existing skimmer cover with the critter skimmer and no more dead frogs! It's amazing. I haven't seen a dead frog in my pool since.

Edit (Moderator): URL removed

Also, the lilly pads and 'froglog' only work if the frog happens to come across it. The critter skimmer works every time.

Thanks, I'm going to pass this information on to some of my clients.

I have a neighbor who has a swimming pool that has not been used in 3 years. There are hundreds of frogs singing at night. But I am not sure if the frogs are in the pool or around the pool. This is the first time I have heard frogs so loud. Is there any harm to the other neighbors? What should be done about this?

peta.org sells a frog lily pad saver that attachs to the ladder and the frogs can jump out. really works. 14.99

I was shopping for an artificial floating lily pad to put in our pool for our two resident frogs. We have the ecosmarte pool filter, totally chlorine and chemical free, so our frogs don't die from chlorine. I would suggest leaving a couple small floating objects in the pool so they can jump out.
[email protected]

1. Chlorine kills-I bought a filter by EcoSmarte three years ago that uses copper ionization and is totally chlorine/chemical free.
2. Put a couple small things that float in the pool so they can jump in and out.
sguiscreen
[email protected]

I bought a floating solar light shaped like a lilypad. It works! The frogs are attracted to the light at night, and save themselves til I find them next day. I think most of them drown (or whatever) at night.

The time has come
The Walrus said
To speak of things uncool
Of ships and shoes
And cleaning tools
Of frogs and swimming pools.

We eat the frogs that we get from our pool and somehow they taste different (better) if we get them before they "pass". Mayby it is because they soak up the chlorine? I would like to taste a frog that met his/her demise in a "salt" pool:)

why would you put that on this forum? It was moronic.

I agree i think its the chemicals. Third night in a row i have spent netting these frogs. I have been "lucky" in that i check nightly....but no idea if they go in while i'm in bed. No frogs in skimmer tho so i am assuming they are not dying in my pool. Makes me so sad but i do think its the chemicals! I think it wears them down and they cannot figure how to get out. I threw floats in the pool tonight. Will leave them in there just in case!

I have a salt water pool and there is a bullfrog that has claimed it as his. He is able to get in and out without any problem. When I go outside, he jumps in and you can watch him swim around. When he's ready to get out, he climbs up the rock wall and stays in the foliage surrounding the pool. He's been here for months.

I can just picture that!