Frogs!!

[timmco]

This is my first summer owning our pool...
My pool is a frog killer!
Everyday when I empty the skimmer basket there is at least 6 dead frogs in both baskets.
They must swim in there and get stuck??
How do I keep this from happening?

 

[Texas Splash]

There are products online designed to give critters like that a place to rest on or actually even escape as opposed to entering the skimmer toilet bowl of death. Some almost like lily pads, others like a ramp-type product to get out. I check my skimmer at least once a day (skimmer sock being used) and I usually get them in time. I pulled 3 baby frogs out this afternoon.

 

[Texas Splash]

Here's one example.

https://www.amazon.com/Swimline-FrogLog-Animal-Saving-Escape/dp/B08QX5MN28

 

[red-beard]

I hardly ever have frogs. I get a lot of toads. Frogs can SWIM! Even the stupid little suction cup tree frogs. Toads sort of float on top of the water and swish around. Frogs go right for the bottom!

 

[Texas Splash]

By the way, I pulled 12 frogs out of our skimmer yesterday. All little ones that don't know any better. Busy frog day.

 

[Bam Bam]

Frog or toad? I removed a frog/toad from the skimmer who jumped right back into the deep end of the pool. I had to go get the long pole. When I returned he had his front and rear legs outstretched as he sank. When I got him in the net he returned to frog shape. Anyone know what the outstretched legs mean?

 

[superuser]

My kids love rescuing the baby frogs, and man do we have a TON. There's a big pond behind our fence, but I guess they like the clean water better.

 

[timmco]

There are products online designed to give critters like that a place to rest on or actually even escape as opposed to entering the skimmer toilet bowl of death. Some almost like lily pads, others like a ramp-type product to get out. I check my skimmer at least once a day (skimmer sock being used) and I usually get them in time. I pulled 3 baby frogs out this afternoon.

Thanks for the recommendation. I usually empty my skimmer once a day..but by the time I get there they are gonners. I counted 12 baby frog/toads today. We have a creek behind our house so I know they are coming from there.

 

[timmco]

Frog or toad? I removed a frog/toad from the skimmer who jumped right back into the deep end of the pool. I had to go get the long pole. When I returned he had his front and rear legs outstretched as he sank. When I got him in the net he returned to frog shape. Anyone know what the outstretched legs mean?

I'm pretty sure they are frogs. They get in the skimmer and can't get out

 

[timmco]

My kids love rescuing the baby frogs, and man do we have a TON. There's a big pond behind our fence, but I guess they like the clean water better.

We have a creek behind our house and there has been a TON the past week or so.

 

[Plettschner]

Last year we had a bullfrog take up residence in our pool. He used to hide in the skimmer and actually ride on the weir door for the free buffet coming in.

I would take him out into the woods and he would be back the next day. I think we came to an understanding that the pool was ours during the day and his at night... I'd kick him out in the morning and he would come back at night to repeat the cycle the next morning. All the wetlands/ponds behind us had dried up, so I suspected he didn't really have anywhere to go. This went on for about 2 months, right up until pool closing.

 

[shayy_1988]

I personally HATE frogs. When we moved into our new home, the old owners had a small kiddie intex pool and it was INFESTED with tadpoles. We got rid of that pool and bought our bigger intex pool. The first few days we didn't see any frogs until we woke up to frog eggs in our pool one morning. YUCK. After reading online I tried some at home remedies like putting coffee grinds around the edge of the pool and then I used a vinegar/water solution around the edge of the pool as well. I also put the vinegar/water solution around the fencing of my yard. I have seen very minimal frogs since then and none in the pool for a very long time. Supposedly this is the more humane way of keeping the frogs out.

 

[red-beard]

I check my skimmers everyday. Sometimes I'll find a baby toad, spinning. Most of the time they are dead. I can't imagine the chlorine is good for them.

 

[Plettschner]

Well well well. Went away for a week and came home to find this in the pool...

 

[red-beard]

This morning it was a small toad. I think it is the same one and he keeps growing.

 

[HeyEng]

Frog Log for the win! We have a LOT of frogs (you can see the flower bed behind that pool in my profile picture) and they LOVE hanging there and in the pool. Since getting the Frog Log(s) (I have two) I have only had one that didn't make it out alive.

 

[Plettschner]

Yes on the FrogLogs. I also have 2. They're a bit of a pain that they collect floating debris, but they seem to keep animals out of the skimmer. Except for bullfrogs, like I get, that hide in the skimmer and get in and out of pool freely on their own.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I had frog logs, and they worked wonderfully (I have to assume because prior to having them... frogs everywhere, after putting them in, not a frog to be found) but they started growing algae on the back side where they met the tile (this was unnoticed since the coping hid the back side of the log. So I ditched those for the critter skimmer, skimmer lid replacements. I have seen an occasional frog with those, but still much less than when I didn't have anything. And I'm thinking that the frogs I have found had just not made it out the ramp yet, because they are still actively swimming around.

--Jeff

 

[Plettschner]

I had frog logs, and they worked wonderfully (I have to assume because prior to having them... frogs everywhere, after putting them in, not a frog to be found) but they started growing algae on the back side where they met the tile (this was unnoticed since the coping hid the back side of the log. So I ditched those for the critter skimmer, skimmer lid replacements. I have seen an occasional frog with those, but still much less than when I didn't have anything. And I'm thinking that the frogs I have found had just not made it out the ramp yet, because they are still actively swimming around.

--Jeff

I did not know about this Critter Skimmer. My complaint about the Frog Logs is that leaves and crud always hangs onto them. This is much nicer.