Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
Biker Dave
Posts: 2869
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 7:56 pm
Location: Wittmann,AZ

Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by Biker Dave »

Save the critters that fall in your pool!

If you are like me and find dead critters in your pool on a regualt basis, you may want to try out his product. (I'm not making a dime from them...honest) I thought I would share with everyone else who might have this problem like I do.

We are about conserving herps right!?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daMjqc8OdJQ

http://froglog.us/

Dave
User avatar
Mark Brown
Posts: 567
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 2:15 am
Location: Austin, TX

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by Mark Brown »

That's a pretty cool idea. When my folks lived in Orlando (where every other home seemed to have an in-ground pool) they were constantly getting frogs, toads and even lizards in the pool, and usually didn't find them until it was too late. I always wondered if the little critters drowned or if the chemical soup in the water got them first.

Very few in-ground pools here in central Texas, with solid limestone just under the surface......they're almost as rare as basements (which are virtually unknown around here).
User avatar
roosters977
Posts: 228
Joined: April 5th, 2012, 3:25 pm
Location: Pennsylvannia

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by roosters977 »

Will chlorine kill amphibians even if they do make it out if they are in for a few minutes?
User avatar
Mark Brown
Posts: 567
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 2:15 am
Location: Austin, TX

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by Mark Brown »

I don't have any data to back up my supposition, but it's hard to imagine that chlorine wouldn't have a pretty devastating effect on amphibians, given the porosity and sensitivity of their skin. It's pretty nasty stuff for humans.
User avatar
mywan
Posts: 195
Joined: August 31st, 2012, 4:24 pm

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by mywan »

The only reason I would have a pool in the first place is for the critters, not me. I did notice that Hyla versicolor sang and breed in a pool created by a fire hydrant the county would leave running all night for over a month one summer. I never seen any tads do well but the frogs didn't seem to mind. Not sure how much chlorine remained in the pool overall.
User avatar
Biker Dave
Posts: 2869
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 7:56 pm
Location: Wittmann,AZ

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by Biker Dave »

I just received my order from Frog Log.

They are relatively easy to put together and install. A couple pieces of plastic slid into corresponding slots for the ramp out, inflate the air bladder so it floats, and a rock (or sand or gravel) as a weight to keep it in place.

I got six of them to go around the perimeter of my pool.

Here are a couple pics ....

Here is a close up of a Frog Log as installed in my pool

Image
_MG_0885 by bkrdave36, on Flickr

Here is a view of my whole pool, you should be able to find 6 Frog Logs at even intervals around the pool.

Image
_MG_0884 by bkrdave36, on Flickr

Hopefully this will eliminate the drowned baby squirrel and baby quail problem I have.
User avatar
reptilist
Posts: 653
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 9:30 am
Location: Clifton, Arizona

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by reptilist »

Good work Dave!
Now rubber ducky has a chance too!

:beer:
User avatar
Biker Dave
Posts: 2869
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 7:56 pm
Location: Wittmann,AZ

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by Biker Dave »

No pool is complete without a Rubber Ducky!
User avatar
muskiemagnet
Posts: 1253
Joined: June 11th, 2010, 8:43 am
Location: kaukauna, wi

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by muskiemagnet »

sweet invention. i will look into getting some for my parents garden pond. the anphibs get out, but it is hard for them. thanks for posting.

-ben
User avatar
Carl Brune
Posts: 488
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:22 am
Location: Athens, OH
Contact:

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by Carl Brune »

Long-time pool owner here. This contraption looks useful. It will also help out the small mamals (chipmunks, shrews, etc...) that also commonly go for a swim. Even with something like this, you should be aware that a lot of the critters will probably wind up in the skimmer basket anyway due to the way the water circulates and gets skimmed (assumming filter/circulation is on). We leave a block of wood or something floating in there so critters can haul out. Depending on where you are, always look before you grab, on two occasions I have found a copperhead in the filter basket (in NC). Regarding the chlorine, I think this is totally dependent on how much chlorine is in the pool and how long the amphibian is in it. As noted already, many amphibs can make their own way out. It seems that nearly all salamanders can climb vertical surfaces. When we moved into our house in NC, the pool had been abandoned for a few years and was full of green and bull frogs. They were able to do a cool porpoise manouver to launch themselves up onto the pool deck.
User avatar
gbin
Posts: 2292
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 4:28 pm

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by gbin »

There's also the Critter Skimmer, meant to allow small animals to escape from your pool after they've been drawn to its skimmers as Carl described.

Good thread idea, Dave! :thumb:

Gerry
User avatar
Biker Dave
Posts: 2869
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 7:56 pm
Location: Wittmann,AZ

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by Biker Dave »

My problem is with baby mammals and birds and the occasional lizard. Not exactly water based life forms ....
User avatar
Biker Dave
Posts: 2869
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 7:56 pm
Location: Wittmann,AZ

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by Biker Dave »

Believe it or not, chlorine isn't super harmful to amphibians, so the extent that you can raise tadpoles in chlorinated water, whereas regular tap water will kill most fish.
While I can not say for sure if this is true .. I do know that I will find the occasional water bug in my pool in the summer time...with weekly additions of Tri Chlor added to the water.
User avatar
Ameron
Posts: 60
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 5:57 pm
Location: Portland/Vancouver

Terrific Idea!

Post by Ameron »

Wow! This is one of the most innovative, useful products to every be developed. Thanks for sharing.

Living in Orange County & Long Beach, CA years ago, I saw many dead animals in pools. This invention will save HUGE numbers of our wildlife from preventable destruction.

Once while living in Fountain Valley, I found a toad that was "dead" at the bottom of a pool. I used a long cleaning pole to move the body to the top of the water where I could grab it and throw it into the bushes for later clean-up. The process was rough, unfortunately.

When I went to get the body later, it was gone! The toad had revived!! He had been under water for many minutes, but somehow went into an Estivation state and survived.

1.0 Antaresia maculosa
0.1 Pantherophis guttatus (Carolina)
1.0 Elaphe schrencki
User avatar
tomharten
Posts: 130
Joined: June 21st, 2011, 11:37 am
Location: Southern Maryland

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by tomharten »

I can offer an unpaid testimonial that this device really works. We moved into a new house last year and I was finding Fowler's Toads and occasional S. Leopard Frogs (as well as small mammals like mice and shrews) in my filter baskets on a regular basis. I went online and found that exact same device and haven't had a casualty since. I bought two, one for each side of the pool.

I am working with middle school students on a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) project with a connection to the Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas program and we are looking at having a challenge for students to design their own device to save critters that fall into pools. http://calvertfrogblog.weebly.com/takin ... bians.html

Tom
User avatar
ThatFrogGuy
Posts: 744
Joined: April 15th, 2011, 1:29 pm
Location: Southern Indiana
Contact:

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by ThatFrogGuy »

John Vanek wrote:Believe it or not, chlorine isn't super harmful to amphibians, so the extent that you can raise tadpoles in chlorinated water, whereas regular tap water will kill most fish.
In my experience, tap water has a 100% kill rate with larval amphibians. I've had plenty of fish in tap water do fine though.
User avatar
chris_mcmartin
Posts: 2447
Joined: June 9th, 2010, 12:13 am
Location: Greater Houston TX Area
Contact:

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by chris_mcmartin »

ThatFrogGuy wrote:
John Vanek wrote:Believe it or not, chlorine isn't super harmful to amphibians, so the extent that you can raise tadpoles in chlorinated water, whereas regular tap water will kill most fish.
In my experience, tap water has a 100% kill rate with larval amphibians. I've had plenty of fish in tap water do fine though.
Tap water varies greatly by municipality regarding naturally-occurring elements as well as additives. Your mileage may vary.
User avatar
JakeScott
Posts: 690
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:26 pm
Location: Gainesville, FL
Contact:

Re: Save the critters that fall in your pool!

Post by JakeScott »

This is actually a rather simple and (looks like) an effective contraption.

As for the tadpoles. I've had, and raised to full morph, tadpoles on full chlorinated tap water. This was about 1 score and 7 years ago, but still it was done over and over. The long term effect of chlorinated pool water on permeable skin, I cannot say. But I can say that I have kept anurans for several months post-pool-dive with no issues.

-Jake
Post Reply