How to Remove Frogs from Your Pool

Yes, they can look cute but it’s not a great idea to have any amphibians swimming in your pool except for the human type.  Not only should your pool be reserved for you and your family to enjoy, chemicals like chlorine and acid that are very important to keeping a pool well-balanced can be toxic to frogs and will cause them to become dehydrated ultimately leading to their demise. 

Here’s some tips on how to rescue frogs without harming them;

1.       Get a bucket and fill it with fresh water – pool water isn’t healthy for frogs so grab some water from the tap, a pond or from a nearby freshwater source and fill it halfway.

2.       Create a Frog-Log - Frogs can stay underwater for between 4-7 hours but after that will need to come up for oxygen.    Like humans, frogs will drown if they inhale water into their lungs.  Due to the high sides of a pool, once they get in, it’s almost impossible for them to get out.  So, if you find some four-legged friends hanging out in your pool, lend them something to climb onto like a skimmer brush or a paddle and place them in the bucket.

3.       Find a nearby wetland - Finding them a nearby freshwater source filled with algae, weeds and lots of insects will keep them croaking for many years to come.  Jump on maps and find somewhere local.

4.       Release Frogs Back into the Wild – rather than just dumping them back into a pond, it’s a good idea to release them on land with close access to a pond so they can navigate their own way to the water.  If your bucket has tadpoles, they should be released into calm water to give them the best possible chance of survival.  Look for areas that have plenty of algae, vegetation and away from any currents.

It's worth taking the time to make sure that frogs are rehomed in a suitable place so they can easily adapt to their new environment.  Frogs play a critical role in our ecosystem helping to control mosquitos and other pests.  Taking the time to find a perfect habitat will also reduce the likelihood of them finding your pool again!

For more information on maintaining a pool read our Pool and spa water maintenance article.