How to Keep Animals from Drowning in your Pool
How to Keep Animals from Drowning in your Pool
Swimming pools can pose a great threat to wildlife and other animals that spend time in your backyard. The main difference between a pool and a pond is the escapable vertical edge – a toad may drop by for a soak but can’t find a ramp-like edge to get out. And there’s nothing like reaching your hand in the skimmer basket to remove leaves and find a furry or scaly surprise. I was at my wits end after finding way too many lizards, rats and bugs dead in my pool so I found a way to keep critters out for good. It’s been years since I’ve found an unpleasant animal in my water. Here’s how I did it!
I researched several products and also discovered some solutions accidentally. I will start with my favorite, time tested critter saver.
The Frog Log is the best!
Your pool circulates water toward the skimmer baskets – so that is the best place to put critter saving ramps because the water flow will help pull them toward safety. We have two skimmer baskets, so we got two ramps. More than two doesn’t hurt though! We built a bat house too and I know their dip-in-for-a-drink flight path, so I placed Frog Logs in places the bats would find most helpful. Bats can swim, and actually go into ponds and streams to drink or soak their fur to bring water back to their babies. Pools are great for them, but they need a sloped edge to escape.
Small amounts of chlorine aren’t bad for them either, so we encourage our bats to eat as many night pests as possible and want to use our pool to attract them! We have had our Frog Logs for over five years and they’re still in great condition – they’re so easy to use also. You just fill the Velcro closing pouch with something heavy such as rocks and set it on the edge of the pool. See the Frog Log in action HERE.
I love that they are removable so that when we have pool parties, they don’t get in the way. If you leave them out all the time though, you’ll find that kids love to play with them. It’s always nice when useful tools have a dual purpose!
Most pool owners use a floating safety rope if smaller children are swimming in the shallow end, but I’ve discovered that these ropes also save critter’s lives. Winged creatures can float or swim over to it, sit and dry off for a while, then fly away. When this rope is floating in the pool we have far fewer butterfly, moth and lady bug casualties. Dragon flies and damsel flies also love to sit on it as if it were a branch dipping into the edge of a pond. I will be honest though, I have less love for the wasps and I will whack them if I catch one on the rope. Wasps will eat my caterpillars and decrease my butterfly population so I don’t show them mercy. For all other bugs, this tool is a life saver.
The Skamper Ramp is great if you need a more versatile critter ramp that can handle your domestic pets that may not always be able to find the stairs, this is a great solution. It’s sturdier than the Frog Log and is permanently attached to the cement.
Lastly, this Critter Skimmer acts as a great back-up escape for critters who may have bypassed your Frog Log. This device replaces your skimmer basket cover and has a spiral ramp inside that leads to an escape hole out the top. Brilliant! They also sell the top and spiral ramp separately in case you need to replace one or the other. They come in colors that match your patio so they won’t detract from the scenic view of your pool.
I am very passionate about doing all I can to keep wildlife safe. Humans are the number one danger to animals and insects, as we destroy their habitats and create barriers like fences and ponds with vertical cement walls. We owe it to the creatures who were here before us – we need to plan for their safety so they can continue to do their job as beneficial parts of the environment.
You may not realize how some creatures help us out. I challenge you to research the beneficial role of an animal or insect you may view as a pest and learn how we can co-exist and help each other. Possums, toads, lizards, dragonflies and bats are some of my favorites and I’m thrilled that my property can provide food, shelter, water and space for them to breed. If I can increase their population, I get more pollinators and my mosquito and tick population decreases and we all win!
Best of luck to you on saving the lives of your backyard wildlife!
