Journal 5: In Your Own Backyard

If you’ve ever owned a pool, you know that critters- reptiles, amphibians, and even the occasional rodent can make their way into the water. When I was little, I saw so much wildlife in my pool that I was scared I’d see a lobster and it would pinch me. (Don’t ask.)

Most commonly in my pool I find frogs. I always do my best to fish them out (No pun intended) with a pool net, slim chances of finding them while they’re still alive. This led me to wonder- if frogs can swim and often live in water, what’s different about pools? Why are they drawn to pools? Are salt-water pools worse or better for frogs than chlorine pools? How do we keep frogs out of pools to keep them safe?

According to Frogs Are Green, frogs absorb poisonous chlorine into their bloodstream because of the permeability of their skin. This makes chlorinated water different than pond water. Think about it like this- Carbon Dioxide and Tear Gas are both gas. We should really only be breathing one of them in.

Frogs end up in pools for a few reasons. First off, pool water is a reflective surface at night that attracts insects frogs use for food, in turn attracting frogs. Frogs have no way of knowing that the water they’ve stumbled upon for feeding and swimming is toxic to them, and their inability to exit the pool often leads them to drown or become poisoned.

Salt water is also not a viable option, as frogs prefer freshwater ponds. Yes, some tadpoles can survive in salt water, but this is true of very few breeds.

Some eco-friendly things we can do to keep frogs save are using retractable covers at night to keep wildlife out of the water, turning off lights that could make water reflective at night, installing a fountain to prevent still water that insects will be attracted to, and buying this simple contraption called a Frog Log that allows frogs to exit the pool. The result? Frog-free water, and safety for frogs everywhere.