As a pool owner, you may discover that other animals are also enjoying your pool, frogs being one of them. Getting rid of frogs can be annoying and time-consuming! So, knowing how to keep frogs out of your pool can come in handy to prevent having to get rid of them in the first place. Though most frogs are ultimately harmless (unless you are in the Amazon), you definitely don’t want a colony of frogs moving into your swimming pool!
In this article, I will go over why you should keep frogs out of your pool before diving into the dos and don’ts of keeping them out.
Main Takeaways
- You should keep frogs out of your pool for sanitary reasons; frogs may die in your pool, and they can lay eggs in your water.
- To keep frogs out of your pool, keep your water moving, turn your pool lights off, keep your pool clean, make a homemade frog repellent, use a pool cover, give the frogs an escape, and mow your lawn frequently.
- Do not use pesticides, scarecrows, or inhumane methods to keep frogs out of your pool.
Why is it Important to Keep Frogs Out of Your Pool?
You will want to keep frogs out of your pool for a few good reasons. Frogs do not cause harm in your yard, but some problems may arise once they enter your pool.
Understanding these problems and how they may occur is important to help prevent them.
Sanitation
If you’ve ever handled a frog as a child, you were most likely told to wash your hands afterward immediately. This is because frogs have the potential to carry certain bacteria and diseases, such as salmonella.
If your pool’s chemicals are correctly taken care of, then your pool’s sanitizer will most likely kill off any harmful bacteria frogs may be carrying. However, especially in 2020, it is best to avoid taking any risks with sanitation.
Frogs May Die in Your Pool
Unfortunately, frogs might not make it out when they enter your pool. If your pool is large or has high walls, frogs may not be able to climb out of the water once they have gotten in.
Frogs won’t always know how to escape, even if your pool is relatively small. Once they have entered your pool, they can wear themselves out by swimming for too long and eventually drown.
As unpleasant as it is to have a small creature pass away in your pool, it can be even more unpleasant to have to remove them. This is especially true if you are squeamish or not a big fan of frogs.
What may be even worse is having young kids accidentally stumble upon a dead frog on a pool day.
Frogs Can Lay Eggs in Your Pool Water
One of the biggest reasons you will want to avoid having frogs in your pool is that they are prone to laying eggs in bodies of water.
Depending on the species, frogs can lay more than 10,000 eggs at a time. When these eggs hatch, tadpoles emerge and grow into frogs. Having 10,000 frogs in your pool at once can be an unwanted experience, so it is best to remove any eggs once you notice them.
Frog eggs often look like clusters of black dots sitting at the bottom of the pool. You can remove them by scooping them out with a bowl or a net and relocating them in another body of water. This body of water can be a pond or simply a tub of water. Either way, you want to ensure all the eggs are outside.
Why Do Frogs Like Pools?
Here are a few reasons that frogs may be attracted to your pool.
Your Pool Is Similar to a Pond
Frogs are drawn to anything that reminds them of a pond. After all, their natural habitat is in and around fresh bodies of water. Though your swimming pool is hopefully nowhere near as murky as a stagnate pond, frogs won’t be able to tell the difference. To a frog, your clear, pristine swimming pool is a perfect place to set up shop.
There are Insects in Your Pool Area
Insects like mosquitos can collect in your pool throughout the day if left uncovered. Additionally, insects may be attracted to lights in your pool area at night. A body of water with tons of bugs is a perfect home for a frog. Frogs are actually very helpful at controlling your insect population. However, you don’t want them swimming in your pool!
There Aren’t Any Predators
Another reason frogs may move into your pool is because it is likely predator-free. Unless your pool also has snakes, herons, otters, or other predators, the frogs can live happily without the threat of being eaten!
Strategies for Keeping Frogs Out of Your Pool
If you have been having issues with finding frogs in your pool, you’re in luck. There are a lot of ways that you can prevent frogs from getting into your pool.
Keep Your Water Moving
Frogs are attracted to still bodies of water. So, it is a good idea to keep your pool pump running to keep your water moving constantly.
Keeping your water moving can also prevent frogs from laying eggs, as they are less likely to lay their eggs in water unsafe for their future tadpoles. Plus, good water circulation is healthy for your pool anyway.
Turn Your Pool Lights Off
If you are someone whose pool has lights, avoid keeping them on any longer than necessary. Lights can give away your pool’s location to the frogs looking for their next meal.
Likewise, pool lights can also attract bugs. The more bugs in your pool, the more frogs are likely to come. Turn your lights off after using them, and keep them off overnight to avoid frogs and bugs.
Keep Your Pool Clean
This is perhaps the easiest thing to do, as it is most likely something you do already with your regular pool maintenance tasks.
Cleaning your pool frequently is an excellent way to scour for any rogue frogs or eggs that may have been laid. Frogs are also drawn to insects, so keeping your pool free of any bugs means that frogs are less likely to go hunting in your pool.
Make a Homemade Frog Repellent
If you are looking for a way to repel frogs without using any harmful chemicals, consider making a homemade frog repellent. This can be done easily by filling a spray bottle with vinegar and spraying the perimeter of your pool with vinegar. You can also use coffee grounds. Dust a layer of coffee grounds around your pool to help keep away frogs.
Both vinegar and coffee grounds irritate frogs’ skin. While you can also use bleach or citric acid, both methods can cause permanent harm to frogs if used incorrectly. Vinegar and coffee grounds simply irritate the frogs, and frogs will also avoid them.
Use a Pool Cover
Getting a pool cover is beneficial for many reasons. Pool covers act as a barrier between your pool water and any outside contamination that may fall into your pool. Using a pool cover can prevent frogs from finding and getting into your pool, as well as bugs and dirt. Frogs also don’t like warmer water, so you can get a solar pool cover to help heat your pool.
Give the Frogs an Escape
The leading cause of frogs dying in pools is being (or feeling) trapped in the water. Frogs will often get out of the pool on their own if they can climb out. There are products that you can buy that cater to this method specifically.
You can also use any object that you see fit, as long as it is sanitary and long enough to help the frogs out of your pool. Some people use swim toys, such as pool noodles, as ramps for frogs to escape.
Here's a simple ramp you can install in your pool to help frogs escape.
Mow Your Lawn Frequently
Tallgrass can attract frogs, as they like to hide and rest in overgrown grass and weeds. Mowing your lawn frequently can help prevent frogs from appearing in your yard in the first place.
As well as mowing your lawn, keeping up with the weeds and general care of your yard can help deter frogs. However, it is not necessarily harmful to have frogs in your yard as long as they are not in your pool. Frogs can help control garden pests, as they are avid insect hunters.
Install a Pool Enclosure
If you want to go all out in protecting your pool from a frog infestation, you can install an enclosure. This will fully cover your pool and prevent insects, animals, and even debris from entering your pool area. That said, pool enclosures are expensive and can cost anywhere from a couple of grand to more than $10,000.
Get Rid of the Insects
Insects in your pool area are the number one reason that frogs will congregate. So, if you get rid of the insects, you might naturally solve the frog problem. There are quite a few ways to get rid of insects, and the best method depends on the types of bugs in your yard. Check out my articles on keeping away mosquitos and how to get rid of water bugs for more information on this.
Heat Your Pool
Frogs are cold-blooded, so their body temperature rises and falls with their surroundings. They generally prefer cooler water to cool off. So, if you heat your pool water, they will likely start looking elsewhere for a place to live.
Install Water Features
Water features such as waterfalls and bubblers will keep insects away and are not generally attractive to frogs. So, utilizing these features can keep frogs away. As I mentioned above, frogs prefer still, quiet water, so installing a waterfall or other water features is a great way to deter them!
Build a Frog Pond
Frogs are actually beneficial to have in your yard as they help control the populations of pesky insects. You just don’t want them to live in your swimming pool. A great alternative is to build an actual pond in your backyard. This will likely attract the frogs, moving them away from your pool. This is a win-win situation because the frogs get a great place to live and can continue eating insects in your backyard!
Get Rid of Frog Eggs Immediately
If you notice frog eggs in your pool, you should immediately get them out with the skimmer. Depending on the frog species, it may only take six days for the eggs to incubate, so you could have tadpoles swimming around in your pool in less than a week!
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The Wrong Strategies for Keeping Frogs Out of Your Pool (What to Avoid Doing)
While there are many great ways to prevent frogs from taking a dip in your pool, a few methods should be avoided.
Using Pesticides
Using pesticides in your yard can end up being useless. Not only do pesticides not work in keeping frogs away, but they can cause damage to your plants.
Try to stay clear of using harsh chemicals to keep frogs at bay. Multiple substances can be used that are much gentler on the environment.
Scarecrows
Some people have attempted to use items such as rubber snakes and fake birds as a way to scare off frogs, similar to using a scarecrow. While this method is harmless, it is also pretty ineffective.
While frogs have a hard time telling the difference between a pond and a pool, they are more likely to be able to tell the difference between a living creature and a fake one. If frogs sense that they are in no real danger, they will not be deterred from making their way into your pool.
Inhumane Methods
While frogs may not be your cup of tea, it is highly recommended that you avoid treating frogs inhumanely.
Certain species of frogs and toads are endangered and may be protected by your state. Killing endangered frogs can contribute to their extinction and even get you into legal trouble.
Even if the frogs are not endangered, they have only pure intentions and do not mean bringing the issues you may experience. Finding one of the alternative methods for removing and preventing frogs is best. There are many useful and humane methods.
No Frogs Allowed
Many of the methods listed above are easy, inexpensive, and humane. Overall, frogs are gentle creatures and can help keep your garden and yard free from pests. Remember to treat them gently while removing them from your pool!
Do you have any more questions about getting rid of frogs from your pool? Shoot me a message; I’ll be happy to help!
