The FrogLog is a lifesaver (no, literally) for folks that have curious woodland animals swimming in their backyard pools.
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The FrogLog Pool Ramp Saves Frogs, Squirrels and Other Animals From the Water
Updated on Apr. 26, 2024
How many times have you wandered out to the backyard only to find a poor, helpless animal who went for a swim or fell in your in-ground or above-ground pool and couldn’t get out? To prevent that from happening, get the FrogLog. This floating escape ramp helps small creatures find their way to safety.
You might not be able to keep animals out of your pool, but you can provide a way for them to get out. If you’ve ever had to fish a dead frog or squirrel out of the water, you know it’s not a pleasant job. This smart product keeps your pool clean, reduces maintenance and saves critters from drowning.
What is a FrogLog?
The Swimline FrogLog is a flotation device with a ramp that helps small animals—including frogs, chipmunks, lizards, ducklings, mice, squirrels, snakes, bats, birds and frogs—escape from your pool. It’s made with durable ultraviolet (UV)-resistant denier nylon, and features a mesh ramp. It comes with a weighted sandbag to keep it secured to the side of the pool. The 18-inch-by-18-inch inflatable landing pad has a mesh skirt and floats in the water so that small animals (up to 1 pound) can climb out safely.
This clever critter-saving escape ramp is designed and tested by wildlife biologists for maximum effectiveness. It’s a must-have pool accessory, so you won’t have to deal with the nasty job of coroner.
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Product Spotlight
FrogLog Animal-Saving Pool Ramp
FrogLog is an inflatable ramp that helps small animals escape drowning in your pool.
FrogLog Features
Made by a wildlife biologist from Maryland, the FrogLog’s multiple size options are effective for household pets as well as frogs, squirrels, gophers, chipmunks, mice, ducklings and other small animals that can end up in a pool or manmade pond.
It is also made to withstand the elements with its non-corrosive and UV-resistant 840 Denier nylon fabric and mesh ramp that are easy to set up. Simply fill the fabric pouch with one and a half cups of sand or pea gravel, place the pouch poolside and then lay the platform in the water. Plus, the mesh skirt can act as a pool skimmer to catch leaves, twigs, debris and decomposing animals.
The FrogLog is also capable of cleaning in-ground or above-ground pools while it saves the lives of animals and being compatible with water levels of three to 10 feet below the deck. We should note that there should be multiple FrogLogs in a pool to be effective at saving multiple animals from drowning.
How to Use a FrogLog
Whether you have an above-ground or in-ground pool, this critter saver does its job. When animals are stranded, they’ll swim around the edge of the pool looking for an escape route. When they bump into the FrogLog, they’ll intuitively hop on top and use the ramp to climb to safety.
Setting up the FrogLog is simple. Blow up the floating landing pad with air, then fill the sandbag with enough rocks or sand (not included) to ballast it to the side of your pool. Place the FrogLog upstream from the skimmers. That’s it!
Depending on the size of your pool and the number of skimmer intakes, you may need more than one FrogLog. For instance, a 25-foot-by-50-foot pool could benefit from up to four FrogLogs, especially if the pump and filter run at night. Since dusk is when most critters find their way to your pool, the manufacturer suggests turning the pump off at night to reduce the chance of animals being pulled into the skimmer and drowning before they find the FrogLog.
Even if you have a pool cover, critters can find a way to take a swim in your pool, so it’s not a bad idea to place the FrogLog under or above pool covers for peace of mind.
Pros
- Durable 840 Denier nylon fabric can withstand UV exposure
- Can work as a life raft as well as a pool skimmer
- Effective for multiple animals, small and large
- Works for in-ground or above-ground pools
- Compatible with pool covers and other skimmers
- Quick and easy to set up
Cons
- Multiple units may be required for multiple animals
- Sand, rocks or gravel not provided for weighing down the unit
Why You Should Trust Us
Sheri Katz vetted and reviewed the FrogLog. At Family Handyman, Sheri specializes in home and lifestyle content, where she has hands-on tested many products. With over 30 years of experience gardening and creating ergonomic outdoor spaces, she has plenty of experience making outdoor areas safe for wildlife, children and pets. She also contributes to Reader’s Digest and Taste of Home, which makes her well-versed in the top backyard products on the market.
Alexandra Mantella, Content Updates Editor at Family Handyman, updated and contributed research to this piece. She has over five years of experience in product testing, research and commerce writing. Previously, she served as a commerce content update editor at Bob Vila.
FAQ
Do FrogLogs work?
Yes. FrogLogs are effective and high-quality for keeping small critters that fall in the pool alive and out of trouble.
Where should you place a FrogLog?
Place a FrogLog upstream from the flow of water that is flowing toward the pool filter or skimmer. Ensure that the weighted pouch is placed far enough back from the edge of the pool to ensure that the back of the float is against the pool wall to ensure it is functioning properly.
Also, ensure that you are regularly checking the FrogLog to ensure it is properly inflated and placed securely.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
With over 6,700 five-star ratings just on Amazon alone, it’s clear that shoppers are relieved to have found a solution to animals drowning in their pools.
Grayson Newland, a five-star reviewer, writes, “I have an older in-ground pool with no steps, just ladders. We also live right on the edge of the woods—bad combination for animals. The years before I bought this, I had a dead mouse, frog or chipmunk at least two times per month in the pool. It was nasty. Since I bought this, I have not had a single one in two summers of use. I’ve placed it downstream of the main jet, and I’ve seen multiple animals climb on this thing and climb out. If you are tired of fetching dead animals out of your pool, this is the thing for you.”
“Very pleased with the quality of these little critter savers,” shares Scott M, a verified purchaser. “We live in the country, and every day I would find at least two and usually more dead frogs in the pool skimmers before I purchased these. I would say these are 95% effective in reducing dead critters. Currently, I am using one by each skimmer in a very large pool.”
“Every night, I find the toads/frogs resting on this, and they immediately jump into the pool. This allows such easy entry/exit for them,” writes another five-star reviewer, J Benson. “This is my second one, and in two years, I have not had to deal with a dead animal in the skimmer in that entire time. The easy exit means that they are done swimming and gone before I even get up in the morning. On the rare afternoons that one is present, they are able to hide on the pad (under the netting) from the harsh sun.”
Product Comparison
While there are many pool accessories and inflatables for pools on the market, there are only a few that are made for saving animals from drowning. In our research, we discovered that there are a lot of imitations of the FrogLog, but none like the original thing. While some of these imitations are great for the purposes of some users, the durable materials, ergonomic construction and reliability of this top-notch brand may be worth the purchase (and the small lives saved!).
If you are interested in an alternative, the Peeh Animal Saving Escape Ramp does have some positive reviews from Amazon users and comes with a large platform for a variety of animals. However, users have complained that the materials on this model could be better as there have been rips and tears.
Final Verdict
We love this unique and life-saving pool float and how effective it is at its job. Not only is it made with UV- and chemical-resistant 840 Denier nylon material, it is also compatible with in-ground and above-ground pools, is easy to set up in minutes and can be used in tandem with a pool cover for added peace of mind.
However, if you tend to run your pool filter and pump all night, have high chlorine levels or have multiple skimmer intakes, you may need to add multiple units for protecting animals.
Where to Buy a FrogLog
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Product Spotlight
FrogLog Pool Ramp
FrogLog escape ramp helps small critters get out of the pool instead of drowning.
Why wouldn’t you add this under-$20 accessory to your pool? The life-saving FrogLog is available online through Walmart and Amazon. Not only will the FrogLog save time and money with pool cleaning and maintenance, but Mother Nature would be proud that you did your part to save the animals.
