Last night there was a tree frog in our pool! He swam around, perched on the tile just beneath the surface so that his face stuck up just enough for air, and then he swam away to another part of the tile. Eventually he scaled the side of the pool like Spiderman and hopped away.
Is chlorine good for frogs? I kind of doubt it, don't you? We had a pet frog for about three years. He'd been caught by a neighbor. Since he had already been removed from his natural habitat (which I don't think you should do to a frog), we kept him. He had a terrarium with frog bedding in the bottom, real tree branches, a couple of tiny ponds, and a fake miniature tree. His name was Flip. We filled his ponds with bottled spring water, as frogs are very sensitive and cannot tolerate chemicals, such as chlorine. In fact, the health of frogs indicates the health of our environment because their skin is so porous and they are so sensitive.
So, I worry about frogs swimming in pools. There are so many frogs in our neighborhood--I hear them at night--that I was wondering where they are all getting their water. It's not like we live near a stream. Now I know. Backyard swimming pools!
This reminds me that it is vernal pool season in Sacramento. If you are interested in visiting ponds and seeing what creatures and plants thrive in them, go to http://www.vernalpools.org/MatherSchedule.htm for information about visiting the vernal pools at Mather Field. To ensure the protection of this special ecosystem, you can only visit the pools with a guide, but the tours are free. You just have to sign up in advance.
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