A pool in South Florida is a magnet for both tree frogs and iguanas, and most pool owners deal with both at some point. The reasons are different — frogs come for the insects around the pool light, iguanas come for the water and the sunny deck — but the solutions overlap. This page covers both, because if you have a pool, you have both problems.
Why does the pool attract frogs and iguanas?
A pool attracts frogs and iguanas for different reasons, but the root cause is the same: the pool area offers something they need.
For tree frogs — especially Cuban tree frogs — the pool area is a feeding station. The pool light and any landscape lighting draw moths, beetles, and other flying insects, and the frogs position themselves on the pool cage, the deck, and the pool equipment pad to pick them off. After a warm summer rain, insect activity spikes, and the number of frogs in and around the pool spikes with it.
For iguanas, the pool is a water source and a basking spot. Iguanas need to drink, and a pool is an open water source they can reach. The pool deck is also a flat, sunny surface — perfect for basking in the morning sun to warm up. If there are edible plants (hibiscus, bougainvillea) near the pool, the area offers food, water, and sun in one place, which makes it a daily destination.
How to get a frog out of the pool
If a frog is in your pool, the first thing to know is that most frogs cannot climb out of a smooth-walled pool — there is no ledge or slope for them to grip. They will exhaust themselves swimming and can drown. The simplest solution is a frog log or a floating ramp: a small floating platform with a mesh ramp that gives frogs and other small animals an escape route. These are inexpensive and they work — check the skimmer in the morning, as frogs often get trapped there overnight.
Do not try to catch a Cuban tree frog by hand — they secrete a skin substance that can irritate your eyes, nose, and mouth. Use a pool skimmer net to lift the frog out, or guide it toward a frog log. If you must handle a frog, wear gloves and wash your hands afterward.
How to get an iguana out of the pool
If an iguana is in your pool, do not try to grab it by hand — iguanas can bite, and their tails can deliver a strong whip. A green iguana can swim, so it is not in immediate danger of drowning, but it may struggle to climb out of a smooth-walled pool.
Use a pool net or a floating pool lounger or board as a ramp. Position it at the edge of the pool so the iguana can climb out on its own. Give it space — an iguana in a pool is stressed, and a stressed iguana is more likely to bite or whip. Once it is out, it will usually head for the nearest cover. If the iguana returns to the pool repeatedly, the issue is that the pool area is part of its daily routine — you need to make the area less attractive.
The skimmer basket and pool equipment
The skimmer basket is where most pool frogs end up — they get pulled in by the skimmer's suction overnight and cannot get out. Check the skimmer every morning during frog season (May through October in South Florida) and release any live frogs away from the pool area.
The pool equipment pad — the area around the pump, filter, and heater — is also a frog and toad hiding spot during the day, because it stays damp and shaded. Keep this area clear of leaves and debris, and check it before you service the equipment. Cane toads in particular like to hide around equipment pads because of the moisture.
Does chlorine harm frogs or iguanas?
Pool chlorine at normal swimming-pool levels is not immediately lethal to frogs or iguanas, but it is not good for them — it can irritate their skin and eyes, and prolonged exposure is harmful. The bigger concern is the reverse: frogs and iguanas in the pool are a contamination issue for swimmers. Frog droppings and iguana droppings in the pool can introduce bacteria, and a dead frog or iguana in the skimmer is unsanitary. Check and clean the skimmer regularly, and shock the pool if you find an animal carcass in it.
Screened cage vs open deck
A screened pool cage (lanai enclosure) makes a difference for both frogs and iguanas, but it is not a complete barrier. A screen keeps most iguanas out of the pool itself, but iguanas can tear screens to reach food or water, and small frogs can get through tears and gaps around the screen frame. An open deck (no screen) offers no barrier at all — iguanas and frogs have free access to the pool and deck.
For a screened cage, inspect the screen regularly for tears and repair them. Pay attention to the bottom edge of the screen where it meets the footer — this is where frogs, geckos, and anoles enter, and where small animals wear the screen down over time. For an open deck, the perimeter approach below is more important because there is no physical barrier.
Where to lay a perimeter band
For both frogs and iguanas, the most effective perimeter is along the routes they use to reach the pool area. For a screened cage, that means the footer — the concrete base the screen attaches to. Shake a granular band along the outside of the footer, where frogs and lizards travel along the base of the screen to reach the light. For an open deck, lay the band along the edge of the deck where it meets the landscaping, and along the transition from grass or mulch to the hardscape — the routes iguanas use to walk onto the deck.
For iguanas specifically, also band the seawall cap or the canal-bank edge if the pool is near the water — iguanas travel along seawall caps to reach basking spots, and a band there disrupts the route.
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Landscape lighting around the deck
Lighting is the root cause of the frog problem around a pool — the light draws the insects, the insects draw the frogs. Switch pool-area floodlights and cage lights to warm or yellow LED bulbs (2700K or lower), which attract fewer flying insects. Put lights on a timer or motion sensor so they are not on all night. Turn off non-essential lights after 10 p.m. These changes reduce the insect supply, and within a week or two the frogs have less reason to gather around the pool. For more on this, see our guide on why Cuban tree frogs gather on windows. For the full species guides, see our iguanas page and frogs page.