Lizard access to slippery EPDM wildlife pond

[zeuspaul]

How do I roughen the surface of an EPDM liner so lizards don't drown? I thought about draping some window screen over the edge. I am concerned that the frogs will get trapped under it. Same for burlap and it may have a short life.

Now I am thinking about non toxic acrylic paint and then sprinkling sand on it before it dries. I believe acrylic paint is supposed to stick to EPDM.

Making a beach is tricky because the water level is not constant. There is no water source near by. I have to lug water about 500 ft.

Thanks

 

[mrsclem]

A piece of window screen weighted down would work. After finding several drowned frogs, I put a piece of old gutter guard over the edge of the pond. No more dead frogs!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I would refrain from coating EPDM liner. Any substance that will adhere to it only does so by contaminating the integrity of the liner surface, thus weakening it.

 

[Mmathis]

Do you have a ledge or any rocks around the edge for them to climb on? Or just the bare liner? I think window screen sounds like a good idea if it's just bare liner. Just anchor it well on the outside so it doesn't pull loose. Do you have pics of your pond?

 

[zeuspaul]

No pictures yet. It is still a mud pond and needs more water every day. It is an area about 25 x 50 that I dug to catch run off and collect the dirt that erodes. I ordered a 15 x 25 EPDM liner to install at one end because frogs have arrived and there are now tadpoles that I want to rescue. I don't know exactly what it will look like yet. There will be rocks to hold the liner in place but they will not extend into the water because I don't know how to keep rocks in place on the sloping sides.

I have drowned a number of lizards in some of the tubs I have around the house with slippery sides. I don't want to make another death trap (rats ok).

In the pond I am sure I can make an area with beach access. However the lizards may not be smart enough to wander around the pond looking for a way to get close to the water without falling in. I think I need a way for them to get out in most areas of the pond.

I like the window screen idea but I don't know how to ensure the frogs won't get caught under it. It would have to be secured tightly around the edges down into the water.

Now I am thinking maybe black rubber door mats but they will cost considerably more than window screen. They would weight themselves down and follow the contour of the liner. Maybe it wouldn't have to be continuous. Perhaps a mat then some space and then another mat. I don't know if there are toxicity issues with rubber door mats.

 

[tbendl]

You can make pockets with the screen, (search for Sissy's post for "socks"). You can use them both to plant or put rocks in it, but it will also help with the frogs to get out and not float so they can't get underneath it.
I've used them both for rocks and plants. I find frogs sitting in my flower pocket all the time.

 

[j.w]

You can make a ledge like a step or more then 1 all around the whole top of pond and put rocks so critters can go to ledge climb on rocks and escape. Can't see the liner either as water comes right up to rocks. You can choose the size rocks you want. Liner is fitted over the ledges and then rocks on top of liner.

 

[zeuspaul]

This was supposed to be a simple project. I think I will try building a ledge and place native rock on it. First I have to rescue the tadpoles and place them in a temporary home. Then digging and shaping the pond is going to be a muddy mess. Does the liner need some kind of protection from the rock? Maybe landscape fabric over the EPDM and then the rock?

 

[tbendl]

The screen is a quick and easy fix to allow them to easily get in and out of the pond. But no, you shouldn't need anything between the rock and the liner if you decide to dig out a ledge.

 

[Lisak1]

Look at @j.w 's picture - any self respecting lizard could figure out how to climb out if there were plants near the edge, no? I have no idea about lizards though - I did just spend a half hour rescuing a chipmunk from a window well. Every time I got him near the edge he leapt right back in the hole!

Plan for some areas with shelves. You dig the shelve wide enough to hold the rock you plan to use and deep enough so most of the rock will be out of the water when it's sitting on the shelf. It's very simple and will make for a much better looking edge than rocks on the outside anchoring your liner.

 

[j.w]

This was supposed to be a simple project. I think I will try building a ledge and place native rock on it. First I have to rescue the tadpoles and place them in a temporary home. Then digging and shaping the pond is going to be a muddy mess. Does the liner need some kind of protection from the rock? Maybe landscape fabric over the EPDM and then the rock?

I have nothing covering my liner where the rocks sit. I just make sure to use rocks w/no sharp edges. You can put a protective cover over the liner as I don't think it would hurt. More muck might collect where the cover is tho. Not sure.

 

[Lisak1]

This was supposed to be a simple project.

I missed that part! AREN'T THEY ALL?

We did put underlayment under some of our biggest rocks - I'm talking three man boulders here though, not anything you can move by hand. Honesty I wouldn't use anything that has sharp edges or points for fear my fish would injure themselves brushing up against them. But if you do have rocks that you're concerned could damage liner, there's no harm in putting underlayment under them.

 

[tbendl]

three man boulders

What, are you prejudice against the women boulders???

 

[j.w]

And women can have some pretty big boulders too

 

[Lisak1]

And women can have some pretty big boulders too