6 Best Stock Tank Ramps For Small Animals That Keep Critters Safe
Prevent wildlife from drowning in your stock tank. We review the 6 best escape ramps, from simple floats to durable platforms, ensuring small critters have a safe way out.
There’s nothing worse than heading out to check the livestock and finding a drowned squirrel or a clutch of dead frogs in the water trough. It’s a grim, messy task to clean up, and it fouls the water for your animals. This small tragedy is a common, and completely preventable, part of life on a farmstead. The solution is simple: a stock tank ramp.
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Why Stock Tank Ramps Are Essential on the Farm
This isn’t just about being kind to wildlife, though that’s a fine reason on its own. A dead animal in your water trough is a contamination risk. It introduces bacteria that can make your sheep, goats, or cattle sick, which means more problems for you.
The issue is bigger than just the occasional frog. During dry spells, your stock tank is an oasis for everything from chipmunks and mice to beneficial pollinators like honeybees. Even small birds can fall in and find themselves unable to get out of a tank with steep, slick sides. A simple ramp prevents this cycle of death and contamination.
Ultimately, a ramp is a tiny investment that saves you time, protects your animals’ health, and prevents you from having to fish dead critters out of the water. It’s a classic example of how a little bit of prevention goes a very long way. You spend a few dollars once to solve a problem that would otherwise repeat itself all summer long.
FrogLog Critter Ramp: A Simple, Effective Solution
The FrogLog is one of the most popular ramps for a reason: it’s incredibly simple and it works. The design consists of an inflatable floating platform connected to a weighted mesh skirt that hangs into the water. Critters that fall in can easily climb onto the mesh and up to the float.
Its biggest advantage is ease of use. You inflate the float, fill the weighted pouch with a bit of sand or gravel from your driveway, and set it in the tank. It’s perfect for smaller troughs, pools, or any water feature where small animals like frogs, bees, and mice might get trapped. It takes less than a minute to install.
The tradeoff here is durability in a true farm environment. A curious cow or goat can easily knock it around, and the fabric material will eventually degrade under constant UV exposure. For a low-traffic tank or a backyard pond, it’s a fantastic, affordable option. For a main pasture trough, you might want something more robust.
The Scamper Ramp: A Sturdy, Versatile Option
When you need something tougher than a fabric ramp, the Scamper Ramp is an excellent choice. This is a solid, one-piece ramp made from blow-molded plastic. It’s designed to be a more permanent and durable solution for animal escape.
Its primary strength is its rigidity. The ramp clips securely onto the edge of most stock tanks or pools, providing a stable, textured walkway for animals to grip. It’s strong enough to easily support squirrels, chipmunks, and other small mammals that are too heavy for a lighter-duty ramp. This is a significant step up in build quality.
The main consideration is fit. You need to ensure the clip mechanism will work with the lip of your specific tank. It’s also more expensive and physically larger than a FrogLog, so it might be overkill for a very small water source. But for a standard 100-gallon poly or galvanized tank, it strikes a great balance between cost and durability.
Otter-Mat Escape Ramp for Larger Water Troughs
For large, deep water troughs made of concrete or steel, you need a heavy-duty solution. The Otter-Mat is designed for exactly these scenarios. It is a thick, textured rubber mat that provides a non-slip surface for animals to climb.
This ramp is built to save larger animals. While it will certainly help a frog, it’s strong enough for a raccoon, possum, or even a small lamb that might have fallen in. The mat is designed to drape over the side of the trough, creating a grippy ladder from the bottom of the tank all the way to the top edge.
This is not a product for your chicken waterer. It’s a serious piece of equipment for large-scale water storage where bigger animals drink or could potentially become trapped. The cost and size reflect its purpose. If you have a big trough in a remote pasture, the Otter-Mat provides peace of mind that you won’t find a serious problem waiting for you.
Stock Tank Solutions Welded Steel Escape Ramp
If you want a ramp that will outlast your stock tank, and possibly you, then welded steel is the answer. Ramps from companies like Stock Tank Solutions are the definition of "buy it for life." They are heavy, indestructible, and will not degrade in the sun or be broken by livestock.
These ramps typically hook over the lip of the tank and rest on the bottom, providing an incredibly stable escape route. The perforated or expanded metal design gives even the smallest creatures a secure foothold. Cattle, horses, and bored goats cannot destroy it. It’s a truly permanent fixture.
The clear tradeoff is the price. This is a significant investment compared to a plastic ramp. It’s also heavy, so you won’t be moving it from tank to tank casually. For a primary, high-traffic livestock water source, however, this ramp eliminates all concerns about durability and effectiveness. It’s the most reliable option available.
Hedstrom Cricket Saver: A Budget-Friendly Choice
Sometimes the smallest, cheapest tool is the right one for the job. Originally designed to help critters escape pool skimmer baskets, the Hedstrom Cricket Saver is a small, plastic grid that works perfectly in bucket waterers or small pans.
This little device is a lifesaver for beneficial insects. During a hot, dry summer, your chicken waterer can become a death trap for thirsty honeybees and other pollinators. This ramp provides a safe place for them to land, drink, and fly away without drowning. It’s an incredibly simple way to support your local ecosystem.
This is a micro-solution for a micro-problem. It is not meant for a stock tank and won’t help a chipmunk. But if you have multiple small water sources around your property for poultry or garden use, dropping one of these in each is a cheap, effective way to protect the smallest and most vulnerable critters.
DIY Wooden Ramps: A Customizable Farmstead Fix
You don’t always have to buy a commercial product. A simple piece of scrap wood can serve as an effective escape ramp. The key is to use a rough-sawn board, not a smooth, finished one, so that wet paws and feet can get a solid grip.
The primary advantage of a DIY ramp is that you can make it fit your exact needs. You can cut it to the perfect length and angle for your tank, whether it’s a shallow 50-gallon tub or a deep 300-gallon trough. Nailing a few small wood strips across the board as cleats can provide even better traction.
The major consideration is the type of wood and its longevity. Never use pressure-treated lumber, as the chemicals used for preservation can leach into the water and poison your livestock. Use untreated pine, cedar, or whatever you have on hand. It will eventually become waterlogged and rot, so plan on replacing it every season or two.
Proper Ramp Placement for Maximum Effectiveness
Simply having a ramp isn’t enough; you have to place it correctly. A panicked animal will almost always swim to the edge of the tank and try to climb the vertical wall. Your ramp needs to be in their path.
Always place the ramp so it is flush against the interior wall of the tank. This ensures that a circling critter will bump directly into its escape route. A ramp floating in the middle of the tank is far less likely to be found by an animal in distress.
For larger round or oblong tanks, consider installing two ramps on opposite sides. This doubles the chance of an animal finding an exit quickly, before it becomes exhausted. Finally, ensure the top of the ramp provides a clear, seamless path over the lip of the tank to solid ground. A small gap can be an insurmountable obstacle for a tiny, waterlogged creature.
A stock tank ramp is a small detail that makes a big difference. It protects your livestock’s water quality, saves you from an unpleasant chore, and acts as a responsible part of managing your farm’s ecosystem. It’s a simple, effective tool that solves a recurring problem with minimal effort.
