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  1. Home
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  3. How to detect wild animal pests in a windy garden?

How to detect wild animal pests in a windy garden?

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  • Nca78N Offline
    Nca78N Offline
    Nca78
    Hardware Contributor
    wrote on last edited by
    #15

    They work well for dogs so don't use this if you have dogs in the neighborhood.
    And where is the fun ? :P

    For the tube it should work as long as it blocks IR from unwanted directions.

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    • gohanG Offline
      gohanG Offline
      gohan
      Mod
      wrote on last edited by
      #16

      If you want to shrink the range of the pir sensor, just put some tape on the lens. About the repeller I tried once but it doesn't work on cats and indeed it was putting out a tone around 20khz but it wasn't bothering them besides drawing a little curiosity the first they heard it.

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      • NeverDieN Offline
        NeverDieN Offline
        NeverDie
        Hero Member
        wrote on last edited by
        #17

        The trouble with these consumer devices is that it's very hard to know what it is that you're getting. No datasheets. Nonetheless, I'd say the minimum features are a frequency knob that encompasses a frequency range well outside human hearing (I don't want to be annoyed by hearing it), weatherproofing (preferably IP66 or better), a large mini solar panel (I've seen some with solar panels that seem just too small), and advertising on the box which claims that the device will rid the type of pest you want excised. That still leaves one vulnerable to being scammed, though, so I filter that list by picking the ones that have both the best reviews and a large number of reviews by verified purchasers.

        On top of that, it probably means getting about three different ones made by different manufacturers so that hopefully at least one will actually do the business!

        Wish there was an easier way.

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        • NeverDieN Offline
          NeverDieN Offline
          NeverDie
          Hero Member
          wrote on last edited by NeverDie
          #18

          So, I ended up ordering this one:
          https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072LW4VWV/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
          I'm a bit disappointed that it's only rated IP44 and not IP66 or better, but with luck it will be good enough as the near-term solution. The amazon reviews of it are encouraging that it will do the job.

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          • NeverDieN Offline
            NeverDieN Offline
            NeverDie
            Hero Member
            wrote on last edited by NeverDie
            #19

            There are quite a number of products on the market which are advertised as pest "repellers," and literally all they do is blink an LED at a fixed interval all night long.
            https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KBAIGQO/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1JF0FEJIRJQ6I

            The funny thing is: their amazon.com ratings are almost as high as the ultrasonic device that I ordered. Makes me wonder whether any of this stuff actually works at all, or whether by the time people receive their orders the pests have moved on to greener pastures and so consumers wrongly conclude that their newly purchased repellers are effective.

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            • gohanG Offline
              gohanG Offline
              gohan
              Mod
              wrote on last edited by
              #20

              Actually flashing light into eyes of a night mammal could indeed blind it temporarily as the eye takes time to go back to "low light" mode, not to mention being exposed to light may give off his position to any nearby predator. Anyway cats don't seem to be bothered but maybe something else is more susceptible to these kind of disturbances

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              • NeverDieN Offline
                NeverDieN Offline
                NeverDie
                Hero Member
                wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                #21

                I think a "sure fire" scare tactic would be to have an RC car race out and make a rukus near wherever animal activity is detected. If it could actually chase after the animal, then even better. It would require a whole different level of sophistication, but it's no longer pure science fiction either.

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                • gohanG Offline
                  gohanG Offline
                  gohan
                  Mod
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #22

                  That would be an interesting project but it is gonna be much complex

                  sundberg84S 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • gohanG gohan

                    That would be an interesting project but it is gonna be much complex

                    sundberg84S Offline
                    sundberg84S Offline
                    sundberg84
                    Hardware Contributor
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #23

                    @gohan, @NeverDie - I just love the way this project evolves :) RC Cars and blinding leds... wonder where its going to end! I hope you get rid of the animals! And if you ever build - pictures!!!

                    Controller: Proxmox VM - Home Assistant
                    MySensors GW: Arduino Uno - W5100 Ethernet, Gw Shield Nrf24l01+ 2,4Ghz
                    MySensors GW: Arduino Uno - Gw Shield RFM69, 433mhz
                    RFLink GW - Arduino Mega + RFLink Shield, 433mhz

                    NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • mfalkviddM Offline
                      mfalkviddM Offline
                      mfalkvidd
                      Mod
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #24

                      It might be time to level up :)
                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPgqfnKG_T4

                      sundberg84S 1 Reply Last reply
                      1
                      • mfalkviddM mfalkvidd

                        It might be time to level up :)
                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPgqfnKG_T4

                        sundberg84S Offline
                        sundberg84S Offline
                        sundberg84
                        Hardware Contributor
                        wrote on last edited by sundberg84
                        #25

                        @mfalkvidd - this is gold! Love the Sentry water gun idea!

                        Controller: Proxmox VM - Home Assistant
                        MySensors GW: Arduino Uno - W5100 Ethernet, Gw Shield Nrf24l01+ 2,4Ghz
                        MySensors GW: Arduino Uno - Gw Shield RFM69, 433mhz
                        RFLink GW - Arduino Mega + RFLink Shield, 433mhz

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                        • sundberg84S sundberg84

                          @gohan, @NeverDie - I just love the way this project evolves :) RC Cars and blinding leds... wonder where its going to end! I hope you get rid of the animals! And if you ever build - pictures!!!

                          NeverDieN Offline
                          NeverDieN Offline
                          NeverDie
                          Hero Member
                          wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                          #26

                          @sundberg84 said in How to detect wild animal pests in a windy garden?:

                          @gohan, @NeverDie - I just love the way this project evolves RC Cars and blinding leds... wonder where its going to end!

                          Oh, we've barely scratched the surface. That's why I'm hoping other people will add some ideas to the brainstorm. The more the merrier!

                          I kinda like the idea of having a jack-in-the-box fire off in the vicinity. That's sure to scare the bejeasus out of whatever critter wants to munch the plants. It would have to be able to re-arm itself automatically afterward though, because re-arming it manually would get tiresome in a hurry.

                          sundberg84S 1 Reply Last reply
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                          • gohanG Offline
                            gohanG Offline
                            gohan
                            Mod
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #27

                            the auto tracking water gun it is an "old" project but it could be an option

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                            • NeverDieN NeverDie

                              @sundberg84 said in How to detect wild animal pests in a windy garden?:

                              @gohan, @NeverDie - I just love the way this project evolves RC Cars and blinding leds... wonder where its going to end!

                              Oh, we've barely scratched the surface. That's why I'm hoping other people will add some ideas to the brainstorm. The more the merrier!

                              I kinda like the idea of having a jack-in-the-box fire off in the vicinity. That's sure to scare the bejeasus out of whatever critter wants to munch the plants. It would have to be able to re-arm itself automatically afterward though, because re-arming it manually would get tiresome in a hurry.

                              sundberg84S Offline
                              sundberg84S Offline
                              sundberg84
                              Hardware Contributor
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #28

                              @NeverDie - How about something like a water pistol directly connected to a water hose? Maybe a bit to much water and a couple of false triggers and the plants will get enough water so survive a year... or drown.

                              Controller: Proxmox VM - Home Assistant
                              MySensors GW: Arduino Uno - W5100 Ethernet, Gw Shield Nrf24l01+ 2,4Ghz
                              MySensors GW: Arduino Uno - Gw Shield RFM69, 433mhz
                              RFLink GW - Arduino Mega + RFLink Shield, 433mhz

                              NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • sundberg84S sundberg84

                                @NeverDie - How about something like a water pistol directly connected to a water hose? Maybe a bit to much water and a couple of false triggers and the plants will get enough water so survive a year... or drown.

                                NeverDieN Offline
                                NeverDieN Offline
                                NeverDie
                                Hero Member
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #29

                                @sundberg84 said in How to detect wild animal pests in a windy garden?:

                                @NeverDie - How about something like a water pistol directly connected to a water hose? Maybe a bit to much water and a couple of false triggers and the plants will get enough water so survive a year... or drown.

                                That's almost the current situation with the motion activated sprinkler (see photo in OP). To the designer's credit, it's a very aggressive sprinkler, not one of the lazy, slow moving types we're all familiar with.

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                                • Richard JohnsonR Offline
                                  Richard JohnsonR Offline
                                  Richard Johnson
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #30

                                  I oder the LIGHT IT by Fulcrum 20034-104 Motion Sensor Porch Light from https://stoppestinfo.com/372-best-raccoon-repellents.html .
                                  I used it during one month and it work well, using the light like a repeller from raccoons. So i hear about one more way it is a water repeller, but still don't know how it work (i mean good or not))
                                  Any suggestion?

                                  NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • Richard JohnsonR Richard Johnson

                                    I oder the LIGHT IT by Fulcrum 20034-104 Motion Sensor Porch Light from https://stoppestinfo.com/372-best-raccoon-repellents.html .
                                    I used it during one month and it work well, using the light like a repeller from raccoons. So i hear about one more way it is a water repeller, but still don't know how it work (i mean good or not))
                                    Any suggestion?

                                    NeverDieN Offline
                                    NeverDieN Offline
                                    NeverDie
                                    Hero Member
                                    wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                                    #31

                                    @Richard-Johnson said in How to detect wild animal pests in a windy garden?:

                                    I oder the LIGHT IT by Fulcrum 20034-104 Motion Sensor Porch Light from https://stoppestinfo.com/372-best-raccoon-repellents.html .
                                    I used it during one month and it work well, using the light like a repeller from raccoons. So i hear about one more way it is a water repeller, but still don't know how it work (i mean good or not))
                                    Any suggestion?

                                    This thing actually did seem to work quite well:
                                    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072LW4VWV/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=wwwmysensorso-20
                                    Scared the skunk away at least a couple times. The one I bought from aliexpress was total junk though.

                                    The water repeller thing may have helped. it's hard to know really.

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                                    • wallyllamaW Offline
                                      wallyllamaW Offline
                                      wallyllama
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #32

                                      @gohan do not judge anything by how it bothers cats. In my experience the only thing that bothers them is if you dont feed them or if you throw away their cardboard box.

                                      The rc car would should work for most critters, really anything that makes a sudden motion should.

                                      Side note raccoons are the only animal less bothered by people than cats.

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                                      • gohanG Offline
                                        gohanG Offline
                                        gohan
                                        Mod
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #33

                                        I think I may buy a drone electric motor and propellers that will activate when PIR is fired :D

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                                        • NeverDieN Offline
                                          NeverDieN Offline
                                          NeverDie
                                          Hero Member
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #34

                                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cphGWOPi0k

                                          TerrenceT 1 Reply Last reply
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