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AgentOrange
04-30-2015, 05:53 PM
The last weeks had an aggressive Coon who has been able to tear down some feeders from my deck. I like my critters, but can't have that if I want to feed the birds. A hundred dollar feeder falling from up here eventually destroys it.

He has been hard to catch, but I got him yesterday and relocated him.
I have moved many, and I hate to do that.
I have long hangers to get the feeders out of reach, but Coons and some possums are very good athletes.

A better solution was needed, so after a few days and a few beers, came up with an old idea. As a kid out in the woods and fields, occasionally I would hit a fence that was electric.
That gets ones attention.

Could I do that here in the Catbird house?
Maybe. Today I ran a single wire 12 inches up from the top rail that is powered by two flash light batteries. I guess that is 3 volts, not enough to harm any thing including my cat. It is the same voltage in dog collars. I can turn it on just at night for "training". I understand that I will forget and also be "trained" from time to time:chargrined:.

Will this approach work? Time will tell.

Rorschach
05-02-2015, 05:24 PM
i think that is not legal

AgentOrange
05-16-2015, 03:22 PM
After a couple weeks, the electric fence has been a complete success.
The single strand wire has kept the critters off my feeders at night. No one has yet breached the defense line. This could easily be set up to guard any feeder including those on a pole.
I flip it on when I bring in my cat and then off when I get up. During the day it is not active.