Our Perimeter Was Breached!
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| 30 May 2024 |
"There's a rabbit eating my peas!"
Not much of a good morning greeting from my wife.
I stepped out onto the deck and made some noise. The rabbit didn't even twitch. But after a few seconds, it decided that the best option was to vamoose and so it hopped across to the far side of the garden, hopped right through the fence and disappeared down into the woods.
I then dutifully donned my shoes, grabbed my electric fence tester and went to the nearest side of the garden which was the opposite side from the solar fence charger. I put the probe on the fence and got nothing. I touched it with my finger and also felt nothing. Hmm.
I walked around to the charger side and looked at the control panel. It was charged but wasn't sending out any charges according to the display. Then I noticed the little red alligator clip that is supposed to be clipped to the leads on the fence. It was clipped to the side of the charger instead. My wife, who had been out there weeding a couple days earlier, had disconnected it and forgot to reconnect it. So I reconnected it and tested it with my probe. 4400 volts.
I walked around to the opposite side and touched it with my probe. Nothing. Touched it with my finger. Yes, it is most definitely getting volts. Pushed the ground of my probe a bit further into the soil and touched it again with the probe. 4200 volts.
I think that is enough to prevent the rabbit from revisiting.
"I think that is enough to prevent the rabbit from revisiting"... Hell, it's enough to fry the rabbit! So have some side dishes ready. In England we like to have rabbit with a creamy cider sauce.
ReplyDeleteSince writing this, the rabbit has returned, I cranked it up to full power of 5000 volts and the rabbit has still returned. I think this rabbit must be wearing insulated paws.
DeleteI am curious about this fence. Is it something he simply jumps over?
ReplyDeleteI have chased him out twice and he simply jumps through one of the netting squares wiggling his way out. I'm not sure how the rabbit is not getting shocked. Perhaps the thick hair is acting as an insulator?
DeleteI see from the comment above, that the wascally wabbit is still winning.
ReplyDeleteHe has won. Our peas are nearly decimated at this point.
DeleteYou need a dog. They're pretty effective if they're paying attention.
ReplyDeleteYes a dog or a gun and a fondness for rabbit stew. Unfortunately the latter is illegal since I am barely inside the city limits.
DeleteRabbits are clever and stubborn animals. They were chosen as certain mons (heraldry) in medieval Japan for their speed, ferocity, and cleverness.
ReplyDeleteAre the shock proof as well?
DeleteMy goodness a smart shock proof rabbit:)
ReplyDeleteThat or it is an apparition of a rabbit!
DeleteYour bunny must be a politician! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteAt least it isn't more than 4000 a day crossing my fence.
DeleteShock that pesky rabbit into reality!
ReplyDeleteAt this point, the peas are mostly gone. I just hope it doesn't go onto the next best thing.
DeleteThat is a strong rabbit! Is his name Peter? (which makes you Mr. McGregor)
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about that book in decades. I suppose it still is out there.
DeleteWow! I can't believe the rabbit is getting past that forcefield!
ReplyDeleteI can't either. The force is strong with that one, which probably means I am it's Darth Vader.
DeleteIs there such a thing as a rabbit trap? Still, they are so cute...
ReplyDeleteWell there are live animal traps but I don't have any and I'm not sure a rabbit is casual enough to hop into one.
DeletePlease change your blogger name from Ed to Mister McGregor. Just for gardening season.
ReplyDeleteNow that you and Margaret mention him, I'm going to have to see if I can find that book again to reread.
DeleteMy father had to resort to 4 foot high chicken wire buried at least 6 inches into the ground to keep rabbits out of his veg patch. Problem was that deer then took over as the pest du hour, and keeping them out was a lot more difficult.
ReplyDeleteThat is my dilemma as well since I have post pests around in numbers. If I had to choose, I would rather keep the deer out.
DeleteI haven't tried an electric fence onto wire... that's interesting. I wonder if it would keep the groundhog away, as it has eaten through the chicken wire at the bottom of the heavy fence to keep the deer out.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about groundhogs as I don't have any in my yard fortunately. I do have moles and I have been worried about them but thus far, they have avoided the garden area. They are so random though I don't know if it has been luck thus far or perhaps the electric netting is sending charges into the ground and creating a barrier underneath the surface too.
DeleteThat should definitely do the trick for the bun buns.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it didn't. Perhaps they have buns of non-conductive steel.
DeleteMy days of chasing away herbivores from my allotment , exhausting as they were , are now over
ReplyDeleteHopefully I have a few years left in me.
DeleteWell, at least it was an easy fix!
ReplyDeleteWow! This really must be the year of the rabbit. My daughter just sent me a photo of the Thai basil she planted while we were there. It had been eaten down to the numb.
ReplyDelete