How To Build A Zapper For Garden Squirrels

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squirrel zapper

Discussion in 'Electronic Basics' started by atk123, Jun 30, 2005.

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Hi,

Can anyone help me with making a device that will allow me to shock
squirrels on my birdfeeder. Nothing lethel, just a little jolt that would
keep them away. I found these instructions for making a toy shocker, but
can't figure out the wiring. Can anyone help me with this?

Shocker Instructions

These instructions will show you how to build a 9V-powered shocker; the
parts I specify will generate a quick, minor, non-painful burst, but it
could be adapted easily to increase the power of the "zap".

Parts needed:

1 9V battery
1 10K resistor
1 transformer (Radio Shack #273-1380)
1 relay (Radio Shack #275-241)
1 22F capacitor (Radio Shack #272-1026)
1 momentary switch (suggestion: Radio Shack #275-1571)
1 9V battery connector (Radio Shack #270-325)

Plus a soldering iron, a few bits of wire as needed, and a box to put it in

Total cost, without the soldering iron: about $10.

Here is the circuit itself; sorry that the ASCII representation is so
painful to look at (using high ASCII chars it's a lot more readable):

N.O. N.C.
[=========]
+-----------[-- --]-----------+
| [ / ] |
+-----------[[email protected]@@@@@@-]------+ | (contacts)
(batt) | [ / ] | | +-----------------------o
----------- + [ | ] | | | +--VVVVVV---o
----- - [=========] | | | | (resistor)
| | (relay) | | | |
| --- | | | | |
| v --- (cap) | | [email protected]@@@@@@@@-+
| --- | | | ========= (transformer)
+---- -----------(-----------+ [email protected]@@@@---+
| (switch) | |
+----------------+---------------------------------+

Can anyone interpret this for me? I want to rig up a device with a button
inside the house that we can push when we see squirrels on the feeder to
send a little jolt into them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Andrew

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One question...why do you want to do this? Squirrels and birds
co-exist in nature, sharing some food choices. Why do you want to
artificially alter this?
We go for nature walks most weekends, and we see many squirrels and
birds, and we put out food for them. I just question why you have a
hate on for the squirrels. Are they not a beautiful part of nature
just like birds?

Tom
I agree with Tom - try and figure out a more inventive and less harmful
solution (remember squirrels are very smart!). Even Idi Amin liked
animals. In an interview with Sir David Frost many years ago he was
asked whether he was happy. His answer was:
"I hef luf foh de animilce and de animilce hef luf foh me - I'm a heppy
man!"
fred
Not to start an off topic flame war but those who feed wild animals are not
helping them at all.
J Guest

Well shyuks ... them squarrels go and eat up all the feed corn we been
puttin out fer them purty flyin things ...
Try here.
http://www.bugspray.com/article/squirrels.html
They have everything from poison and kill traps to fox urine to keep
em away along with lots of hints on squirrel proffing things.
Those nasty little things chewed a big hole through the roof of my
house and took up residence in the attic. While in there they chewed
through the wiring for the powered attic vent. Lucky they didn't burn
the house down. I fixed the hole and they chewed another hole and tore
up an attic vent to get back in. Don't tell me how cute and natual
they are, I don't want hear it. This time I put a motion detector that
sounds an old school bell and starts a strobe light up in the attic.
Now I wait for em to trigger it and shoot em with a BB gun when I see
em run off. A couple more weeks of this and they might get the hint
and I can fix everything again.
they are tree rats dumb ass. Barely woth the time and effort to kill and
EAT. But much smarter than you.
Well, Tom...when the Department of Wildlife puts up a sign saying I
shouldn't feed them, I'll discontinue the practice, but until then,
the family and I will continue to enjoy ourselves in this way.
How does your statement (which I disagree with) relate to bird
feeders?

Tom
Your intelligence is only matched by your eloquence and spelling
ability.
I just hope I don't get burned by "Tom's Law" here.

Tom
Hi Tom,
I will not pursue this discussion here. You will do what you will. Wild
means "wild". Visit any "wildlife preserve" and you will learn.
My statements do not relate to bird feeders at all. I am off topic. I
respect you as a contributor to SEB, I will not discuss this issue here.
Very best regards,
Tom
Just wanted to let you know, before I discontinue as well, that I have
done a little digging, and there is merit in your argument, some say
depending on circumstances, but there is merit there. I will be
continuing to investigate, with the thoughts that I may at least alter
some aspects of my hobby. Take care.
Tom

Tom
Thanks Tom,
Keep up the good work helping beginning electronics students.
Please remember, everything we do effects the world, good, bad who knows.
How much? Who knows?
Regards,
Tom
Guest

what the **** do you have against the squirrels ??? They have just as
much right to that bird feeder as the birds do....
---
No, they don't. It's a bird feeder, not a squirrel feeder. If the
fucking squirrels knew their place they'd be lining up at the squirrel
feeder instead of trying to take the easy way out by taking
away from the birds what is the birds' due.
Goddam squirrels, who the **** do they think they are???
i say a little plasma discharge rings on the poles should
wake them up a bit.
--Go to a Yardbirds store; go to the rat trap and rhodent
abatement section in the garden department. Victor makes a widget
called a "rat zapper" or something like that; sells for about $50.-.
Runs on batteries, works great for rats, so oughtta work for squirrels,
too, as they're about the same size and ought to fit into the trap.
With some bird feeders, if a squirrel can get at it, ALL the feed is dumped
on the ground and the birds the feeder was designed for get nothing.
Plus, the feeder has to be refilled every time a squirrel gets at it.
You can buy a collar for the feeder that will keep squirrels off. Looks
like a cymbal from a drum kit. This will defeat most squirrels.
*NOT*. PBS presented a great documentary about 10 years ago showing an
obstacle course made up of all then known squirrel foils - including the
collar you mention. After about three trial runs the tenacious little
fuckers ran circles around it.
Bob

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