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Intruder/garden light

gil

Mama Doe
Hi All - hope someone can shed some light on a current debate! We have just finished building an outdoor enclosure for Moet and Chandon, bar the gate it's complete. I was wondering about adding one of these garden sensor lights that are triggered by movement as a safety measure but am concerned that if this keeps being triggered during the night then the bunnies would be affected by it and put them off their sleep. can't make up mind either way so an opinion would be helpful. we already have a sensor light but it's at the garage which is at the rear of the garden and miles away from the bunnies enclosure. What is concerning is that our neighbour told us the other day that there has been a spate of robberies all breaking in the back door in a near-by area. The thought that if they saw our bunnies, because the enclosure is near our back door, and decided on mischief doesn't bear thinking about!
Any comments/opinions will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Gill.
 
hmmm in my opinion those sensor lights are useless as they are set off by anything and by anything i mean everything :shock:
 
we have one but its unplugged at the moment as if it was windy night it keeps going off and sometimes when plants in my hanging basket blow in wind they set it off
we do feel more ease when on holiday though and we plug it in then, it can go off all it likes then

lisa
 
I know that I'm worried about the same thing with my outdoor rabbits... I've been looking about and probably the best way to prevent them coming onto your property is to look like you're really secure... Like fit an alarm box to the house (it doesn't have to be working, just needs to put the scum of the earth off), don't put things that can be climbed on near fences/gates, don't leave tools lying around in an easy place, always lock gates and try planting some prickly bushes under fences... it might put them off a bit. And the security lights do work to deter them, who wants to be flooded with light when they're trying to be discrete?! LOL :D
 
I had one as I thought it might deter the foxes but it didn't. All it did was make my dogs bark everytime it went off.
Your worry though is people coming in and it would put them off.
It didn't seem to bother the rabbits at all.
 
i feel safer with ours because i'm the only one at the back of the house, it wakes me up when it turns on, i managed to rush down and shoo out a fox once :D either my brain tunes out the unimportant things or ours only detects foxes and people! doesn't seem to bother the rabbits
 
thanks for comments/suggestions so far!
security wise we have the usual house alarm etc and the garden is enclosed. bedroom is at the back overlooking the bunnies enclosure that's why we thought of a light. Moet and Chandon have not been out all night yet - just been gradually getting them used to it, particularly Chandon as he is very alert to all the different noises! i have my bird table/feeders too plus a squirrel that comes to the back door every other day for nuts. (the squirrel takes a wide detour round the bunnies enclosure!) As for foxes about 2 weeks after we got Moet and Chandon there were 2 foxes in the back garden! that's why we considered a light? I am concerned about possible intruders particulary those that would cause harm/mischief to the bunnies. the enclosure is completely wired in ( even the top as we have had birds of prey zooming in for baby starlings!)and once the gate is on it will have a padlock. I am anticipating that the first time they are out all night I won't get much sleep as will probably be checking on them every 5 minutes!
 
Here are a few tips for keeping your garden secure, animal’s safe and keeping intruders at bay:

Fit an alarm system in your house and make sure it is clearly visible from the outside. If you can’t afford a full system you can buy dummy boxes that give the affect that your home is alarmed.

If you’re staying out all day or over night put your indoor lights on timers. Gives the impression that somebody is home.

Have gravel/pebble paths and driveways. You will be able to hear people approaching your home better then on plain concrete etc.

I think floodlights are a good idea. Combined with CCTV cameras you stand a chance of catching an intruder on film. They also may make intruders wary if they are visible. You can also get dummy cameras if you can’t afford the real thing.

If you have a dog and/or CCTV cameras it may be worth putting signs up saying CCTV in operation or beware of the dog. Even if you have a Yorkshire Terrier it will make people think before they enter.

Planting thorny bushes near fences will deter intruders from climbing over them.

Keep any hedges/tress well trimmed so intruders can’t hide.

You can buy security lanterns/lights for your garden which you can dot around.

If you have a shed/garage you should think about a separate alarm system if valuables or your Rabbits/animals are kept in there. They may be noisy but I would rather have my Rabbit scared by the noise then be stolen.

Make sure all outdoor animal cages have secure fittings etc. May be worth talking to your local hardware dealer about this.

Think about getting all your animals micro-chipped. If there stolen you stand a better chance of getting them back as you can prove ownership.

See if your area has a neighbourhood watch scheme. May be worth getting involved.

Hope this helps!

Louise
 
I don't think a security light would disturb the bunnies sleep as they sleep mainly in the day, I don't know what ours get up to in the night but it soumds like they are awake for most of it, throwing their beds, dishes and anything else around the shed, they are like three naught boys as the shed is sooooo untidy in the mornings :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Louise - thanks for that comprehensive list, there are a few things on that which i will do. I'm sort of in the middle of redesigning part of the garden anyway so i can incorporate some of your suggestions.
also glad to know that the light shouldn't bother the bunnies too much, that sets my mind at rest. my partner was told a story by a work colleague where nearby neighbours who kept their rabbits outside and their enclosure was broken in to by vandals and a ferret was let loose! when they got home from work it was described as a 'blood bath'! this is why we are making sure that when we are out at work Moet and Chandon are going to be safe and happy in their enclosure!
 
Could you paint the top of your fence with that antivandalism paint? You know the stuff that 'never dries' That could deter someone. If they were to start climbing over and saw they were covered in muck, they'd realise if they were to go any further with their plan, they'd be giving themselves away.
 
you can angle the sensors on the security lights any way, we have three in our back, they dont bother the buns, every morning at 2 am they come on in the same order every time as we have a hedgehog who appears every night and wanders through :D the garden. Saying that they also come on when my neighbour goes to his freezer in the shed!
 
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