So this might be one of the more unusual requests.....
I have a large patio with a small centerpiece - where I have some small plants, mulch and decorative stones nicely arranged.
Problem is that squirrels like that area to dig in it and make a mess of my perfect arrangement.

I understand they are pretty smart animals actually so since other methods (coyote urine, some other repellent) didn't work - I want to electrify this small patch of ground with a wire mesh....not to kill them but to teach them not to come there.
If I can get it done so that it shocks them - after several attempts I know they will stop coming and digging.
The area is only about 6x4 feet
My main problem is that I am not sure how to energize a wire that are resting on the ground....
Any ideas ??

Thank you !!

 

Go to your local farm supply and get an electric fence charger.
Anything connected directly to your 120 power is just asking for trouble to kill a human.

 

We is to use two conductive plates and a car battery for a dirty mouse trap. Set it up so they have to stand on plate 1 to reach plate 2. The circuit kind of just resets itself.

Joed does have the probably more appropriate approach.

 

Here's the best solution, but you'll have to do a little design work to adapt it to your patio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Ya6z-NlDo

 

I don't know how much resistance a squirrel body has, but I do know a human can touch both battery posts on a car battery and feel nothing.

Of course, conditions will vary depending on if the skin is wet, etc.

 

Electric fences use thousands of volts and are completely insulated and isolated from AC house power hot and neutral. They must also be constructed so "both" electrodes do not touch the ground or grounded objects at the same time.

In the video, every time the squirrel get zapped at the feeder he jostles the feeder and food is splashed off onto the ground and then he or other squirrels get to eat.

 

They make shock mats for dog training, I’m not sure exactly how they work but that might be something to look into.

 

Before you go through that kind of expense and trouble (and possibly illegal) try using a motion control light. Even in day light it might enough to deter them.

 

thanks Norm - that's actually a really good idea with the light

Appreciate all the feedback and also will look into the mats for dog training.
To be sure - I never intended to use AC source....I have marine battery and also a Sun panel with a regulator that I could hack....but my problem was making the positive and negative work on the ground and yet not closing the loop until the animal steps on it.....

 

Squirrels won't be deterred by a light if you can even find one triggered by something small like a squirrel. The electric fence option is the best suggestion. These do not require two wires but one suspended/bare wire insulated from the ground and a ground rod. The shock is created when the animal touches the bare wire and the dirt.

I used to have a small dog that loved to dig under the wood fence. After it got out a few times the experience grew old. To protect the dog from escaping and getting hit by a car, etc. I installed the smallest electric fence controller I could find at H.D. I attached the bare wire about 4-6" off the ground along the bottom of the fence so the dog's back would have to touch it during her escape.

As for proof it worked, after just a couple shocks when we picked up the dog and even walked near the wood fence she'd squirm to get away from us. She knew if she got too close to the fence she'd get zapped.

For the squirrels, rather than depend on a single wire they could jump over, I'd use some chicken wire suspended on long plastic stakes. The wire shouldn't touch anything conductive or the dirt, ONLY the plastic stakes. The gap between the dirt and wire should be maybe 1-2". If the squirrels touch the wire and the dirt, they get zapped. If you touch the wire it'll hurt a bit but it's not enough current to cause a burn or other damage. The unit I used was about the size of a tissue box. They have much larger ones for miles of cattle fencing but this small unit was good for around several hundred feet. A quick search shows they're still available and for under $40.