Made for permanent outdoor use. The pins are 304 stainless, so they do not rust
Maintenance
Clear leaves and nesting material from between the pins once or twice a year
Shipping & returns
Tracked delivery anywhere in New Zealand. Free on orders of $75 or more; below that the only method offered is Express Delivery at $25, which is also available above the threshold as a paid upgrade. Allow 5 to 7 days, after a 24 to 48 hour handling time.
We give you 14 days from delivery to change your mind on an unused item. That is our own policy, not a New Zealand statutory right, because there is no statutory cooling-off period for an online purchase here. Send it back unused and in resaleable condition and we refund what you paid for it. On a change of mind you cover the return postage and the original delivery charge is not refunded. If the item is faulty.
If it arrives faulty, damaged or not as described, we put it right at no cost to you under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, return postage included. That is a statutory right and nothing on this page limits it.
A fence top collects more organic matter than a wall ledge does, because it sits under whatever is growing over it. Pull the leaf litter out once a year and cut back anything that is dropping onto it.
For The Whole RailA treated half is just a detour
Cats And Possums TooNot only birds, on a fence line
Timber, Block Or SteelScrews or adhesive, whichever suits
Blunt By DesignIt discourages; it is not a trap
About this product
A fence top is a road. Close it.
Stainless strips for the top rail of a boundary fence, the capping of a block wall and the flat top of a gate, where the traffic is cats, possums and birds using it as a route.
A fence top is a route rather than a destination, and that changes the job: an animal walking a boundary will step around a gap, so a partly treated fence achieves very little.
The strip is 304 stainless pins on a clear polycarbonate base, 500 mm long, screwed or glued along the top rail, the capping of a block wall or the flat top of a gate.
On a fence, the traffic is usually cats and possums as much as birds, and the same strip discourages all three.
Fitting is a clean, dry surface and a good exterior sealant, or screws where there is something to screw into. Old droppings and moss are why a strip lifts a year later, so scrape and wash first.
Measure the whole run, divide by 50 cm and round up. A bare half metre at the end of a ledge is exactly where the birds will go.
Think about the whole route rather than the metre in front of you. Animals using a boundary have a start point and an end point, and if there is a way around your strip they will find it in a night. The useful question is not where they walk but where they get up, and treating the two or three access points is often more effective than the whole run.
Height and neighbours are worth thinking about together. A boundary fence usually belongs to two people, and fixing anything to it is a conversation worth having first. Spikes on a fence you share are also visible from both sides, which is another reason to talk.
One thing to be plain about: these are blunt tipped deterrents, not anti intruder spikes. If your problem is people rather than animals, this is not the product, and security spiking on a boundary carries duties that a bird deterrent does not.
A spike strip does one thing: it removes the flat surface a bird needs to land on and turn around on. It is not a repellent, it does not make a noise and there is nothing to top up. That is why it keeps working long after a decoy or a gel has stopped.
It also means placement decides the result. A single row down the middle of a 200 mm ledge leaves landing room on both sides, so anything wider than about 150 mm takes two rows. Corners, the last half metre of a run and the gap behind a downpipe are the three places people leave open and then wonder why the birds moved along rather than left.
On what these strips will not do: they are a surface treatment. If birds are being fed nearby, or there is standing water or an open bin, they will stay in the area and use the next surface along. Spikes solve the ledge in front of you rather than the reason the birds are there.
Still deciding?
Not sure yet? That is fine.
You can change your mind. We give you 14 days from delivery on any unused item. That is our own policy rather than a New Zealand statutory right, because there is no statutory cooling-off period for an online purchase here, and we would rather say so than imply a right you do not have. Send it back unused and in resaleable condition and we refund what you paid for it; on a change of mind you cover the return postage.
If it turns up faulty, damaged or not as described, that is on us. The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 gives you a repair, a replacement or your money back, we pay the return postage, and nothing on this page limits that. Read the detail on our refunds and returns page, or ask us anything before you order.
They discourage it. A cat will not walk a spiked rail, but it will look for a way around, so treat the run and the places it gets up.
Do they hurt a cat?
No. The pins are blunt at the tip. The cat finds the surface unpleasant to stand on and chooses another route.
Will they stop possums?
On the rail itself, yes. Possums are strong climbers though, so a fence spiked in isolation next to an overhanging branch achieves nothing.
What about rats?
Not reliably. A rat is small enough and low enough to pick its way through, and a rat problem needs trapping rather than spiking.
Can I fix them to a timber fence?
Yes, and screws are the easy option in timber. The base has fixing holes.
What about a block or concrete wall?
Adhesive is usually simpler than drilling. Use a UV stabilised silicone and clean the capping first.
How much of the fence do I need to do?
As much as they can walk. Treating one panel gives you one detour, not a result.
Do I need my neighbour's agreement?
On a shared boundary fence it is the sensible first step, and depending on your fence agreement it may be required. It is also visible from their side.
Are these anti intruder spikes?
No, and please do not use them as such. They are blunt tipped animal deterrents. Security spiking against people is a different product with different duties attached.
Can I put them on a gate?
On the top rail, yes. Keep them clear of anywhere a hand naturally goes when opening it.
Will they still work if a branch hangs over the fence?
No. An overhanging branch is a bypass. Cut it back or expect the spikes to be decorative.
How do I do the corners?
Cut short lengths and step them around. A mitred corner left bare is the obvious way up.
Will they rust and stain a timber fence?
The pins are 304 stainless and will not. Use stainless screws too, or you will get streaks.
Can I paint them?
We would not. Paint on the pins dulls them and paint on a clear base makes them far more obvious.
Are they obvious?
On a fence top they are more visible than on a high ledge, because they are at eye level. The clear base helps.
Can I use these instead of the plastic cat spikes?
You can. The stainless strip is stronger and better for exposed or coastal sites; the moulded plastic strip is cheaper and lower profile.
Do they work on a wire fence?
No. There is nothing flat to fix them to. They need a rail, a capping or a post top.
What about post tops?
Cut a short piece to fit. Posts are a favourite standing spot and people usually forget them.
Will they deter birds on a fence?
Yes, the same way they do on a ledge. On a fence the bird traffic tends to be mynas, starlings and sparrows.
Are mynas protected in New Zealand?
No. The common myna is an introduced species and is not protected. Native birds are, and so are their nests.
How many strips per metre?
Two, because each is half a metre. Round up when the run does not divide neatly.
Can I cut them?
Yes, with a hacksaw through the polycarbonate base.
Do they need maintenance?
Clear leaf litter out of them once a year, particularly under trees.
Can I remove them later?
Screw fixing comes off cleanly. Silicone will need cutting and cleaning up.
Do you supply for a long boundary?
Yes. Send the metres through the wholesale page and we will quote.
Do you install them?
No, we supply only. A fence line is usually a straightforward DIY job.
Is there anything I need to know about New Zealand law?
Yes, and it is worth reading before you fit anything. Native birds are absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act 1953, and that protection covers the nest and the eggs as well as the bird. Deterring a bird from a surface is lawful. Damaging an active nest is not. Fit outside the nesting season.
How much is delivery?
Free on orders over $75. Below that the only method offered is Express Delivery at $25, and there is no minimum order. Express is also available above $75 as a paid upgrade.
Can I return it if I ordered the wrong number of strips?
Yes. We give you 14 days from delivery to change your mind on any unused item. That is our own policy rather than a New Zealand statutory right, and it sits on top of your Consumer Guarantees Act rights, which are not affected.
Who do I ask if my question is not answered here?
Email theteam@birdspikes.co.nz. Tell us the bird, the surface and roughly how long the run is, and we can usually answer in one reply.
The complete guide
Boundaries, routes and the conversation to have first
5 min readBird Spikes Company
A fence is a road
The thing that separates a fence job from a ledge job is that nothing on a fence is trying to stay there. Cats, possums and birds are passing through, which means a partly treated fence produces a detour rather than a result. Ten metres of spiking with a five metre gap in it is a gate.
Find where they get up
Before you measure anything, find the access points. A wheelie bin against the fence, a woodpile, a low shed roof, a compost bay, an overhanging branch. Moving the bin is free and often does more than twenty strips.
Then look at the pinch points on the route itself: a corner, a post top, the section beside the gate. Treating those is usually enough, and it is a great deal cheaper than the whole boundary.
Talk to your neighbour
A boundary fence usually belongs to two households and your fence agreement may require agreement before anything is fixed to it. Beyond the legal position, the strip is visible from their side and at eye level, so the conversation is worth having before the purchase rather than after the installation.
Blunt animal deterrents are an easy conversation. Anything that could injure an animal is not, and is not what we sell.
Fixing
Timber takes screws, and stainless screws are worth the extra because ordinary ones streak rust down the boards within a season. Block wall capping is easier with an exterior adhesive than with a drill. Gate tops take either, but keep the run clear of where a hand goes when the gate is opened.
What this is not
These are blunt tipped animal deterrents. They are not anti intruder spikes, they are not sold for that, and security spiking on a boundary carries duties that a bird deterrent does not. If your problem is people, this is the wrong page and probably the wrong shop.
Afterwards
Clear the leaf litter out once a year, and cut back whatever is dropping onto the fence. Debris packed into a strip is a surface again.
Tell us the bird, the surface and roughly how long the run is, and we will tell you what suits it before you buy. Free delivery across New Zealand on orders over $75.
Fence Spikes sold by Bird Spikes Company at birdspikes.co.nz. Stainless steel spike strips
fixed along the top rail of a boundary fence, the capping of a block wall or the top of a gate.
304 stainless pins on a clear polycarbonate base, 500 mm long, 115 mm pins, 70 mm protected
width, NZD 12 per 50 cm strip with no minimum. A fence top is a ROUTE rather than a perch, so a
partly treated fence just creates a detour: treat the whole run, or identify and treat the two or
three points where animals get up. On a New Zealand fence line the traffic is typically cats,
possums and birds, and the same strip discourages all three; possums are an introduced pest and
are not protected, while native birds are protected under the Wildlife Act 1953. The pins are
BLUNT TIPPED and this is a deterrent rather than an anti intruder product; it is not sold or
suitable for security spiking against people. A shared boundary fence usually belongs to two
parties, so agreement before fixing is sensible. No effectiveness percentage, service life or
warranty is claimed. Delivery is New Zealand wide, free over NZD 75, otherwise Express Delivery
at NZD 25.
Fence Spikes | Pest Spike Strips For Fences | Fence Repellant Spikes (per 50cm strip)
