ᐅ Lawn mowing robot is here – which one do you use and what are your thoughts on it?

Hello

I haven't read the entire thread, so I'm not sure if this topic has already been discussed:
Lawnmower robots and hedgehogs. You hear the most bizarre things about this. Are lawnmower robots actually dangerous for hedgehogs? I don't have a lawnmower robot yet, but I'm considering buying one.
Are they inherently dangerous to hedgehogs, or only certain models, or is this just a myth?

Steven

Not dangerous if enough sensors/technology are installed. Alternatively, have it mow during the day. Nothing happens with the small blades anyway.

I finally managed to install our Work M700, which I bought at New Year 2020. Installing it on our lawn area (~250m² (2,690 sq ft)) took about two evenings. I spent another three to four evenings optimizing the boundary wire. I am very satisfied. Especially the edge mowing function is great for cutting close to objects.

The mower also has to handle a slope leading to our upper lawn area. I had to make some adjustments to the access path for that. But now I'm happy not to have to mow anymore.

Steven schrieb:

Hello

I haven’t read the entire thread, so I’m not sure if this topic has already been discussed:
Lawn mowers and hedgehogs. There are some pretty strange stories going around. Is a robotic lawn mower actually dangerous for hedgehogs? I don’t have one (yet), but I’m considering buying one.
Are they inherently dangerous for hedgehogs, or only certain models, or is it just a myth?

Steven

This can definitely be a real issue. When I see how forcefully our Gardena Sileno bumps into obstacles... a hedgehog doesn’t run away but curls up into a ball. If our Luna ran over one, I would guess it would be “goodnight hedgehog.”
We have the Sileno Smart. For one, you can set your own schedules, outside of dusk and dawn, or you can use the Gardena guided mowing plan, which works like an assistant that specifically warns you that mowing during dawn and dusk can endanger certain animals.
We use this assistant. It knows when the sun rises and sets and only operates according to our preferences relative to those times.
We have also set two days off as a break so the lawn can recover. Our lawn is about 300 square meters (3,230 square feet). Thanks to the assistant and the option to avoid mowing in the dark, it adjusts its operating times. Currently, it runs five days a week from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Steven schrieb:

Hello

I haven’t read the entire thread, so I’m not sure if this topic has already been discussed:
Lawn mowers and hedgehogs. You hear the strangest things about it. Is a robotic lawn mower really dangerous for hedgehogs? I don’t have one (yet), but I am considering buying one.
Are they inherently dangerous for hedgehogs, or only certain models, or is it just a myth?

Steven

Yes, they are dangerous for hedgehogs. A friend of mine volunteers at a hedgehog rescue center. They regularly share pictures of hedgehogs whose faces have been severely injured by robotic mowers, often because people insist on running the machines during dusk or at night.
So always make sure that the device never operates during twilight or in the dark.

motorradsilke schrieb:

Yes, they are dangerous for hedgehogs.

Hello

Okay, I will keep that in mind.
Are there models that have some kind of "hedgehog protection" built in?

Steven