Asked on Jan 13, 2017

How can I stop these motion activated Christmas balls?

Lynn
by Lynn
I bought motion activated Christmas balls at Dollar Tree. No matter what I do, I can't make them stop singing. I have put them in a dark box with a lid, I have covered the sensor with thick tape, etc., but they keep singing. I can't pry them open to remove the battery. Any ideas. . .
  15 answers
  • Melissa V Melissa V on Jan 14, 2017

    OMG! Those were so annoying in the store, haha! A gal put one in her cart and a few minutes later she came back and put it back on the shelf-said it had bothered her too much already 😁! It sounds like you've tried all of the suggestions I could think of, assuming there's no switch, right?...you take a BIG hammer...🤷‍♀️

    • Lynn Lynn on Jan 14, 2017

      I think you are right. I've done everything I can think of and nothing stops it. I assume the battery should soon run out, but it keeps going on. I feel like I'm in a horror movie. By the way, there is no switch.

  • Melissa V Melissa V on Jan 14, 2017

    Is there a neighborhood kid you could give it to? Or drop it in a Goodwill drop-box...haha! It must be getting kind of creepy by now👹 😱!

    • Lynn Lynn on Jan 15, 2017

      It is creepy. I have it entirely encased and it still goes off without anyone near it. I'm afraid a neighborhood kid's parents would come after me if I gave it to him/her.

  • Hillela G. Hillela G. on Jan 15, 2017

    It sounds like you either have to store them very deeeeep. Or remove the batteries ( maybe needs a screwdriver?)


    Alternatively, do you have any friends you'd like to play a trick on?

  • Lynn Lynn on Jan 15, 2017

    I've tried to pry it open with a screwdriver, but it won't pop open. Deep storage doesn't help either--other than muffling the sound somewhat. I think burning it is my only option.


  • Melissa V Melissa V on Jan 15, 2017

    This is my all time favorite post!!!  Just shared it with Robert, but I don't think he could understand me because I was laughing so hard  ...Please, take pictures of however you decide to get rid of "it"...

    Lynn...bury it-a few feet feet under!! That'll get rid of your moles and voles  -HAH! Found a use for "it"-Give it a try!!!

    Keep in touch Lynn, I like your spirit!

  • Paulette Paulette on Jan 15, 2017

    We got one of those and it was fun. But all the guys wanted to take a hammer to it. I wish it just blinked. I put it on my mom's tree but didn't take the plastic tab out until after presents. Sometimes you had to be close, other times it just went off for no reason. We took it home with us in a box and put it in a corner. We took by my mother-in-law the next day and same thing about going off. We brought it home and it has been in a box. We did cover the little holes with tape to deaden the sound. It is silent now, but I don't know if it is dead. Should I go touch it?

    • See 1 previous
    • Jeannie Carle Jeannie Carle on Jan 17, 2017

      Noooooooooo don't touch it - you'll wake it up LMSO - this is the greatest post!

  • Judy Judy on Jan 15, 2017

    We bought a cute bird like that at the $ Store. I finally put it outside away from where we walked or sat on the deck. The noise maker eventually died but I kept the bird because he was darling and I wanted it as a reminder to never buy anything like that again!

  • Jeannie Carle Jeannie Carle on Jan 17, 2017

    My MIL years and years ago was given a clock that had birds on it - at the half-hour and hour birds sang - but eventually they did NOT sound like birds. She finally put it in the dumpster and it was still "singing" hours later - yes, she DID change the batteries - didn't help. It was soooo creepy!

  • Paulette Paulette on Jan 17, 2017

    Reminds me of that time when cars used to talk and tell you that your door was a jar. I think we rented one once and kept yelling back at it, no it's not, it's a door. I don't have a gps. I don't like anyone telling me what to do.

    And we gave the bird clock to my mother-in-law (we do like her) a long time ago. It sang any ole time and just about gave her a heart attack. We took out the battery and put in the back junk room. I think it's still there. I should put a battery in it to see if it works. She is 91 now. I don't think she would even hear it!

  • Lynn Lynn on Jan 17, 2017

    We are losing control with all these objects that talk, sing, or make animal or bird sounds. My husband bought me one of those clocks for Christmas one year, but I was fortunate because it had separate compartments for the batteries for the clock part and for the bird songs. That feature allowed me to keep the clock without the annoying bird sounds.

  • Yvette Spicer Yvette Spicer on Jan 19, 2017

    I would have taken it back to the store ... asked them how to shut it up and when they couldn't, asked for a refund ...


  • Lynn Lynn on Jan 19, 2017

    I probably should have done that, but . . .

  • Sabrina Stimson Nabhani Sabrina Stimson Nabhani on Feb 06, 2017

    Omg this is like those darn Furbies!

    • See 2 previous
    • Karla Mathis Bostic Karla Mathis Bostic on Mar 17, 2017

      Love this. When mine were young one had a device that set it off if there was a light difference, the other child had one that blinked and chittered when there was noise. The kids would put them face to face and let them continue for hours. We had to tell them each to keep theirs in their room, or it was gonna run away from home. LOL

  • Christianne Murphy Christianne Murphy on Feb 12, 2017

    Pull the battery

  • Lynn Lynn on Feb 12, 2017

    Easier said than done. You have to smash the ball to get to the battery. That is what I finally had to do.