Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
ginger_2010
14 years ago
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billbrandi
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Bought new squirrel proof feeder....
Comments (14)Ginny, how often do you apply the petroleum jelly to your feeder poles? I have baffles on mine and they have worked for over a year, but ONE steenkin' squirrel has finally figured out some way to get on my big tray. I'm thinking maybe a combination of the baffle and the petroleum jelly might do the trick. I could even put some on the edge of the baffle. I, too, have seen the squirrels do the upside down trick with the squirrel proof feeders. They can hang from the roof sometimes and reach the food without the perch ever closing. Depends on how smart and/or determined the squirrel is. I don't mind them getting what hits the ground. I just hate for them to get EVERYTHING, which they do if they can reach the feeder. Oh, and my slinkies were finally breached. Once one of them figured out how to climb up by reaching between the rings, the rest of them had it in a week. But it did take several months for the first one to accomplish it. Marcia...See MoreSquirrels eating birdfood...
Comments (4)The active ingrediant in moth balls is naphthalene, a class 1 carcinogen so moth balls should never be used in any many not specifically outlined on the packaging, always in a sealed container. Besides it is a violation of Federal Law to use them other than prescibed. Squirrels can be a real pain for us bird feeders, but there are ways to keep them from the feeders. First never put a feeder closer to anything a squirrel can climb and jump from than 10 or 12 feet. second be sure the feeder is high enough off the ground that they cannot jump to it (I have seen the wee buggers jump 4 feet to reach a feeder). Third if the feeder is held up by wire thread some 2 liter plastic bottles on that wire, drill holes just a bit larger than the wire so when a squirrel does get ont that bottle will simply spin around. Fourth if the feeder is pole mounted get a 2 foot section of 8 inch sheet metal duct, make a round wooden disk to put in the top of the duct with a hole just large enough in the wood to slip over the pole, after placing something on the pole to keep that duct up of the ground, and put the duct work on your pole. The squirrels will still climb up that pole but the duct work will keep them from getting to the feeder. For one feeder I have what is called a "Twirl A Squirrel" a device that twirls the feeder around when a squirrel gets on it that worked quite well for a time until the squirrels found they could still hang on and eat all the while getting a ride. There is also a, very expensive, feeder out there that has an electric fence like charger that jolts the squirrels (they make contact with two pieces of metal that the birds will not) so they get knocked off. Theoretically the squirrels "learn" to stay away from those types of feeders, but in reality not that I have seen. If food is there they will try everything to get to it....See MoreSquirrel proof tube bird feeder
Comments (9)In my experience, squirrels can defeat most feeders. The tube feeders you mention work sometimes until the squirrel finds a place where his teeth can reach some small portion of the plastic. Even the metal pole mounted box feeders guaranteed squirrel proof are not. I've seen my squirrels sit on the top and hang over the edge to pick seeds from the tray without tripping the weighted perch. The baffles that mount above the hanging feeders are only temporarily effective. Post mounted feeders set away (11-feet) from anything are the most effective. The post baffle needs to be 5.5-feet high and the feeder cannot hang lower than 5.5-feet. My dad uses safflower seed and hangs his feeders high on a post with a big baffle. This works most of the time for him. He gets doves and cardinals mostly with the safflower. The big birds can sit on his seed savers. I use a metal post with a baffle and (fingers crossed) so far it works fine. I even have a platform feeder hanging on mine. BUT, I have a crazy border collie running amuck thru the yard keeping the squirrels treed. Good luck, those little devils really take a lot of fun out of bird feeding....See MoreBirds vs a squirrel
Comments (14)Speaking of birds vs squirrels....recently while on vacation my husband and I heard a familar hawk scream and started looking around for a red-shouldered, a local and very vocal resident here at home. It came swooping in from our left and headed for the top of a nearby tree...and then the squirrel attacked. I have never seen this before but I promise you we had front row seats. That silly little brushytail scampered straight up and across some thin branches in the adjoining tree and then LEAPED at the hawk. I am completely serious. THe hawk flapped away with a bit of a surprised screech and then continued its usual keeeee-yah keeee-yah as it made for a different perch. I have heard that predators that are not in the mood to hunt or eat can be driven off or even killed by prey animals in weird circumstances. Somone once told me that if you put a live mouse or a rat in a cage with a snake that is not hungry or in a mood to kill, it can harm or even kill that snake. Is this true?? I do know that despite being a bit smaller than a red tail, a red-shouldered hawk is still big enough to pose a risk to a squirrel in my opinion.. Very weird....See Morejohnjsr
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agogardencraze
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agocorar4gw
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRobin
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agostuartwanda
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoginger_2010
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agojohnjsr
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRobin
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agocjc45
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agosharbear50
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agophatboyrose
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoTina Cornell
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agosolstice98
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agomanature
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agostegsnstups
8 years ago
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