I don't know if this is the right forum for this question but I have a number of feeders in my back yard. I have something weird going on with the suet feeder. It is one of the cage styles that is fully enclosed and I will put a fresh block of peanut butter suet in it. In the evening the suet is 90% there but in the morning it is gone. The cage is still hanging (use picture wire) and closed. I for the life of me cannot figure out what is doing this. Any ideas?
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Suet disappering at night (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter mcpear
- Start date
Hi mcpear and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.
I've moved your post to the Garden Birds forum to see if anyone there has any ideas. I have also subscribed you to this thread so you don't lose track of it.
I've moved your post to the Garden Birds forum to see if anyone there has any ideas. I have also subscribed you to this thread so you don't lose track of it.
Can this particular feeder be approached from the bottom as well and is it attached to a tree trunk? Any night critter i.e. raccoons, flying squirrels, etc will be able to get at the suet if it is against a tree trunk or something they can cling to. Your best bet would be to get some pepper suet. The birds absolutely love it and the mammals can't handle it.
BTW, Hi there and a warm welcome to you from me as well
BTW, Hi there and a warm welcome to you from me as well
It hangs off a second story deck almost two feet out from a decorative iron hook and a foot of picture wire (also wired shut) and there would be no way for a raccoon to get at it or even a family of mice to somehow get into it. I am actually considering purchasing a game camera because it is so puzzling.
Hi mcpear,
Welcome to Bird Forum!
Your feeder is getting visited by raccoons or opossums in all likelihood.
These critters can climb like you would not believe and a hook with wire suspension is duck soup for them.
You might be able to get an idea of the culprits by looking for the teeth/claw marks in the suet that is left.
Welcome to Bird Forum!
Your feeder is getting visited by raccoons or opossums in all likelihood.
These critters can climb like you would not believe and a hook with wire suspension is duck soup for them.
You might be able to get an idea of the culprits by looking for the teeth/claw marks in the suet that is left.
Clever little critters.
www.metacafe.com/watch/an-eOnjJ4tu4hJJ7/the_great_outdoors_1988_raccoons_get_into_trash_again/
Rich
www.metacafe.com/watch/an-eOnjJ4tu4hJJ7/the_great_outdoors_1988_raccoons_get_into_trash_again/
Rich
I have had problems with raccoons in the past but when they are around, they have pulled down all of my feeders. The suet is 100% gone in the morning and the cage has openings less than a half inch wide plus none of the other feeders have been messed with. I just don't see how a raccoon could possibly get at the suet. Anyway, I think I will find a cheap game camera to try to figure this out.
Great!
Please keep us posted. I can't think of what else it could be other than coons or possums.
Could be Mice, I have caught them eating suet at night and they love anything peanut.
Either way I would recommend you to pull the feeders for a few weeks, all the feeders and any water bowl or baths. Deeply clean anything on the ground and get rid of the smell as best as possible. I also would strongly recommend you do this rite now as waiting to find out is just giving the problem more reason to stay. I have my feeders on suspension now because of a Raccoon sighting as they are not common in my area. I also used the time to put D-Con in the garage as Mice have been getting bold and their numbers have been getting worse.
The last thing you want to due is create a well known food source for any Raccoon or rat. Whatever it is will move on after a few visits with no food or even the smell of it.
Either way I would recommend you to pull the feeders for a few weeks, all the feeders and any water bowl or baths. Deeply clean anything on the ground and get rid of the smell as best as possible. I also would strongly recommend you do this rite now as waiting to find out is just giving the problem more reason to stay. I have my feeders on suspension now because of a Raccoon sighting as they are not common in my area. I also used the time to put D-Con in the garage as Mice have been getting bold and their numbers have been getting worse.
The last thing you want to due is create a well known food source for any Raccoon or rat. Whatever it is will move on after a few visits with no food or even the smell of it.
Bellasunny72
New member
Yes but I’m having the same problem ,the suet is hanging from a 6 foot shepherds .
I put a fresh block of suet in yesterday and something got it out of the suit cage but the cage is still closed. Now that’s weird. To add to the weirdness they didn’t even break it up because I found the block of suet in the yard a 1/2 acre away , barely eaten lol
Scratching my head on this one.
Pine Martens visit my suet feeders at night, do no damage at all and would only know by the absence of food and scat nearby (confimred by camera)
I'm just going to jump in here and wish you a warm welcome from those of us on staff here at BirdForum
We're glad you found us and please join in wherever you like
leonardo_simon
Well-known member
I’ve had mice on my suet feeder. but never raccoons.
DelawareBirder
New member
I have begun having the similar problem, that virtually entire cakes were disappearing from the cage overnight without the cage being opened. I went on Amazon to order some hot pepper suet. Interesting were some very recent, one star comments. Birds wouldn’t touch the cake. It molded. Grackles liked it but other birds didn’t. Is there a particular brand that you found works?
