The squirrels have turned me into Carl Spackler. Here is the ONLY thing that works: (1 Viewer)

[Transformer]

I will not even go into all of the tricks I have tried to prevent these glorified rodents from draining my feeders. I even posted about the red pepper flakes, which works to a degree. I have tried so many things that I have become the Carl Spackler of my backyard. Thus far, the only thing that works 100% is:

We have a no-longer-in-use dog runner still in the backyard. It goes across the yard horizontally, from tree to tree. I hook the feeders to it with thick utility wire. The runner is simply too thin for the squirrels to traverse, and the runner and feeders are placed high enough that the rodents cannot jump on them from the ground. The leftmost and rightmost feeders are also far enough apart from the sides that the rodents cannot jump on them from the trees without breaking their necks.

Other than that, the only other option I have is hanging the feeders with the same wire from very high tree branches, which would be difficult to access for filling each time.

Aesthetically, this is not what I prefer, however, it is my major wish to feed the birds, so...I sacrifice landscape beauty for them.

 

[scampo]

...

Aesthetically, this is not what I prefer, however, it is my major wish to feed the birds, so...I sacrifice landscape beauty for them.

You have my sympathies. I now use two "squirrel proof" feeders - one a cage type, the other a sliding-tube type. I have given up with any other than those.

 

[Transformer]

I Spoke Too Soon!

These glorified rodents are too smart. The neighbors think I am nuts, for all of the squirrel-battling I do. Today I saw a squirrel jump on the sunflower feeder FROM THE GROUND!!! We're talking more than a few feet in the air. And the other day I saw one on the suet feeder. I can only assume it traversed the line or jumped onto it from the trees. I hate these things. I am at a loss, I don't know what else to do.

They do not seem to be going near the mixed seed feeders, which do have the red pepper flakes.

If chile extract weren't so expensive, I would buy oodles of it and place droplets on the feeders and on the line. I'm thinking maybe some vaseline on the line, maybe some Vicks. They are driving me batty.

 

[KC Foggin]

Well I can tell you that they do not like safflower seed at all but my goldfinches, cardinals, chicadees and titmouses eat it voraciously so you might consider going over to a mixture of that for awhile.

I relocated more than a dozen last fall only to have as many new ones or olds ones back.

 

[Transformer]

Well I can tell you that they do not like safflower seed at all but my goldfinches, cardinals, chicadees and titmouses eat it voraciously so you might consider going over to a mixture of that for awhile.

Thanks for the tip. I have noticed that they do not touch the niger seed either. I will look into some safflower seed next visit to the stores. I might have to phase out the sunflower seed feeder completely (right now it is in the shed, I took it off the line after I saw that bastard jump on the feeder), since adding red pepper flakes doesn't work with that feeder, cos the squares are too big. (The flakes just don't mix with the sunflower...and they will simply fall out of those big holes.)

 

[Mynydd Merlin]

Hiya, We have a similar problem with the grey tree rats here in the UK! I am about to try another approach: stringing 15lb strain fishing line between the trees and suspending the feeders from the fishing line. The line should be thin enough to prevent the pesky things from climbing along it. I'll make sure the feeders are at least 6 feet from the ground so they can't jump up from the ground below. At least the fishing line is pretty invisible at more than a few feet so aesthetically it is more pleasing to the eye than a rope across the garden! I'll let you know how it works (so long as I don't garotte myself on the nearly invisible line as I'm walking down the garden!)

 

[pattiwhite]

we also have a problem with them. i do not mind feeding them, to an extent but they do pop open the feeders and have a hayday. 2 yrs ago we hung a feeder from the branches with baling wire...thin but strong and vooalah! they cant slide down it and the feeder hangs about 5ft off the ground. they cant jump it. on the pole feeders we use squirrel baffles made of upside down plant pots, cheaper than the metal hanging baffles and so far so good. have to make sure the feeders ar at least 5ft apart or they jump from the bottom of one pole to the top of another! now they are content to sit at the bottom and eat what falls on the ground.

 

[Transformer]

I am about to try another approach: stringing 15lb strain fishing line between the trees and suspending the feeders from the fishing line. The line should be thin enough to prevent the pesky things from climbing along it. I'll make sure the feeders are at least 6 feet from the ground so they can't jump up from the ground below. At least the fishing line is pretty invisible at more than a few feet so aesthetically it is more pleasing to the eye than a rope across the garden!

I never thought of fishing line. This should work wonders, as long as it's high enough off the ground. I will consider this, but do keep us informed of how it works. My only concern is that there may be sagging.

 

[Transformer]

2 yrs ago we hung a feeder from the branches with baling wire...thin but strong and vooalah! they cant slide down it and the feeder hangs about 5ft off the ground. they cant jump it.

I had considered this idea as well, using wire and hanging from branches. (Though I do not know what baling wire is, or if it is the same thing I have.) Problem is, a couple of years ago we had our trees trimmed back and so I'd have to get on a very long and high ladder to place them! I'm not THAT comfortable with heights to do so!! But I agree, the concept is excellent.

 

[Transformer]

Yesterday I witnessed, for the first time, a squirrel traversing the line UPSIDE DOWN!!!! I promptly went out, into the rain, and spread petroleum jelly on the areas of line just outside the feeders, where the birds do not perch.

I also attempted something Pavlovian which did not work at all! I mixed a bunch of red pepper flakes with peanut butter and placed it in a bowl on the ground under the feeders. Hoping, of course, for a negative HEY WE DON'T WANT TO EAT HERE ANYNMORE response. But I think the peanut butter masked the effect of the pepper, buttered his tongue, so to speak. Sigh.

 

[Corax67]

Claymore's ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

(depends on the tolerance of your neighbours)

 

[Lou G]

Wild Birds Unlimited bird station has givin me my sanity back. I tried every trick in the book and then some and the station has been outstanding at keeping the squirels on the ground. They try to climb the pole every so often but are stopped dead in their tracks at the baffle. I give them credit, they will still try but the feeders have been safe for a year now. You still need to keep around 10' from a tree so they can't jump on the top. :t:

Lou G

 

[Birding5000]

am about to try another approach: stringing 15lb strain fishing line between the trees and suspending the feeders from the fishing line. The line should be thin enough to prevent the pesky things from climbing along it. I'll make sure the feeders are at least 6 feet from the ground so they can't jump up from the ground below. At least the fishing line is pretty invisible at more than a few feet so aesthetically it is more pleasing to the eye than a rope across the garden!

Just watch yourself, and the critters don't run/fly into it.

 

[ahoare]

An good air rifle with a telescopic sight should solve the problem. There is only likely to be a pair at most. Job done.

 

[scampo]

An good air rifle with a telescopic sight should solve the problem. There is only likely to be a pair at most. Job done.

They are territorial creatures. As soon as a territory becomes vacant, a new pair will fill it - they breed prolifically, I think.

They taste good apparently...

(-;

 

[peewitphil]

Defeating the squirrels

Hi
About a year ago I made a DIY squirrel proof bird feeder.
I published a web page with the build instructions at :-
http://www.peewit.co.uk/squirrels/index.htm


It is still going strong after a few improvements and the squirrels have given up trying to get at the peanuts.

The improvements were :-
1) To prevent the squireel from running down the pole at high speed and managing to get to the peanuts before they were covered, I put a practice golf ball just above the feeder and on this I put a a metal pizza pan with quite a large hole in it. The results is a wobbly platform that tilts when ever a squirrel puts weight on it and they tend to get thrown off.
2) I extended the soda bottle in a rather crude way just by attaching a bit of another bottle with tape. This ensures that the peanuts are fully covered when the bottle comes down.
3) I reduced the friction by fitting a proper pulley wheel so that the bottle and its counterbalancing weight moves more freely.

It has been working and even though it is now rather old and tatty it does the job.

Here is a picture of it.

Peewitphil

 

[wshawn]

A few years back I found the perfect answer to the tree rats and the wandering felines, a lightning fast dog.. the birds ignore him but the tree rats and kitties can't get close before he is on them :eat: . Sometimes I think he is protecting the the birds.

 

[Cubkin]

Our biggest feeder is mounted on the top of a cut-down flagpole. My husband built the cone-shaped baffle and added it to the pole 25 years ago. We've never seen a squirrel defeat it. The solution is simple and elegant and works. Unfortunately, when you hang feeders from trees or lines, there is nothing that will keep a determined squirrel from getting to it. You can momentarily distract them with peanuts, but when the nuts are gone, they'll return to the feeders, since squirrels never stop eating until they die. And by the way, Michigan squirrels love red pepper!

 

[g8ina]

If chile extract weren't so expensive, I would buy oodles of it and place droplets on the feeders and on the line.

Make your own !! Dead easy :

One bottle of oil (I used ordinary vegetable oil)
A handful of chopped chillis including seeds.

Place chillis in oil, leave for three months - bingo - chilli oil !

Mind your eyes and dont scratch any sensitive parts after use. Just take standard chilli protection seriously and you'll be oK, but those squirrels wont like it !!

 

[Starzz]

I have just about had it with the little red squirrels. They clean out the suet as fast as I put it out. Chili pepper or cayenne pepper in the suet does not work for me. I even put a wooden box 6-7 inches long down over the suet feeder and they still get at it! So today, I took the suet down, the squirrels got mad and decided to chew a big hole in my new thistle seed feeder!!!!!!! :C

I don't think there is anyway to get rid of the %#@&%#&# creatures!! |=(|