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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
I am now thouroughly fed up with the squirrels in my garden stealing
nuts from the bird feeder. I've tried various locations, including suspending it from a 15' length of wire strung horizontally from one wall to another. This morning they've finally learnt how to shimmy along the wire. I've just looked at various gimicky contraptions online, but they all seem to have weaknesses. The yanks have an electric one which spins when the little blighters get onto it and throws them off at a tangent - the problem seems to be that in spinning it also sprays seeds all over the place so that they can just eat from the ground. I think simple must be better, so I'm more attracted to the type that have an outer cage with holes too small for squirrels to get in, eg http://url2it.com/egf Anyone got any comments on this type? Failing this I'm considering putting 240v through the bloody thing. Cheers! Martin |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
Martin Pentreath wrote:
I am now thouroughly fed up with the squirrels in my garden stealing nuts from the bird feeder. I've tried various locations, including suspending it from a 15' length of wire strung horizontally from one wall to another. This morning they've finally learnt how to shimmy along the wire. I think simple must be better, so I'm more attracted to the type that have an outer cage with holes too small for squirrels to get in, eg http://url2it.com/egf Anyone got any comments on this type? Failing this I'm considering putting 240v through the bloody thing. Cheers! Martin It may help to mix the nuts with chilli powder, although views are mixed on whether or not this deters squirrels. Have a look here for options: http://forums.rspb.org.uk/ShowPost.a...x=2&PostID=820 -- Jeff (cut "thetape" to reply) |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
"Martin Pentreath" wrote in message ... I am now thouroughly fed up with the squirrels in my garden stealing nuts from the bird feeder. I've tried various locations, including suspending it from a 15' length of wire strung horizontally from one wall to another. This morning they've finally learnt how to shimmy along the wire. I've just looked at various gimicky contraptions online, but they all seem to have weaknesses. The yanks have an electric one which spins when the little blighters get onto it and throws them off at a tangent - the problem seems to be that in spinning it also sprays seeds all over the place so that they can just eat from the ground. I think simple must be better, so I'm more attracted to the type that have an outer cage with holes too small for squirrels to get in, eg http://url2it.com/egf Anyone got any comments on this type? Failing this I'm considering putting 240v through the bloody thing. Cheers! Martin Aren't these available in the UK? http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...719,33068&ap=1 Graham |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
Hi, Martin. We've had the same experience as you and been through a
number of permutations before finding "the answer" . . . which is as follows. Buy one of those feeders which consists of a cylinder within a circular barred cage (the bars are far enough apart for the birds to get inside). Buy two metres of strong chain from a hardware store to suspend the feeder from the branch of a tree. If the feeder is at least 3' above the ground the birds will be safe from cats. In four years of this arrangement we have never had a squirrel climb the tree, find the appropriate branch, dare to shimmy down the vertical chain, then endeavour to reach through the cage to get at the nuts. Once, however, we observed a very game squirrel leap from the trunk of the tree to the feeder, a distance of about four feet! When he hit the feeder he and it swung wildly for a minute or so, and then he tried to get at the nuts . . but couldn't and so dropped the grass below and sloped off! Good luck. Eddy. |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
Sacha wrote:
You know those bucket shaped thingies they put on dogs when they don't want them to scratch their ears or worry at stitches? People use something similar on warps for their boats to deter rats from climbing aboard. You could find those (or make them) and attach them to whatever you have the feeder hanging from. As long as the squirrel can't drop onto the feeder, it probably won't get past the funnel with the wide end facing towards it. Our neighbour has his feeders hanging from an iron pole which is stuck into the ground in front of his living-room window and to accomplish what Sacha's describing above he has simply taken a large black plastic standard nursery pot, made a hole in the bottom, and (after taking the pole out of the ground) pushed it upside down up the pole to form the deterring "umbrella". I guess he must have some kind of clasp up inside it, attached to the pole, to stop it slipping down. Same principle as a light-shade fitting. It apparently works. No leaping places nearby from which the blighters may jump. Eddy. |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
Hi all,
Thanks for the advice, I think I'll get one of the "double cage" type of feeder and see if it does the trick. In my attempts to outwit them I've seen them throw themselves at least four feet from a nearby tree at the feeder suspended on horizontal wire. At one point I put a tray of water underneath the feeder so that when they jumped at it and missed they got a nice bath. This still didn't deter them. I had dreamed up a system of suspending the feeder from elastic with a bucket of water underneath so that the weight of the squirrel would take the feeder down into the water for a thorough dunking. At this point I decided I should be getting out more, and found the squirrel-proof design online. By the way, I don't think the design that Graham posted are available in the UK, but in my extensive online research this morning I read that the little bleeders can defeat that type anyway. I've been quite impressed by their persistence and problem-solving skills in the battle so far. High pressure water pistols are good for a laugh, in the immortal words of Corporal Jones: they don't like it up 'em. Cheers! Martin |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
"Martin Pentreath" wrote in message ... I am now thouroughly fed up with the squirrels in my garden stealing nuts from the bird feeder. I've tried various locations, including suspending it from a 15' length of wire strung horizontally from one wall to another. This morning they've finally learnt how to shimmy along the wire. I've just looked at various gimicky contraptions online, but they all seem to have weaknesses. The yanks have an electric one which spins when the little blighters get onto it and throws them off at a tangent - the problem seems to be that in spinning it also sprays seeds all over the place so that they can just eat from the ground. I think simple must be better, so I'm more attracted to the type that have an outer cage with holes too small for squirrels to get in, eg http://url2it.com/egf Anyone got any comments on this type? Failing this I'm considering putting 240v through the bloody thing. Cheers! Martin I've come to the conclusion that even the tube within cage type can be defeated. They prised the lid off one of mine. Of course, they could only reach down into the tube so far but the peanuts were exposed and got damp. It seems to me that you need a tree with a broad overhang. Put a chain at least 6 foot from *any* point the squirrel can climb up. Put a (preferably two at least 6 ft apart and the lower one smaller than the upper) baffle on the chain put the tube in a cage feeder at least 6 ft below the baffle and the bottom of the feeder about 6ft from the ground. That *might* work but I don't guarantee it. |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
On 7 Mar, 18:55, "Graham Harrison"
wrote: "Martin Pentreath" wrote in message ... I am now thouroughly fed up with the squirrels in my garden stealing nuts from the bird feeder. I've tried various locations, including suspending it from a 15' length of wire strung horizontally from one wall to another. This morning they've finally learnt how to shimmy along the wire. I've just looked at various gimicky contraptions online, but they all seem to have weaknesses. The yanks have an electric one which spins when the little blighters get onto it and throws them off at a tangent - the problem seems to be that in spinning it also sprays seeds all over the place so that they can just eat from the ground. I think simple must be better, so I'm more attracted to the type that have an outer cage with holes too small for squirrels to get in, eg http://url2it.com/egf Anyone got any comments on this type? Failing this I'm considering putting 240v through the bloody thing. Cheers! Martin I've come to the conclusion that even the tube within cage type can be defeated. * They prised the lid off one of mine. * Of course, they could only reach down into the tube so far but the peanuts were exposed and got damp. It seems to me that you need a tree with a broad overhang. * Put a chain at least 6 foot from *any* point the squirrel can climb up. * Put a (preferably two at least *6 ft apart and the lower one smaller than the upper) baffle on the chain put the tube in a cage feeder at least 6 ft below the baffle and the bottom of the feeder about 6ft from the ground. * That *might* work but I don't guarantee it.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I have our feeders inside a pair of hanging baskets hanging side by side on 2 chains with the 3rd being the hanging point for the feeder. on the cord down from the branch I have a 2 litre pop bottle with the bottom cut out and the cord going through it as anti squirel device.. David Hill Abacus Nurseries |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
On 7 Mar, 12:53, Martin Pentreath
wrote: I am now thouroughly fed up with the squirrels in my garden stealing nuts from the bird feeder. I I was taught by my father, when overhauling the mobile shops '"Too much grease" is like "too much money". You can say it but not do it.' Well I reckon "squizzle proof bird feeder" is something you can say but not do. |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
In message , Graham Harrison
writes I've come to the conclusion that even the tube within cage type can be defeated. They prised the lid off one of mine. Of course, they could only reach down into the tube so far but the peanuts were exposed and got damp. It seems to me that you need a tree with a broad overhang. Put a chain at least 6 foot from *any* point the squirrel can climb up. Put a (preferably two at least 6 ft apart and the lower one smaller than the upper) baffle on the chain put the tube in a cage feeder at least 6 ft below the baffle and the bottom of the feeder about 6ft from the ground. That *might* work but I don't guarantee it. Our solution was to suspend a range of feeders from hanging basket brackets fixed to a length of 22mm copper pipe planted in the lawn. At first a squirrel still managed to climb the pipe however an smear of grease soon solved the problem. We have found that the Droll Yankee range of feeders are tough enough to withstand squirrel attempts to pull them apart. -- Robert |
Ok, i think i might have the simple solution for this?
The ebay listing you have posted with the small holes should be more than sufficiant to deter the squirells, i used to have a major problem, but i purchased one for not an insane amount of money, only around £20 for a green coated and strong cage surrounded bird feeder. All bird can fit their necks through too! And i didnt have to plug it into 240v or put a plastic slipping contraption onto the top, all you need, is one of those ones you just told us about, and for extra measures, some simple wire just to tie the bird feeder to the branch so that the squirrels dont decide to slide it off the branch and to secure the lid which comes off the top for filling because the squirrels might be able to take that off as silly as it may sound, its all happened before with me! Good luck! |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
On Fri, 7 Mar 2008 18:31:06 +0000, Martin Pentreath wrote
(in article ): Hi all, Thanks for the advice, I think I'll get one of the "double cage" type of feeder and see if it does the trick. We have several of the "double cage" type, separate ones for peanuts and seeds, and they really do work except that very occasionally a young squirrel will get in. I wouldn't bother with eBay, though, you should be able to find them in any garden store or B&Q or somewhere like that. -- Sally in Shropshire, UK http://www.freerice.com/index.php Give free rice to hungry people by playing a simple word game |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
Martin Pentreath wrote:
High pressure water pistols are good for a laugh, in the immortal words of Corporal Jones: they don't like it up 'em. And, dare I say it, the use of an air-gun from a corner of a bedroom window really get the adrenalin pumping. A squirrel shot instantly dead is later excellent on the table & no longer a menace! Eddy. |
Squirrel-proof bird feeders
"Eddy" wrote in message ... Martin Pentreath wrote: High pressure water pistols are good for a laugh, in the immortal words of Corporal Jones: they don't like it up 'em. And, dare I say it, the use of an air-gun from a corner of a bedroom window really get the adrenalin pumping. A squirrel shot instantly dead is later excellent on the table & no longer a menace! Eddy. Yeh I was going to say my dad recommends what he calls a 'Lead Breakfast'! |
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