SQUIRRELS!!!!! How Do You Keep Them Out Of Your Birdfeeder!!!!?????

[princess crazy]

Doggone Squirrels!!!!

Put out my first birdfeeder ever to discover that only after a day the entire birdfeeder is almost empty! Of course not from the birds but from one Mr. Squirrel!!! He's smart too ---every time I go out to shoo him away he just goes up a few branches and looks down on me like who me??? Then of course as soon as I step inside he's back at it. I have it hanging from a low branch that I can reach as far out as possible but he worms his way out to it and them hangs from the branch to get out as much as he wants.

Any thoughts on how I can fool/ deter this little guy---at this rate the birds will never get anything. I'm sure he's also the lovely little guy who likes to dig up my flowers out of the pots---Any thoughts there as to how to keep them from digging up or getting in your flower pots???

Thanks

 

[mmcguire]

BB gun.

Kidding!!

No idea. We've never been able to keep 'em out. We have a "squirrel proof" feeder that consists of 3 acrylic cylinders surrounded by a mesh cover. My DH threw a cable over the branch of a huge tree and hung the feeder 30 ft off the ground with about 8 ft of cable above it, and he lowers it down to fill it. It's also hanging 6 feet out from the trunk. The squirrels have to shimmy down the cable or jump 6 feet from the trunk and land on it, but they STILL manage, then stick their paws through the mesh. They don't really bother anything, so we just keep a 25 lb bag of sunflower seeds on hand. Maybe that's why they don't dig up my bulbs -- they're fat and happy from all the sunflower seeds.

 

[RobInBigKC]

Doggone Squirrels!!!!

Put out my first birdfeeder ever to discover that only after a day the entire birdfeeder is almost empty! Of course not from the birds but from one Mr. Squirrel!!! He's smart too ---every time I go out to shoo him away he just goes up a few branches and looks down on me like who me??? Then of course as soon as I step inside he's back at it. I have it hanging from a low branch that I can reach as far out as possible but he worms his way out to it and them hangs from the branch to get out as much as he wants.

Any thoughts on how I can fool/ deter this little guy---at this rate the birds will never get anything. I'm sure he's also the lovely little guy who likes to dig up my flowers out of the pots---Any thoughts there as to how to keep them from digging up or getting in your flower pots???

Thanks

Is your birdfeeder mounted on a pole? Is the squirrel climbing up the pole (if it's on one) or "attacking" from above?

Actually, either way, a baffle (or baffles) can keep squirrels off of bird feeders. Attach one above and/or below the feeder. The baffle on a pole should be attached at least 4 feet above the ground and extend out at least 2 feet. A baffle can also be hung above a feeder to prevent squirrels from climbing down to a feeder.

If your feeder is mounted on a pole, you can cover the pole with PVC pipe that is at least 5 inches in diameter. The wide diameter and smooth texture of the pipe will prevent squirrels from climbing.

-- Rob

 

[Hannathy]

I don't worry about it I figure squirrels are part of nature to! If I'm feeding the wild birds why not the squirrels. I usually buy some whole cobs of corn and leave them on the ground for the squirrels.

 

[mmcguire]

Is your birdfeeder mounted on a pole? Is the squirrel climbing up the pole (if it's on one) or "attacking" from above?

Actually, either way, a baffle (or baffles) can keep squirrels off of bird feeders. Attach one above and/or below the feeder. The baffle on a pole should be attached at least 4 feet above the ground and extend out at least 2 feet. A baffle can also be hung above a feeder to prevent squirrels from climbing down to a feeder.

If your feeder is mounted on a pole, you can cover the pole with PVC pipe that is at least 5 inches in diameter. The wide diameter and smooth texture of the pipe will prevent squirrels from climbing.

-- Rob

We had one of the above-feeder baffles once, and it didn't work. The baffle would tilt and the squirrels would just work their way past it. I guess if it were rigged so it wouldn't tilt with the squirrel's weight, it might work.

 

[Honu]

We feed the squirrels too. They get shelled walnuts from Costco and they haven't touched the bird feeder since we started feeding them. They jump up into the planter box outside the kitchen window and wait for us. When we walk into the kitchen, they sit up and beg. Trained squirrels.

 

[lynxstch]

which doesn't always work..so we built a squirrel feeder..and added a corn cob holder..they are so fat and happy from the sunflower seeds, peanuts and corn (as are the fat happy little chipmunks) and they don't bother with the other 6 birdfeeders we have hanging around the yard

 

[PrincessKitty1]

The only way I have been able to keep squirrels out of my feeder is to have the feeder on a freestanding pole, far enough from trees that squirrels can't jump from the trees to the feeder, and with a squirrel baffle to keep squirrels from climbing the pole.

 

[diznygirl]

We fed the squirrels too. We put the sunflower seeds on the ground in a dish. I felt bad watching them hang upside down raiding the bird feeder.

 

[Virgo10]

Get one of these.

Squirrels aren't a problem where I live now but they sure were up in Massachusetts. We got one of those and, despite the squirrels best efforts, not one ever got to the food.

Here's a link.
http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/RTProduct.asp?SKU=OP-7103

 

["Got Disney"]

you can do this...this will work....it will for sure keep them away! be sure to watch the whole thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbaG1ARNOpo

 

[LakeAriel]

I feed them peanuts in the shell..The bluejays love them too!

 

[Honu]

I feed them peanuts in the shell..The bluejays love them too!

Too many peanuts aren't good for them. Peanuts are beans. Squirrels love them, but they lack some enzyme needed to digest peanuts. Tree nuts are best, followed by sunflower seeds.

 

[LakeAriel]

Too many peanuts aren't good for them. Peanuts are beans. Squirrels love them, but they lack some enzyme needed to digest peanuts. Tree nuts are best, followed by sunflower seeds.

Well fortunately I only give them to them occasionally...They do eat the sunflower seeds from the bird feeders too...Oh yeah..they loved my decorative corn I hung from my deck for Autumn

 

[Mommy2three]

i dont have a bird feeder...but i did find a DEAD SQUIRELL in my backyard this morning when i let the dogs out!! EWWWW looked like it had just died and fell from the tree!

 

[Wishes2you]

We don't anymore. We raised a baby squirel a couple years ago.
He was so cute. Now Dh just buys more food and built them a platform to eat from. Now we have birds and squirels. In the winter we have flying squirels too. Now they are awesome to watch.

 

[Buckalew11]

Same here. We feed them. Had 2 babies about 2 years ago that I fell hard for. Just let them eat--they're hungry too.

 

[olena]

This family devised their own squirrel relocator.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BNqYra1CJQ


These folks have the Yankee Flipper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOqH-INPLq8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7TEjD6Lhd8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv9wTYMw5iA
Spin Me Right 'Round!

 

[Golf4food]

BB gun.

Kidding!!

I'm not. Shoot the tree rats. Shoot them dead. D-E-D dead.

Then skin them and make hats and fry up the meat on a stick!

 

[sweet angel]

I remember as a kid watching my dad get SOOOOO mad at the squirrels. He tried everything to keep them out of the feeder. If the feeder was on a pole, he'd put Crisco up and down the pole.

If he had the feeder on the clothesline, he'd string water balloons on the clothesline.

He'd shoot them with a water gun.

He'd bang on the window and yell.

It was all very entertaining, but nothing worked for him.