Squirrels, Squirrels, go away come back another day!!!!!!!!!!!
Below are many things to consider as you continue your battle with squirrels in your backyard. Choosing a
decorative or
squirrel proof bird feeder is just the first step.
Putting up your bird feeder
1)
Placement of your feeder:• Place the feeder in a relatively open space
• At least 10-12 feet from any launching pads-surfaces the squirrel can jump from, such as a tree, shrub, or house. Squirrels are amazing jumpers.
• If the squirrel is jumping from high to low, as from a tree, they can easily jump fifteen feet.
• As long as there is shelter relatively nearby, the birds will still feel safe enough to come and visit.
2) If pole mounted:• Put your feeder at least 5 feet off the ground
• Have dome baffle below the feeder and place the top of the baffle at least five feet from the ground or the squirrels will simply jump on top of them. Do not to let your feeders hang below the top of the baffle.
3) If hung from a tree• Make sure your feeder is 10 feet from the trunk
• Bottom of the feeder must be at least 5 feet off the ground
• Hang a large dome baffle above the feeder. Make sure it is 12" or more lower than branch and 4' from the tree trunk.
Choosing a good squirrel proof bird feeder1) Baffled Bird Feeders – This is a
feeder that has a built in baffle, often this is done by adding a baffle to the built in hanger on the feeder. Make sure you follow mounting instruction detailing above so an adventurous squirrel can't get to it by leaping or jumping.
2) Caged Bird Feeders - These put a large cage or mesh around the actual
feeder to keep the squirrel from reaching the food. The holes are large enough so birds can still easily feed. These are intended for small birds.. Also the squirrels can still perch on the feeder and be a nuisance.
3) Weight Activated Squirrel Proof Feeders - These
squirrel proof feeders actually attempt to dislodge squirrels from the feeder. These will typically have a perch or some other landing area that is hinged or moves in some other way. These are entertaining to watch, and are generally not harmful to the squirrels...
4) Motorized Squirrel Proof Feeders - This weapon in the war against squirrels, is this the most fun to watch as well. Droll Yankees and Brome
squirrel proof feeders make great versions of this. Extremely effective, but keep in mind they run on batteries so you will to change the batteries.
5) Platform feeders should be avoided These are an open invitation for squirrels to stop in for a meal. Thus these feeders along with ground feeders will attract birds and squirrels. Often they can be used to feed squirrels so to keep them away from other birdfeeders.
11 Additional Actions you can take to Stop Squirrels from getting in your bird feeders1) Squirrel Spinners, Bottles on a Line provides a nice deterrent These bottles will spin around as the squirrel tries to run across them and he will be thrown off
• String several empty two-liter bottles on a line so that the line runs though the entire length of the bottle
• Then hang you feeder on the line.
• Place several bottles on the other side of the line.
2) String a wire between two trees and hang the feeder from the wire
• Make sure it's 10 feet away from tree trunks.
• Make sure it is 5 feet off the ground
• Place a dome baffle above.
3) Hang feeder from wire
• Start with a branch hook high in a tree
• Attach a thin wire (welding wire) to the branch hook and hang your feeder from that wire.
• The wire should hang at least 4 feet down from the nearest branch and 5 to 6 feet from the trunk of the tree. The squirrels can't climb down the thin wire and can't jump over from the trunk.
• You must use a wire and not rope or chain, the rope or chain gives them something to grip onto as they try to climb down
4) Grease the pole with a large amount of shortening and the squirrels won't be able to get a grip to climb up into the bird feeder. Be careful as to what type of grease you use. Stay away from greases that could be toxic to the squirrel.
5) Fill old nylon stockings with eight or ten mothballs and hang them near your feeding station to discourage squirrels. From time to time, she adds more mothballs to keep the scent strong
6) Several ideas for post mount to prevent squirrel from climbing up
• Rain gutter: For feeder on a 4x4 post. Take an 8' length of rain gutter, cut it in half and put one half on one side and the other half on the other side to completely cover the 4x4. It is so much fun to see them try to jump on to the post to climb up.
• PVC Pipe: You will need a 4-inch PVC pipe that is at least 4 feet long. Set this PVC pipe in the ground and place the pole to your bird feeder inside the PVC pipe. The same PVC pipe that is used for plumbing can be an effective deterrent for squirrels, which can't climb it.
• Galvanized Stovepipe: You will need a 7 - 8 inch diameter galvanized stove/furnace pipe that is at least 4 foot long. Insert the stovepipe into the ground and place your feeder pole inside the stovepipe. Squirrels are unable to grip the pipe and cannot climb the pole. The diameter is too wide for them to grasp (unlike the 4 inch PVC pipe), the metal won't get soft so the claws can dig in (unlike the PVC), and it looks cleaner and can be hosed off.
• Slinky: Attach one end of a Slinky to the top of the pole and allowed the rest to hang so that the pole runs up through the center of the Slinky. Typically, the squirrels will try to jump onto the pole, grab the Slinky and promptly find themselves dumped to the ground.
7) Buy some 1/4" metal cloth from a hardware store (they're the only ones that will sell it by the foot) and stapled it to the wooden suet feeder. It hasn't stopped the squirrels or starlings from trying to feed from it but they only spend about 30 seconds trying.
8) Keep your back yard clean If there’s nothing for the squirrel to eat, there’s no reason for him to be there. Be diligent about raking up seeds and hulls from under feeders or use some sort of catch tray for underneath. Don’t leave any sort of food out. Squirrels will happily dine on pet chow, bread, fruits, drippings and scrapings from your grill, basically anything, which is also why it’s important to have a good tight fitting lid on your garbage can.
9) Try switching bird seed Squirrels love sunflowers, but sometimes ignore safflower or suet so consider this when choosing what to offer to your feathered friends.
10) Several deterrents that can be bought at stores that may or may not work The jury is out on these but definitely worth a try
• Treat the seed-laden ground around the feeder with Ro-pel®
or Get Away®,
repellents that squirrels find distasteful
• Treat your bird seed with Squirrel-Away™
, a harmless product that doesn’t bother birds but effectively repels squirrels
• If your feeders are in an open area not accessible to household pets then the Yard Gard,
an ultrasonic repellent, can do a good job keeping squirrels away
• Critter Repellant.com is a site with various alternatives
• Make your own deterrent. Mix a teaspoon of cayenne pepper with a bag of seed and store tightly covered. Use caution when mixing the cayenne with the seed. This will burn if you get into your eyes or on your face. Wash hands thoroughly after handling
11) Finally you give up and just accept that squirrels will be in your backyard
• Research has shown that squirrels are very territorial. When fed continuously away from your bird feeders, they will mark the area as their own and protect it from other squirrels entering the area.
• A well fed squirrel is a happy squirrel!! Their favorite foods are whole raw peanuts, sunflower seed or whole or cracked corn. Put these favorite foods into a hanging platform feeder (platform feeders give them plenty of room to sit!) Grapes, apples, peanuts, suet, bread, can also keep them happy
• Read Enjoying Squirrels More (Or Less)
• Provide squirrel toys
If you find that you are interested in buying a decorative or squirrel proof bird feeder; decorative or nesting bird house; outdoor wooden furniture, or many other items for your outdoor space..visit my website YourGardenRetreat.com
Other related Postings :
Cleaning Your Bird Feeder
Choosing a Bird Feeder for your Backyard
5 Elements Needed for Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard
Winter jasmine "jasminum nudiflorum"
Witch hazels "hamamelis x intermedia cvs"
Hardy cyclamen "cyclamen coum and cvs"
Winter aconite "Eranthis hyemalis"
Algerian iris"Iris unguicularis"
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Grape Hollies "Mahonia x media cvs"
Sasanqua camellias "Camellia sasanqua cvs" are the roses of winter
