Posted by Bird House Guy | Posted in squirrel deterrent, squirrel feeders, wildlife | Posted on 16-09-2009
Bullwinkle used to say to Rocket J. Squirrel, or better known as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, “Hey Rocky, Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!”
Rocky the squirrel, with his leather flight headgear, was an amazing little guy, going around trying to defeat the villains, Boris and Natasha. That show was a lot of fun and truly a classic, but when it comes to your bird feeders, squirrels are not always so user friendly. As a matter of fact, they will invite their self to feast at what is meant for your local birdies and cause havoc to your feeders.
Here are some “friendly” ways to try and help preserve your bird feeders for what they were intended for, your birds! Don’t get us wrong, squirrels are cute little guys and a very enjoyable part of wildlife, but like any wildlife animal, they can go where you may not want them. We hope these tips will be both helpful for you, your local birdies and the squirrels.
* Squirrels can jump several feet to reach a feeder, so the first step is making sure you place your feeders away from all “launching” points, including trees, houses, laundry lines, and telephone and cable wires.
*If you are hanging your feeder from a tree branch, try and locate it at least twelve feet from any tree trunk or limb and at least four feet up from the ground. This will prevent squirrels from either jumping from the tree or up from the ground onto the feeder.
If you are hanging the feeder off a line, make sure the length of line is at least 8″ long with the feeder suspended at least four feet above the ground or snow. Use mono filament fishing wire, a single strand of untwisted synthetic fiber, such as nylon, used especially for fishing line, or piano wire to hang the feeder.
*Pole Mount Feeder. If you choose to pole mount your feeder; make sure the pole is at least 5 1/2 feet in length. This will allow you to place the pole approximately one foot into the ground and still keep the bottom of the feeder four feet off the ground.
*Squirrel Baffles. You may also want to add a squirrel baffle, a clear or colored dome which is a good start to deterring squirrels from reaching your feeders.
The purpose of a squirrel baffle is in the design. The squirrel baffle works because the sloped, slick surface gives the squirrel nothing to cling to and he will often slide right off. Baffles can either be placed above your feeder or below your feeder on the mounting pole.
*Add spice to the bird feeders. Keep in mind the simple knowledge and understanding that squirrels and other mammals taste the hot sensation of chili peppers, while birds do not. Using this knowledge and the hottest parts of capsaicin chili peppers, companies have developed an extremely effective way to control and keep pesky squirrels and other small rodents out of your bird feeder. This solution is not at all harmful to the squirrel therefore it’s natural and environmentally friendly.
*Squirrel Feeders. Yes, “Rocky’s” very own squirrel feeder to stock with squirrel food. Your local squirrels will enjoy a squirrel house & feeder of their very own which will keep them fed and happy and also will aide in helping them to keep your bird feeders alone. A very effective and inexpensive investment for you and your local birdies is to get a squirrel feeder plan.
For more information on how you can receive a squirrel feeder fer yer squirrelies in yer neck o’ the woods, simply visit: www.wildlife-houses.com
