7 replies to this topic

[vibriologist]

Eureka! I think I finally got it! I have spent an embarrassingly large amount of time, energy, and money on trying to deter squirrels from my back yard bird feeders (in Baton Rouge, LA), and I think I finally have a solution! I have tried to spell out as much detail in the image below so that you can do it too! This is my first time ever starting a topic or forum or what not, so I hope this works! Also, if you have any further ideas or ways to improve on this idea, I'm all ears!!! Thanks for reading.

Crystal

Attached Files

•  Operation Squirrel Deterrent Take 276 jpg.jpg   1.31MB   78 downloads

[creeker]

Good info there! Welcome to WhatBird!

[cabirds]

Welcome!

I found if you grease the metal poles with lithium or even axle grease, it'll keep the squirrels from climbing them. My squirrels will chew through hardware cloth in a day or two. I moved my pole out into the middle of the yard > 10ft from any tree to keep the leapy-things away from playing "flying squirrel" too. That seems to have resolved the problem for 6+ months now.

[Inzl Kett]

Axle grease I find is pretty smelly. It would keep me away from the area too! Something you might try if you have more than one tree in your yard or tall poles is run a cable run across the yard and suspend the feeder in the middle. Before you affix the cables, put one liter size plastic bottles, at least two in a row on either side of the feeder, running the cable through them from bottom to opening. They will spin when the squirrel climb on them and cause the critters to fall off the cable before they can get to the feeder.

[lonestranger]

I found the best way to keep squirrels out of my bird feeders, is to feed them elsewhere. I buy 50 pound bags of cracked corn for $7 and put it out around the yard for the squirrels, chipmunks, and whatever ground feeding birds that want it. The only time the squirrels bother with the bird feeders now, is when there's no corn found elsewhere. I also have a few feeder poles surrounded with 6 inch duct pipe which works pretty good at preventing the squirrels and raccoons from getting up to the feeders.

[JimBob]

I also feed squirrels corn. . . but some have taking a liking to the bird seed still. Only have about two squirrels that come to my feeders in a day.

(I might try some of those ideas. . . if I can get to lowes)

[possumbird]

We never had problems with squirrels until we started feeding them corn this past winter. Now, when I run out of corn they eat birdseed. I hang my feeders from an old metal swingset frame. My husband and I even went so far as to move the swingset and cut low hanging limbs to deter the squirrels but that didn't work. I guess I'll have to get use to my new furry species of bird :[

[teresatork]

At my house, if the squirrels are getting to the birdfeeders, we just let the dog outside.