![]() Use a tray squirrel feeder that is so easy to access, the challenging bird feeders are bound to become less appealing. If you consider squirrels cute but you just don’t want them snatching birdseed, consider feeding them something they love, like corn, peanuts, or sunflower seeds, in a location away from your feeders. ![]() For instance, if you hang feeders on a wire between two trees or poles, string empty thread spools or plastic bottles onto the wire to create an obstacle course squirrels will find difficult to get through. Try to outfox squirrels by putting obstacles between them and your bird feeders. So keep the area under and around your feeders clean of debris to reduce the chance of luring squirrels in the first place. Once they’ve found scattered food, they’re likely to go straight for the source. Squirrels are often attracted to the seed that falls from feeders to the ground. One whiff or taste is enough to drive out any squirrels in bird feeders. ![]() You can purchase capsaicin-coated bird feed products, suets, and sauces on the market (such as Cole’s Hot Meats, available on Amazon) or just mix some cayenne pepper into seed you already have. Use seed laced with hot peppers.Ĭapsaicin, the compound in hot peppers that makes your tongue burn, only affects mammals-not birds. ![]() The Roamwild PestOff Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder (available on Amazon) comes with a satisfaction guarantee. They come in a variety of styles, some employing cages, others using spring-loaded doors to help keep squirrels at bay. If you cannot place your feeder in a location squirrels can’t get to, consider investing in a squirrel-proof feeder. Watching squirrels try to scale it may provide as much entertainment for you as watching the birds eat! To deter squirrels, simply fasten the spring to the top of your feeder pole. Attach a slinky to your feeder pole.Īn inexpensive DIY alternative to a squirrel foil may already be sitting in a child’s toy box-if not, you can purchase the original metal Slinky spring for about $4 (available on Amazon). Just be sure to place it at least five feet high so squirrels can’t just jump over it to the food. If you already have your bird feeder on a pole, you can simply install a squirrel baffle (like this one on Amazon) onto it. Note that squirrels can jump up to five feet vertically, so be sure the baffle is installed high enough so that the critters can’t just jump over it and seize the seed. Most squirrel-proof bird feeder poles employ a baffle-generally a semi-circular or cone-shaped deflector attachment-designed to keep critters from reaching the food source. While squirrels are incredible climbers, you can outsmart them with a pest-proof bird feeder pole (such as the Squirrel Stopper, available on Amazon). Even if you have a squirrel-proof bird feeder pole (see the next tip), if your feeder is placed near a tree, squirrels can simply leap from a nearby limb onto the food source from the side or above. Squirrels can easily jump up to seven feet horizontally. The slinky should keep the bird seed in place while the bird feeder is in use.Photo: Place bird feeders away from trees. Once you have attached the slinky to the bird feeder, you can test it out by adding some bird seed to the feeder. This will create a "barrier" that will prevent the slinky from sliding off. This will keep the slinky in place while the bird feeder is in use.Īnother way to keep the slinky in place is to tape the top and bottom of the slinky to the bird feeder. Fold the extra screen material several times for strength to hold the staples and pull the material tight around a corner and staple. Cut screen material leaving several inches overlap on each side. Then, you can tape this loop to the bird feeder. Lay the screen material over the frame of the hopper feeder. One way to prevent the slinky from sliding off is to make a small loop in the slinky. If you use tape, you will need to be sure that the slinky doesn't slide off of the bird feeder. Another option is to tape the slinky to the bird feeder. One option is to use a small piece of wire or string to tie the slinky to the bird feeder. There are a few different ways to do this. But how do you attach a slinky to a bird feeder? Most people are familiar with the slinky - a coil of metal or plastic that can be stretched and contracted. How do you attach a slinky to a bird feeder?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |