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Squirrel Proofing Your Bird Feeders ~ Natural Remedies

6/14/2012

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Chipmunk in birdfeeder
Photo by Emma Richford
Squirrels and chipmunks seem to think bird feeders are your way of offering them a tasty treat - and can go to great lengths to get at your birdseed. This little chipmunk managed to remove the cover to my squirrel proof feeder and dive inside for a delicious treat of nuts and berries. Unfortunately, once inside, he wasn't able to escape (don't worry, after taking a few pictures we released him unharmed.)

If you, like me, enjoy all wildlife and wouldn't dream of harming squirrels and chipmunks - but want to keep them out of your bird feeders, there are some tricks to repelling squirrels you can try.

  • Squirrel proof feeders - The first option, of course, it to invest in squirrel proof feeders. As you can see, these aren't 100 % foolproof, but they go a long way toward keeping squirrels out of your feeder.
  • Squirrel baffles - These can be placed either over or under the bird feeder and look like a large shallow bowl.  When a squirrel leaps onto it from above, it tips him off. Those installed below the feeder tip as he tries to climb up to the feeder, blocking his access.
  • Squirrel repellents - There are a number of natural products sold to repel squirrels. Garden.com (see link at the bottom of post) offers several products for repelling squirrels.

                                                   Home Remedies
  • Soda Bottles - Hang the bird feeder on a horizontal wire (or clothesline) and string empty soda bottles on the wire. Drill a hole in the cap and in the center of the bottom of the bottle. Run the wire through the bottle. Place several on each side of the feeder. As the squirrel runs along the wire to reach the feeder, the bottles spin, throwing him onto the ground.
  • Stove Pipe - Sink a 4-foot section of galvanized stove pipe into the soil to a depth of four inches. Place the pole for your bird feeder in the center of the stove pipe. Squirrels cannot climb the stove pipe to access the feeder.
  • Grease the Pole - Greasing the pole to your bird feeder with nontoxic grease prevents the squirrel from climbing the pole and provides some entertainment for you, as well. The down side of greasing the pole is that the grease tends to "wear off" quickly and needs to be replaced frequently.
  • Cayenne Pepper - Many report that adding a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to a bag of seed makes an effective squirrel repellent. Seal  the bag tightly and shake to distribute the cayenne pepper throughout the birdseed. Although squirrels dislike the taste, birds are apparently immune and continue to visit the feeder unaffected by cayenne pepper.  From my experience, squirrels soon adapt to the flavor (or it dissipates) and they return within a few days.

                                     Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!
For more information about keeping squirrels out of your bird feeders, visit How to Get Rid of Squirrels.

Garden.com - A Bird Sanctuary - 1000's of Birding Products In Stock
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    For more nature photography, check out my photography site.
Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



Photo used under Creative Commons from MyArtfulLife
  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables