Photo Courtesy: D. Fuka
Anybody with a garden knows the attraction of feeding birds. It’s so lovely to have regular visitors to your garden looking for snacks and titbits, and there’s a feel feeling of satisfaction in knowing that you are doing your bit to keep their little tummies full. Encouraging birds to come to your garden means that not only will you be treated to the regular sight of their visits, you’ll also benefit from hearing their singing from the trees!
If there’s one thing that blights your attempts, however, it’s a pesky squirrel! They have a knack of being able to climb the highest pole to get to that tempting bird feeder. It doesn’t matter where you install the feeders, the athletic squirrels will always figure out a way of reaching them – even if they have to hang upside down! They are known as nature’s ‘problem-solvers’ – there isn’t much they can’t do when they set their mind to it.
While it is very funny to watch them leaping and balancing, it is also very frustrating to know that the birds are missing out. You don’t want to scare the birds away altogether, so you need a way to send the squirrels packing. Here are some great ideas:
Chilli Powder
It has been discovered that while birds can’t taste chilli powder, squirrels can, and they simply HATE it! It’s a great way of deterring the squirrels without causing them any harm (other than a burning tongue perhaps!). A sprinkling of chilli powder in bird feeders, on bird tables, and on any bread you throw out, will be enough to send the squirrels on their way.
Another way of adding chilli powder is to throw all the birdseed and fat balls into a bag, throw some chilli powder in and give it a good shake. This will make sure that it is all properly coated before putting it out for the birds. Peri-peri sauce, Tabasco and cayenne pepper will also do the trick.
A Slinky or Pipe!
A Slinky! – Photo Courtesy: Thomas Nielsen
One trick worth trying, if only for the comedy factor, is using a slinky! Drop the slinky over the pole of the feeder at the top so that the pole is inside the slinky. Sit back and wait for the squirrels to arrive, and watch and laugh as they climb to the top, only to spiral back down again! Pipes work well as posts because the squirrels simply can’t get the purchase to climb them – they are too slippery.
Baffle Them!
Have a look online for squirrel baffles – they are little plastic contraptions that sit on the feeder, blocking the squirrel’s access to the food. These really drive them crazy! You can make your own out of the neck of a plastic bottle.
Right: A couple of Squirrel Baffles – Photo Courtesy: fishhawk
If all else fails then it is possible to get a squirrel shocker which sits on the bird feeder and delivers a shock to the squirrel, sending him running. But in our view this takes all the fun out of it – it’s hilarious to watch a squirrel being defeated by your own invention. So, we say take a leaf out of the squirrel’s book and get problem-solving. They’ll be furious!
Jenny Wadlow is a freelance writer. A lot of companies hire her to write about their products in her articles. In her assessment, Bear Bottom Pest Control is a stand out pest control service that offer good service at reasonable rates.
Leave a Reply