Stolen Fat Balls + Pond Digging!

[cw1975]

Hello,

I'm a newbie so hello to everyone!

I have two questions that might have already appeared previously but here goes:

I. I have recently had around 5 fat balls taken from my front garden after being in place for about a month. The gate was shut and the garden is quite secure (we have two german shepherds which put most people off!). I purchased another 4 yesterday and a hanging cage feeder which came with 4free fat balls. This morning all the hanging fat balls are gone but the cage feeder remains with the fat balls inside. My question is, what is taking these? Is it magpies or squirrels or something else?

II. A few months ago (again in the front garden) I noticed some soil disturbance around the pond. This was minimal but led to a few of the large stones around the outer edge of the pond being moved slightly. Today, however, an area has been dug into with the big stone on top of the pond lining being moved and some of the pond lining has been chewed. I had seen a cat sat by the pond this morning. My question is, is this the work of a cat or cats, hedgehog, squirrel or fox? The activity was most likely done overnight.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

[Boddie]

I'd say squirrels, or a singular squirrel is most likely

[cw1975]

Hi Boddie,

Did you mean the stealing of the fat balls?

Do you think the squirrel is responsible for the pond digging? I have just chased off the cat that was sat at the pond this morning again! Out of the two problems, the pond is worrying as a puncture to the lining supporting the water and its good night...

Thank you for your help

[Morph]

The fat balls as you say sound like squirrels, the digging if not the dogs could be badger if your in the right area or hedgehog ?
I,ve got a few hedgehogs in the back garden and they dug a nice deep channel under the side gate to get to the front, so digging isn't a problem for them.

[tufftie]

What are the fat balls hanging on? It could be quite a few things, corvids, squirrels, badgers even. The pond sounds more like badgers.

[Ida]

Hello and welcome to WAB.

A friend of mine had a problem with a squirrel eating most of the fat from his wire-cage bird feeder. He's recently bought one of the fat slabs containing insects, and apparently the squirrel doesn't like this 'flavour'. Might be worth a try, although I don't know if all squirrels have the same taste in bird food!

[tufftie]

Originally Posted by Ida

Hello and welcome to WAB.

A friend of mine had a problem with a squirrel eating most of the fat from his wire-cage bird feeder. He's recently bought one of the fat slabs containing insects, and apparently the squirrel doesn't like this 'flavour'. Might be worth a try, although I don't know if all squirrels have the same taste in bird food!

Squirrels don't like chili pepper sauces but birds don't mind, so dabbing some on might also help if it is squirrels

[cw1975]

Hello,

Thank you to all the replies.

I don't think the digging around the pond was caused by dogs (definately not my dogs as they don't use the front garden apart from to go out that way for walks).

Interesting thought on badgers My husband has seen a hedgehog on and off in the front garden so the digging could be the result of hedgehog antics - would this just be a case of digging for food? I have a old compost heap in the corner and was hoping for a resident but, as the saying goes, careful what you wish for!

We will both be keeping a careful eye on activities out the front. It would be a great shame if we lost the pond as it is a real haven for wildlife (and keeps me amused).

[cw1975]

... Forgot to mention

I have found one fat ball (presumably mine) on one of the grass verges near the house, it has been torn open with the seed scattered so it looks like the fat was the 'hit'.

... the mystery continues

[diggleken]

Corvids are expert at tearing fat balls away from a feeder - the fat balls need to be anchored if this is your culprit by tying on firmly.
Just keep a lookout for the culprit and let us know?
HTH
Ken