Defeating squirrels

[kshotton45]

In the birds forum, under the ‘jens recipe’ thread the Squirrels hi jacked the thread. So I’ve started another thread on this forum for tips on how to protect your feeders from Squirrels. The original problem was that the Squirrels had learned how to undo the wing nut holding a peanut feeder together !
Any tips would be welcome. Landmines are out, as they would damage my fence.
I am at present at work , working on a solution !

Keith.

[Turtletagger]

Hi Keith, the story of the Tree Rat has been told before in this forum and also in Bird Forum with many strange and wonderful ways of defeating the creature, ninety nine point nine percent are failures, even my deterrent of smearing everything around the feeders with a paste made up of Paprika powder and Tabasco Sauce seem to fail or maybe each pest is a new one to visit the feeding station.
I think the only way to rid ourselves from this rodent is to trap it and humanely kill it. I did start a controversial story in the past by suggesting using the carcase as food, a stew of Squirrel is supposed to be quite delicious. Keep that in mind if you are ever in a survival situation.

[kshotton45]

Originally Posted by Turtletagger

Hi Keith, the story of the Tree Rat has been told before .

Hi, the late great Phil Drabble was passionate about wildlife, until the subject of Squirrels came up. I think he may have coined the phrase 'Tree Rat', he called them Tree Rats in an article in our local paper about 30 years ago, and openly talked about 'picking them off with my .22 rifle' ! Phil hated them!

Keith.

[kshotton45]

I am of course, referring to Grey Squirrels.

Keith.

[kshotton45]

Here’s the latest on the Squirrel proof feeder.
The retaining wing nut, screws onto a 4mm diameter rod, which holds the whole feeder together. If this nut was over tightened it would have caused the mesh to kink.
It now has a threaded stainless steel disc 45mm diameter 5mm thick, which fits in the base – ideal for a human hand to grip and tighten . A Squirrel won’t be able to grip this. In addition, the wing nut is used as a lock nut. It can be locked up as tightly as possible against the stainless one without causing any extra pressure on the mesh.


“ This will defeat the squirrels “. (Keith Shotton August 11th 2007).


Keith.

[Interpreter]

Originally Posted by kshotton45

Hi, the late great Phil Drabble was passionate about wildlife, until the subject of Squirrels came up. I think he may have coined the phrase 'Tree Rat', he called them Tree Rats in an article in our local paper about 30 years ago, and openly talked about 'picking them off with my .22 rifle' ! Phil hated them!

Keith.

I wonder if any of the grey squirrels actually asked to be born as grey squirrels? Wild life is wild life whether you like the species or not. Should I kill Great Tits because they pinch my peanuts, which I only put out for the squirrels? Of course not. Every animal has the right to life. Life is hard enough for them without us killing them off.

[naturelover]

Originally Posted by Interpreter

I wonder if any of the grey squirrels actually asked to be born as grey squirrels? Wild life is wild life whether you like the species or not. Should I kill Great Tits because they pinch my peanuts, which I only put out for the squirrels? Of course not. Every animal has the right to life. Life is hard enough for them without us killing them off.

i am afraid i am with you on that one,i have been here befor though.

[stripee]

The only peanut feeder that has held its own against squirrels is the sort that has outside bars round the feeder and the mesh part is inside. This worked for quite a while til the mesh got a bit old and the squirrels managed to chew it through the bars, I'm suprised they don't get their heads stuck, so now need a new one! But its lasted a few years. They are clever

[jdurbo]

Keith

I must say i love your squirrels and your pictures are great hope you get some more for us to see..dont be to hard on them they love you really!!!

jen xxx

[Elizabeth B]

Originally Posted by kshotton45

In the birds forum, under the ‘jens recipe’ thread the Squirrels hi jacked the thread. So I’ve started another thread on this forum for tips on how to protect your feeders from Squirrels. The original problem was that the Squirrels had learned how to undo the wing nut holding a peanut feeder together !
Any tips would be welcome. Landmines are out, as they would damage my fence.
I am at present at work , working on a solution !

Keith.

I've been winning for some years now - this feeder pole is positioned far enough away from any trees and shrubs that squirrels cannot leap directly onto the feeders. We did have a problem a few years ago, when a shrub in the border became too large - we covered it with netting, but the squirrels soon chewed through that - so it had to go!





I bought this caged feeder a couple of years ago, to hold my home made suet blocks, and this does the trick too. So far starlings have not managed to get inside either, though I know a couple of people who have needed to put chicken wire round the bottom two layers to keep them out- perhaps my squirrels are too fat from all the other food they get on the ground? (This block weighs about 380g - and at the moment last for less than two days)!!!