boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Got a bird feeder as a thanksgiving present. Need some set up info. Would squirrels be able to cllimb a 1/16 inch cable? It is a bird feeder not a tree rat feeder

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

You name it, Squirrels can climb it. Even feeders with baffles don't always keep squirrels away. If you hang it away from trees, it helps but doesn't keep them away altogether.

NormanTheGr8 Loc: Racine, Wisconsin

I had a coopers hawk hanging around that took care of the squirrels and house sparrows 😁! I would highly recommend them

Najataagihe

Mix cayenne pepper with your bird seed.

Doesn’t bother the birds, but annoys the crap out of the squirrels.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

They can climb that cable. My wife had a feeder on our patio that hung from a tree. She thought the squirrel would never find it -- the joke was on her. The squirrels would hang by their hind legs and feed out of the feeder. I made a baffle from a big serving platter. The baffle was big enough that when placed above the feeder they could not reach the feeder; the baffle was slipper and they could not hold on if the tried to scamper down it; they would slip off of it to the patio below.

photoman43

I gave up on hanging feeders years ago as he squirrels always found a way to get to them.

I now use a pole system with this type of baffle. It works better than other baffles I have purchased. If the baffle does not show up, look for this at the link:

Stackable Squirrel Baffle


https://www.wbu.com/products/advanced-pole-system/

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

If you hang the feeder from a tree, or anywhere within 10 feet of anything the squirrels can climb, they well get to the feeders and destroy them. After fighting them for years, I finally put the feeders on a post, and about 6 feet up the post I put a stainless steel 13" mixing bowl upside down on the pole. The hole in the bowl was big enough for the bowl to tip over about 45 degrees if stepped on by the squirrels. This almost worked but they figured out they could jump off my deck which was 9.5 feet away and get to them. Moved it 10.5 feet away and they couldn't go that far. They did figure out they could run full speed up the pole, jump/spring out 90 degrees sideways off the bowl while their momentum kept them going up and grab a feeder with one paw. I made the hole bigger so the bowl would tip over all the way and they couldn't spring off that, so for about 2 years feeders have been for birds only. I tried every trick in the book, this is the only thing that worked. You can see part of the bowl and 2 additional comments here:

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-718318-1.html#12700588

Oh, I should add my buddy has one of those feeders than closes if a heavy squirrel or bird lands on the feeder. He said that works. Those feeders are not cheap, so I never tried that. I should also add he said he shot a ton of squirrels, so that might have had something to do with it.

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

I drove two steel six foot fence posts in the ground about eight feet apart with a wire running from the top of one post to the other and put grease on the wire then hung the bird feeder in the center if the wire. Works great!

Najataagihe

Use a piece of garden hose over poles or cables and coat with ArmorAll.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

There is a device call a Twirl A Squirrel which is very entertaining to watch but not 100% foolproof. I am lucky enough that a pair of Barred Owls have taken up residence, and my squirrel issue is eliminated, at least for the present.

lbjed Loc: New York

Here is a pic of my bird feeder setup. I have used this several seasons and not once has a squirrel got to the feeders. The squirrels can't get over the cone. They climb up the pole but can't get up on the cone. It's funny to watch as they go up and then slide down.

(Download)




(Download)

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

We have had great success with Squirrel Buster feeders that seal the access to food when the weight of a squirrel is applied. I realize that this doesn’t help you with an existing feeder. Baffles and distance from launch points seem to be the most effective strategies.

sourdough58 Loc: Maine

We bought the spinner its very entertaining
https://youtu.be/BKYOkWFj_DY

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The best defense I've seen against squirrels is a large downward-curving disk. When I had feeders, squirrels never got past them.

https://www.google.com/search?q=squirrel+shields&oq=squirrel+shields&aqs=edge..69i57j0i22i30j69i64.3807j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

That looks cruel.