DeanS
Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina
As everyone who has bird feeders know, it is almost impossible to prevent the little furry rascals from stealing all your bird seed. I provide shelled seeds and sunflower seeds. The birds seem to prefer the sunflower seeds - - - and so do the llittle furry rascals.
This ingenious little device, a pie pan inverted on top of the feeder, has significantly reduced the amt of seeds consumed since I put it up. I don't think it has completely stopped the little rogue, but consumption tells me it has frustrated him to the point of looking elsewhere for his free meals. Unfortunately, I have not been able to catch him at his trade since I put this up, put I'm still on the look-out. Will post a shot or two when, and if, I catch him.
If it works. I put one of them upside down funnel looking things from Tractor Supply store. Also works. Yours looks like it cost less.
DeanS
Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina
tcthome wrote:
If it works. I put one of them upside down funnel looking things from Tractor Supply store. Also works. Yours looks like it cost less.
Yep, probably pennies. Tks.
Recycling at its finest! And what a shame that you have to buy a pie and eat it just to get the pan.
DeanS
Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina
bikinkawboy wrote:
Recycling at its finest! And what a shame that you have to buy a pie and eat it just to get the pan.
Nope, just raided wife’s kitchen supply cabinet. Would have enjoyed your thought more, however!
sb
Loc: Florida's East Coast
My squirrels could easily leap from the post over to the feeder. They learn quickly.
I have one feeder with a weight-activated spring-loaded bar that, when anything larger than a cardinal sits on it, moves a bar which blocks access to the seeds. Several squirrels have learned that if they support themselves from the hardware on the side of the feeder with their hind feet and hang upside down, they can reach in and grab sunflower seeds.
I have several of the big green torpedo-looking devices on shepard's crooks - those keep most squirrels off of the feeders, but several can launch themselves high enough to grab the feeder. Some even do a "bounce shot" off the bottom part of the shepard's crook. I think they deserve the seeds they get!
The upside-down big plastic cones, like the pie-plate, work great as long as your feeders are not within reach of a good jump.
When I lived in Maine I mounted a 4"x4" post in the ground, from which I hung multiple feeders. I put a 4-foot length of stove pipe around the post at the bottom to keep the squirrels off. But my feeders kept being emptied at night. I mounted a Trail Cam and discovered that the raccoons had learned that one raccoon could boost another raccoon up enough that he could grab the top edge of the stove pipe and pull himself up to where he could grab on to the wood... Then the bears started coming at night, so I had to just bring the feeders indoors at night...
DeanS wrote:
As everyone who has bird feeders know, it is almost impossible to prevent the little furry rascals from stealing all your bird seed. I provide shelled seeds and sunflower seeds. The birds seem to prefer the sunflower seeds - - - and so do the llittle furry rascals.
This ingenious little device, a pie pan inverted on top of the feeder, has significantly reduced the amt of seeds consumed since I put it up. I don't think it has completely stopped the little rogue, but consumption tells me it has frustrated him to the point of looking elsewhere for his free meals. Unfortunately, I have not been able to catch him at his trade since I put this up, put I'm still on the look-out. Will post a shot or two when, and if, I catch him.
As everyone who has bird feeders know, it is almos... (
show quote)
We have found that squirrels won’t bother with the hot pepper variety of seeds. It has no adverse effect on the birds, they love them, but the squirrels stay away.
bikinkawboy wrote:
Recycling at its finest! And what a shame that you have to buy a pie and eat it just to get the pan.
I think cherry pie with ice cream would provide the most suitable pan for this purpose. Or maybe chocolate.
I found that sliding a SLINKY TOY up the pole and anchoring it at the top with a zip tie works also. The critters began to climb the pole but drop back down when they reach the Slinky.
DeanS
Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina
sb wrote:
My squirrels could easily leap from the post over to the feeder. They learn quickly.
I have one feeder with a weight-activated spring-loaded bar that, when anything larger than a cardinal sits on it, moves a bar which blocks access to the seeds. Several squirrels have learned that if they support themselves from the hardware on the side of the feeder with their hind feet and hang upside down, they can reach in and grab sunflower seeds.
I have several of the big green torpedo-looking devices on shepard's crooks - those keep most squirrels off of the feeders, but several can launch themselves high enough to grab the feeder. Some even do a "bounce shot" off the bottom part of the shepard's crook. I think they deserve the seeds they get!
The upside-down big plastic cones, like the pie-plate, work great as long as your feeders are not within reach of a good jump.
When I lived in Maine I mounted a 4"x4" post in the ground, from which I hung multiple feeders. I put a 4-foot length of stove pipe around the post at the bottom to keep the squirrels off. But my feeders kept being emptied at night. I mounted a Trail Cam and discovered that the raccoons had learned that one raccoon could boost another raccoon up enough that he could grab the top edge of the stove pipe and pull himself up to where he could grab on to the wood... Then the bears started coming at night, so I had to just bring the feeders indoors at night...
My squirrels could easily leap from the post over ... (
show quote)
Squirrel sagas never end, and now racoons to boot. I think my little devioce has discouraged the squirrels, not defeated them.
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