Squirel feeder

[Joe Pelonio]

Here's the one I have. The wire cage has those designs on it that are just above the openings. The squirrel has to grap onto the metal and his weight pulls the metal over the holes. It's spring loaded with adjustable tension so you can allow or deny larger birds.

http://www.shop.com/op/~Perky_Pet_33...995?sourceid=3

[Frank Guerin]

If you wish another challenge, try building a squirlless feeder. I am not a prejudicial person even if is about animals but the squirlles can be a challenge. Of course we being the most intelligent of all species on this great earth should have no problem defeating such lowly animal such as a squirlle. I saw a menagire of wires ropes, balances etc in a yard that a elderly gentleman had been building and improving on for many years to ( not really) stop squirlles but to test there intelligence. It looked like some kind of science fair thing. He stepped outside, rang a bell and the game was on.

I have found after many questionable but humourous moments that squirles feeder is only a bird feeder underneath a canopy that the squirrles can't get to.

I step out on my deck, I ring an old bell, the squirrles, redbirds, doves and whatever else there is knows it feeding time.

They eat better than me.
No I don't do spellcheck.

[Joe Pelonio]

If you wish another challenge, try building a squirlless feeder.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about it. Then I found this and thought why build a better mousetrap, it's cheap enough to give a try. I looked into electrifying a metal post, weight activated air horns, and all kinds of things. Funny thing is that in college I did train rats in some psychology labs, even was footnoted in a published paper, but with these feeder robbers I just wanted to stop them by making them miserable.

[Frank Fusco]

Joe, like so many things, the concept is simple. I might try building something like it. In the meantime, I'll keep feeding mine lead.
BTW, on another forum I belong to, mention of killing squirrels would get me warned and possibly banned. For the record, I don't kill them for the joy of killing. Squirrels in a rural area are often so numerous as to be vermin that damage houses, steal food from desirable animals and generally make a mess. Around me, the biggest threat from squirrels (and it IS a threat) is cutting off of our electric supply. They gnaw wires and short out transformers. By keeping the local population thin this only happens a couple times a year. If I stop shooting them, within a couple months it can happen weekly or more often. A scoped .22 is a necessary household tool.

[Andy Hoyt]

Best squirrel proof feeder I ever had was your basic storebought variety that claimed this ability. Set it up on a rope midway between corner of the house and a tree - about 30 feet overall. Put two old fashioned LPs on the rope about 1 foot or so away from the feeder on either side. Worked great - and I got rid of my wife's polka collection at the same time.

[Peter Stahl]

Best squirrel proof feeder I ever had was your basic storebought variety that claimed this ability. Set it up on a rope midway between corner of the house and a tree - about 30 feet overall. Put two old fashioned LPs on the rope about 1 foot or so away from the feeder on either side. Worked great - and I got rid of my wife's polka collection at the same time.

Bunch of soda bottles on the line work well too. Saw a show on the flying rat on PBS. They'll jump a long way to get to that feeder.

[Joe Pelonio]

Hoe, like so many things, the concept is simple. I might try building something like it. In the meantime, I'll keep feeding mine lead.

Here there's no firing within the city limits. We had a construction worker spot a 5 point buck near the project he was working on, right on the main road, and ran back to his truck for his 30-06 and nailed it. He had tags so the game department had no trouble with it. The city fined him but had to let him keep it.

We actually suffer more damage to the house from woodpeckers than squirrels, and I have been known to scare them off with a soft bb gun.

[Robert Mickley]

Actually relocating a squirrel just gives it a longer death. They are very territoral. When you relocate them they don't know where the feeding grounds are and the squirrels in that territory will harrass them.

If you going to trap them, just kill em and get it over with. We have a few. Our main nuisences are Raccoons, Groundhogs and possums.
But my two male black labs keep them pretty much under control.
You should see them tag team one.

[Frank Fusco]

Here there's no firing within the city limits. We had a construction worker spot a 5 point buck near the project he was working on, right on the main road, and ran back to his truck for his 30-06 and nailed it. He had tags so the game department had no trouble with it. The city fined him but had to let him keep it.

We actually suffer more damage to the house from woodpeckers than squirrels, and I have been known to scare them off with a soft bb gun.

Yes, them pecker woods can do a lot of damge and make you crazy in the process. Be careful when/if you shoot them, don't let neighbors see. Quite a few peckers are protected. I believe the piliated (big guys with red crest) are protected and they are the worst on houses.

[Rob Russell]

One "squirrel-proofing" technique that worked well for a while was to hang a feeder from a wire stretched between 2 trees. Now, the wire alone wasn't enough. We put a bunch of big wooden beads on the wire on either side of the feeder.

The squirrels tried to run along the beads but it was like watching a log rolling contest.

One of them finally figured out that - if he grabbed onto the beads and hung on for dear life as he swung down - he'd stabilize hanging underneath the beads. He then went along the beads hanging underneath until he got to the feeder.

Sure was fun to watch.

[Fred Voorhees]

Best squirrel proof feeder I ever had was your basic storebought variety that claimed this ability. Set it up on a rope midway between corner of the house and a tree - about 30 feet overall. Put two old fashioned LPs on the rope about 1 foot or so away from the feeder on either side. Worked great - and I got rid of my wife's polka collection at the same time.

Andy, you never stop making me chuckle!