• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Cayenne Red Pepper with birdseed? (1 Viewer)

cadillactaste

Well-known member
I called TSC and asked if they had a squirrel deturant that would keep them from shimming a shepherds staff. The man said they had one...but it was meant to go on a pole verses a staff. And to just add Cayenne Red Pepper with my seed. And the squirrels will leave it be.

Cayenne Red Pepper...I'm just not grasping giving it to birds in their seed. Am I wrong in my puzzlement?

I've read to put vaseline and Cayenne inside on a deturant. But not mixing the pepper with their actual feed they are eating. I don't wish to have them leave my yard by listening to someone on the other end of the phone.
 
Last edited:
Birds don't react to Cayenne pepper, apparently it's a mammalian thing reacting to pepper. So you can douse your bird seed in it and cause the birds no problems.
You might want to think about the effect on the squirrel though, apparently it can be devastating, I've heard that they can gnaw their paws to stop the reaction.
 
Birds don't react to Cayenne pepper, apparently it's a mammalian thing reacting to pepper. So you can douse your bird seed in it and cause the birds no problems.
You might want to think about the effect on the squirrel though, apparently it can be devastating, I've heard that they can gnaw their paws to stop the reaction.
The way to approach it might be to gradually up the dose of cayenne until it is seen to be having a deterrent effect. The use of curry powder is quite effective against cats and dogs and is a lot less 'piquant' and perhaps less likely to cause harm, than cayenne or chili on its own.
 

Thanks KC...One never knows what to believe when an employee of a store gives advice. I've two squirrel feeders out and they are using them. But love the Black-Oil Seeds in the mix out in the hopper. I'm worried they will break the hopper that was given to me for Mother's Day by my son. Thus...I'm putting Cayenne on my shopping list for tommorrow. Thanks for the links...I feel more secure in knowing that I won't chase my feathered friends from my backyard by using it.
 
You've a point there John. Gradually increasing the dose to find the optimum to deter but not maim is a good idea.

:t: Small amounts until I find what works in my own backyard. Thanks...I don't wish to chase the squirrels away. [We live next to a ravine] But I wish they would stay content with their own feeders...
 
Well we'll see...I added not quite a tablespoon to the bird seed. And added it to the hopper. The squirrels have killed the feed yet again. [Not surprising] So I'll be interested to see how they enjoy the hot stuff...

Those squirrels are something at their own feeders. Once they clean the cob they toss my wire cage that holds it. But it never gets tossed when the cob has corn on it. This morning I seen it was only a third full. And made a mental note to put another ear of corn in it when I returned from taking my son to school. And the buggers tossed it again once it was empty. They aren't taking the cob...but tossing the empty cob and all. We live near a ravine...and I'm getting tired of them tossing it. I'm going to have to figure a way to secure it instead of just hanging it off a thick strong hook screwed into the other side of my pergolla.
 
I just read the entire FIRST thread and learned a lot about the subject.
This thread is pretty much starting it all over again. I suggest anyone interested in learning more should click on the links provided in posts just above mine. They will take you to the FIRST thread where no harm to birds is explained, and so on.
I typed the comments below to add to the original thread, but it's past some sort of time limit and can't be added to:
I'm glad that capsaicin causes no harm to birds, and only irritates and discourages squirrels. I didn't want to cause the neighborhood chickadees to breath flames every time they chirp.
I was thinking that pepper flakes would be the most user friendly (no wind gust dust to blind friend or fowl), but it sounds like some of you folks have experienced mammals that pick around the unwanted pieces.
Apparently coating every seed with ground cayenne is the most efficient way to go. (You can't use too much). Paprika isn't strong enough and chili powder has other spices in it ... and I'm not giving my precious curry powder to any critter!
 
Warning! This thread is more than 13 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top