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Please throw away any feeders that squirrels have chewed (1 Viewer)

B

BirminghamBirder

Member
Hi there,

I just had the distressing sight of a great tit with its head stuck in our bird feeder.

The port in question had been chewed by a squirrel, but I was not aware of the extent so I assume this has happened whilst out this morning.

I have managed to untangle the bird and fortunately it flew off without looking like any harm had been done.

Please please please throw any feeder away that any squirrels have managed to chew on.

Thanks,

Josh
 
Elmer Fudd said:
What kind of bird feeder exactly did you use? Do you have a picture or link to a offer for sale like on ebay or amazon?
Click to expand...

Also very intrigued to see the feeder and damage done. There was a recent RSPCA article about a Blackbird stuck in a fat ball feeder but it seemed pretty evident the lid had been left open and the bird couldn't get back on. Always take the necessary precautions when feeding birds would be my advice :t:
 
Hi there.

It was a plastic seed feeder. The squirrel has chewed the plastic around the feeder port, and the bird had somehow managed to get its head stuck in the small crack the squirrel had made.

I will try and take a pic tomorrow and upload it for you to see.

Will only be purchasing metal feeders in the future!

Thanks

Josh
 
BirminghamBirder said:
Hi there.

It was a plastic seed feeder. The squirrel has chewed the plastic around the feeder port, and the bird had somehow managed to get its head stuck in the small crack the squirrel had made.

I will try and take a pic tomorrow and upload it for you to see.

Will only be purchasing metal feeders in the future!

Thanks

Josh
Click to expand...

Thank you, Josh!
As I observed the squirrels didn't even try to chew on the metal of our feeders. They seem to be very skillful to take the sun flower seeds (still within the shells) out of the feeder.

We stopped taking peanuts. The birds don't like them.
 
Elmer Fudd said:
Thank you, Josh!
As I observed the squirrels didn't even try to chew on the metal of our feeders. They seem to be very skillful to take the sun flower seeds (still within the shells) out of the feeder.

We stopped taking peanuts. The birds don't like them.
Click to expand...

The difference here Elmer....is that our squirrels are mostly "Grey" North American, they are bigger and heavier than the continental Red Squirrel, and can be quite aggressive with standard feeders, even on occasion metal ones. I've recently purchased a plastic cased feeder, that sits within an outer cage, that allows tits and Nuthatches in...but excludes Squirrel and Parakeet!

Cheers
 
Ken, thank you for this explanation. Recently I talked to a vet and she told me that the Grey Squirrels haven't yet arrived the continent.

AFAIK in the U. S. the Grey Squirrels are so big that they deliver a meal by themselve.
 
Please throw away any feeders that squirrels have chewed.

Elmer Fudd said:
Ken, thank you for this explanation. Recently I talked to a vet and she told me that the Grey Squirrels haven't yet arrived the continent.

AFAIK in the U. S. the Grey Squirrels are so big that they deliver a meal by themselve.
Click to expand...
I can quite believe that, also it was good to hear that
Grey squirrels have not arrived in the continent yet long may that continue
hopefully they never do thou I presume that may be asking for to much but
One can hope.
 
First I did not understand what you meant. When you, in your second post, told us that it was plastic, it was easier to comprehend. We have not had that kind of problem with squirrels. However, it has happened that they sometimes destroyed the entrance hole at the bird houses. As for the injured little birds, our recurring problem is that they often crush into our windows. Fortunately, the birds usually accept sitting on my lap for a while, wrapped in a towel. 75% of them survive and can be released again after half an hour. This week something unusual happened. A blue tit head (impaled?) in the wing of a little branch next to the bird feeder and hung there when I found him. When I undid the bird, it could apparently without problems, fly again.
 
proudandfree said:
First I did not understand what you meant. When you, in your second post, told us that it was plastic, it was easier to comprehend. We have not had that kind of problem with squirrels. However, it has happened that they sometimes destroyed the entrance hole at the bird houses. As for the injured little birds, our recurring problem is that they often crush into our windows. Fortunately, the birds usually accept sitting on my lap for a while, wrapped in a towel. 75% of them survive and can be released again after half an hour. This week something unusual happened. A blue tit head (impaled?) in the wing of a little branch next to the bird feeder and hung there when I found him. When I undid the bird, it could apparently without problems, fly again.
Click to expand...
Interesting record how the blue tit got caught in
The branch, as I,ve got older I seem to associate nature or anything to do
with nature something that works (hand in hand) (A Saying we have here)
that for Instance your blue tit would have recognised the danger of the
Branch before getting stuck head first and other similar circumstances
that us human beings would not pick up on or associate with as your blue
Tit (might) have in your case but as your record proves this is not the
Case may have been a young bird unexperienced to such perils.
 
Probably not a great solution in wet weather but squirrels are averse to chilli powder so dusting the food with it will deter them.
 
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