I'm tired of having the squirrel's hog the seed from my pole feeders. They can climb the pole to the feeder with no trouble. I've looked at the inexpensive cone guards ($10–$15) on eBay, but they seem to have a seem or laces that are used to put the cone on the pole that would defeat the purpose of the cone by giving the squirrel something to grab onto and prevent him from sliding off the cone. See the attached photographs of a couple of these guards. Do these work? If not, is there an inexpensive cone that I could purchase that does work?
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Do the cheap cone-shaped squirrel guards work on pole feeders? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter FLJohnson
- Start date
flyingpelican
Bird Woman
Unfortunately, these types of cone guards may not work as well as you'd hope. The laces or seams that you mentioned can give the squirrel something to grab onto, enabling it to climb up the side of the cone and onto the feeder. To be effective, the cone needs to be smooth and slippery all the way around, with no seams or laces that the squirrel can grab onto.
Andy Lakin
Well-known member
It would be easy enough to rivet the join together or use a hot glue gun to join the edges flush. There must be an inexpensive material out there that you would be able to draw a design on and cut out easily (I'm struggling to think of one off the top of my head tho!) I have a largish c45 cm plant pot saucer made of plastic which I was wondering if it might work turned upside down with a hole drilled in the middle to slide up the post after first removing it from the ground. Alternatively would a fairly flimsy piece of material work that would semi collapse once a squirrel put any weight on it causing the squirrel to fall off?
Bismarck Honeyeater
Barely known member
The squirrels just eat the ones my neighbour puts on his feeders. Maybe metal ones could work.
KenM
Well-known member
……. .22 ?
Uh? Breaking the law? Besides, I also like the squirrels.
Bismarck Honeyeater
Barely known member
don't quote me but I suspect it’s legal in the UK.
This cylindrical style baffle worked well for me. It is metal, not chewable plastic.
Oldnintheway
Well-known member
This looks interesting. I never thought of this design. I have used plant saucers and formed my own cones from sheet metal....worthless. The cones are not stable and the squirrels reach up, pull the cone flat to the pole, and jump past it with little effort. I've tries to stabilize them but it never lasts. I'm currently patrolling with a pellet gun.
lockbreeze926
Well-known member
These work - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Universal-...ocphy=1006933&hvtargid=pla-720144866308&psc=1
The only two provisos are - 1. as mentioned above, make sure the feeding station as a whole is too far from the nearest branch/perch for them to jump; 2. make sure the baffle is mounted high enough on the pole that the squirrel can't jump to touch the edge. Ours was fine a about 2.5 feet from the ground for years until one squirrel made the evolutionary advance of jumping and flailing around to get some purchase, then clambering up. It managed to do so one time is three or so and only that one ever tried it. I moved the baffle up another foot or so and they have no chance.
The only two provisos are - 1. as mentioned above, make sure the feeding station as a whole is too far from the nearest branch/perch for them to jump; 2. make sure the baffle is mounted high enough on the pole that the squirrel can't jump to touch the edge. Ours was fine a about 2.5 feet from the ground for years until one squirrel made the evolutionary advance of jumping and flailing around to get some purchase, then clambering up. It managed to do so one time is three or so and only that one ever tried it. I moved the baffle up another foot or so and they have no chance.
Andy Lakin
Well-known member
I used to have a squirrel visiting my bird table which was eating all the food I decided to get a very long cane that could just reach the bird table from mu bedroom window. When the squirrel visited I would give it a very gentle prod just to annoy it enough to make it scarper but it would return after a minute or so, so gave up.and accepted defeat!
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