How to Squirrel Proof your Bird Feed. (1 Viewer)

How to Squirrel Proof your Bird Feeder.

Tobasco Sauce and Cayenne Pepper does not work. Red Chili Flakes do not work. Mint oil does not work. Squirrels keep coming back and dissemate your bird feed. Squirrels are curious, persistent problem solvers and if they want your bird feed they are going to get it. After endless internet searches and trying all sorts of methods for keeping squirrels away from my bird food I have figured out a solution.

Remember, squirrels and deer have tongues and are sensitive to chilis. Birds do not have tongues and are not affected by chilis.

I have used this solution for whole peanuts in the shell and for striped sunflower seed.

1. In a tupperware container add desired amount of bird feed.
2. Lightly sprinkle a few drops food grade oil to your bird feed. (I use both olive and canola oil.)
3. Shake bird feed in sealed container vigorously to coat bird feed with oil.
4. Now for the good part - Sprinkle "Carolina Reaper Powder" over bird feed.
5. Shake bird feed until chili powder is dusted evenly over bird feed. (Add more oil, if necessary, for powder to stick.)
6. Feed your birds.

Observations and Suggestions:

Carolina Reaper Chilis are the hottest chilis in the world so be careful. Wash your hands after this process and "DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES" with your hands or fingers.

My goal is to deter squirrels without harming them. I've read accounts of squirrels clawing their eyes out with similar methods so proceed with caution. The amount of chili powder that's needed will be trial and error. My method is after I've sprinkled my whole peanuts with the chili powder I a put a peanut in my own mouth to gage its effectiveness. (Of course, with a large glass of milk nearby.) Not much of the Carolina Reaper Powder is needed to create an intolerable heat. This makes using the powder fairly cost effective.

I was excited to see what would happen with the squirrels. Several squirrels would eat my peanuts in minutes and leave nothing for my blue jays, grackles, woodpeckers, or cardinals. They would watch me from afar and as soon as I would put my bird feed out they would pounce. So here is what happened when I dusted my peanuts with the Chili Reaper Powder...

The squirrels cavalierly came prancing up to my peanut feeder, giving me the evil eye, of course. A wry smile came upon my face. Then the alpha squirrel took the first peanut as always. Almost immediately I could see a puzzled look on his face. Then he dropped the peanut and and shook his head violently as he ran as fast as he could. The other squirrels got scared and followed. Was I bit worried that I might have harmed the squirrel? Sure I was but only time would tell. It was early evening when I first used this chili method so I did not see the squirrels for the rest of the evening. Even the birds were put off by what they had seen and did not eat any peanuts for the rest of that evening.

The next morning, however, all of my peanuts were gone. I could tell they were eaten by birds and not by squirrels because the squirrels always discard the shells nearby. There were no shells to be seen. Even so, the squirrels came back the next afternoon. I was glad to see that the alpha squirrel had not clawed his eyes out. This time, however, he was far more cautious. I could see him on top of the peanuts sniffing the chili powder, trying to decide whether or not to take another peanut. He did not. His partner then had her turn. She too sniffed the peanuts and walked away.

Then there were a couple of squirrels I had not seen before. They immediately took the peanuts in their mouth and just like the first squirrel violently reacted to the chili powder, dropped the peanuts and ran away. So far, so good! My method is working. I hope this method will work for you too. Please, try and it out and report your findings here. I am also curious to see if this will work with deer.

Good luck.

https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Rea...00U5G7IN6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I found that it's best to find and/or devise ways to exclude SQ access. That ended up involving the purchase of professionally made SQ proof feeders and therefore some capital expenditure spread over a few years, and then improving the designs a bit when the SQs started defeating them, but it's led to a fairly workable standoff at this point. As far as deer go, none of my feeders are at a height that's accessible to them.

I find an air rifle works well and the squirrel can then be used in a pie.

Squirrel deterrent

Lots of expensive squirrel baffles on the net so decided to try an inverted plant pot with a hole cut in bottom. Two weeks now and squirrels get part way up pole and just give up. Maybe my squirrels are particularly dumb but it’s working!

davidhunternyc said:

How to Squirrel Proof your Bird Feeder.

Tobasco Sauce and Cayenne Pepper does not work. Red Chili Flakes do not work. Mint oil does not work. Squirrels keep coming back and dissemate your bird feed. Squirrels are curious, persistent problem solvers and if they want your bird feed they are going to get it. After endless internet searches and trying all sorts of methods for keeping squirrels away from my bird food I have figured out a solution.

Remember, squirrels and deer have tongues and are sensitive to chilis. Birds do not have tongues and are not affected by chilis.

I have used this solution for whole peanuts in the shell and for striped sunflower seed.

1. In a tupperware container add desired amount of bird feed.
2. Lightly sprinkle a few drops food grade oil to your bird feed. (I use both olive and canola oil.)
3. Shake bird feed in sealed container vigorously to coat bird feed with oil.
4. Now for the good part - Sprinkle "Carolina Reaper Powder" over bird feed.
5. Shake bird feed until chili powder is dusted evenly over bird feed. (Add more oil, if necessary, for powder to stick.)
6. Feed your birds.

Observations and Suggestions:

Carolina Reaper Chilis are the hottest chilis in the world so be careful. Wash your hands after this process and "DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES" with your hands or fingers.

My goal is to deter squirrels without harming them. I've read accounts of squirrels clawing their eyes out with similar methods so proceed with caution. The amount of chili powder that's needed will be trial and error. My method is after I've sprinkled my whole peanuts with the chili powder I a put a peanut in my own mouth to gage its effectiveness. (Of course, with a large glass of milk nearby.) Not much of the Carolina Reaper Powder is needed to create an intolerable heat. This makes using the powder fairly cost effective.

I was excited to see what would happen with the squirrels. Several squirrels would eat my peanuts in minutes and leave nothing for my blue jays, grackles, woodpeckers, or cardinals. They would watch me from afar and as soon as I would put my bird feed out they would pounce. So here is what happened when I dusted my peanuts with the Chili Reaper Powder...

The squirrels cavalierly came prancing up to my peanut feeder, giving me the evil eye, of course. A wry smile came upon my face. Then the alpha squirrel took the first peanut as always. Almost immediately I could see a puzzled look on his face. Then he dropped the peanut and and shook his head violently as he ran as fast as he could. The other squirrels got scared and followed. Was I bit worried that I might have harmed the squirrel? Sure I was but only time would tell. It was early evening when I first used this chili method so I did not see the squirrels for the rest of the evening. Even the birds were put off by what they had seen and did not eat any peanuts for the rest of that evening.

The next morning, however, all of my peanuts were gone. I could tell they were eaten by birds and not by squirrels because the squirrels always discard the shells nearby. There were no shells to be seen. Even so, the squirrels came back the next afternoon. I was glad to see that the alpha squirrel had not clawed his eyes out. This time, however, he was far more cautious. I could see him on top of the peanuts sniffing the chili powder, trying to decide whether or not to take another peanut. He did not. His partner then had her turn. She too sniffed the peanuts and walked away.

Then there were a couple of squirrels I had not seen before. They immediately took the peanuts in their mouth and just like the first squirrel violently reacted to the chili powder, dropped the peanuts and ran away. So far, so good! My method is working. I hope this method will work for you too. Please, try and it out and report your findings here. I am also curious to see if this will work with deer.

Good luck.

Amazon.com : Carolina Reaper Chili Pepper Powder Wicked Reaper Wicked Tickle World's Hottest Chili Pepper : Grocery & Gourmet Food

Click to expand...

Thankyou, i too tried to outwit those pesky squirrells, but to no avail, until i found chilli reaper in my local supermarket. Reasonably priced too. I tried just dusting peanuts and although it worked at first with ordinary chilli powder, it either fell off or they got addicted to it. I thought i could hear them laughing in the garden when they came last time, saying things like, "Oh great its that hot stuff, i'll be able to read that book in the dark", or something like that. It sort of worked until i used oil to coat the peanuts first then tossed them in it. This worked a treat, i was laughing i admit, when they came, ponced on the nuts, then wiped its face on a branch, then went for the bird bath. I thought then, yeah beer or water with chilli doesn't work, and i am certainly not giving you milk. It does seemed to have slowed them down thats for sure, also thankyou for the much simpler explanation that i had of course not even thought about as to the fact that they have tongues and of course birds don't. Some parrots love and eat very hot things naturally, Me being the dumbcluck, listened, learned, but didn't really listen, otherwise i would have realised long ago as to why?. Thanks for sharing your sage advice. I shall use this formula from now on ( 🇬🇧) greetings from this side of the pond.

I have feeders that have shutters on them for when a big a bird or squirrel touches the small perches works the treat.

I just pivoted to watching squirrels.

Our squirrel proof bird feeders are still going strong with squirrels now rarely seen in our garden.

Thread 'Ha Ha ! Now what are you going to do ? 😜' Ha Ha ! Now what are you going to do ? 😜

I got rid of my flat top bird table because of the squirrels, magpies and pigeons hogging it and taking all the feed. Instead I bought one of those garden feed stations with four arms to hang feeders onto. I also got a steel squirrel busting torpedo to slide on to it. I also ditched the mixed bird feed for straight no mess sunflower hearts.
First day I watched the squirrel try to climb up then gave up and never tried again. He now sits in the tree flicking his tail and complaining. The pigeons and magpies don't bother either but the doves perch on top looking hungry.
I'm thinking of improving this set up to come spring and make my own from fence posts and making some fancy wooden arms for the feeder. Also do a small patio circle the width of the feeder arms to collect the fallen seed. I just need to think up some kind of piping to slot over the post to deter the squirrels.

WalterRayle said:

I find an air rifle works well and the squirrel can then be used in a pie.

Click to expand...

Requesting recipe for squirrel pie.

davidhunternyc said:

How to Squirrel Proof your Bird Feeder.

Tobasco Sauce and Cayenne Pepper does not work. Red Chili Flakes do not work. Mint oil does not work. Squirrels keep coming back and dissemate your bird feed. Squirrels are curious, persistent problem solvers and if they want your bird feed they are going to get it. After endless internet searches and trying all sorts of methods for keeping squirrels away from my bird food I have figured out a solution.

Remember, squirrels and deer have tongues and are sensitive to chilis. Birds do not have tongues and are not affected by chilis.

I have used this solution for whole peanuts in the shell and for striped sunflower seed.

1. In a tupperware container add desired amount of bird feed.
2. Lightly sprinkle a few drops food grade oil to your bird feed. (I use both olive and canola oil.)
3. Shake bird feed in sealed container vigorously to coat bird feed with oil.
4. Now for the good part - Sprinkle "Carolina Reaper Powder" over bird feed.
5. Shake bird feed until chili powder is dusted evenly over bird feed. (Add more oil, if necessary, for powder to stick.)
6. Feed your birds.

Observations and Suggestions:

Carolina Reaper Chilis are the hottest chilis in the world so be careful. Wash your hands after this process and "DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES" with your hands or fingers.

My goal is to deter squirrels without harming them. I've read accounts of squirrels clawing their eyes out with similar methods so proceed with caution. The amount of chili powder that's needed will be trial and error. My method is after I've sprinkled my whole peanuts with the chili powder I a put a peanut in my own mouth to gage its effectiveness. (Of course, with a large glass of milk nearby.) Not much of the Carolina Reaper Powder is needed to create an intolerable heat. This makes using the powder fairly cost effective.

I was excited to see what would happen with the squirrels. Several squirrels would eat my peanuts in minutes and leave nothing for my blue jays, grackles, woodpeckers, or cardinals. They would watch me from afar and as soon as I would put my bird feed out they would pounce. So here is what happened when I dusted my peanuts with the Chili Reaper Powder...

The squirrels cavalierly came prancing up to my peanut feeder, giving me the evil eye, of course. A wry smile came upon my face. Then the alpha squirrel took the first peanut as always. Almost immediately I could see a puzzled look on his face. Then he dropped the peanut and and shook his head violently as he ran as fast as he could. The other squirrels got scared and followed. Was I bit worried that I might have harmed the squirrel? Sure I was but only time would tell. It was early evening when I first used this chili method so I did not see the squirrels for the rest of the evening. Even the birds were put off by what they had seen and did not eat any peanuts for the rest of that evening.

The next morning, however, all of my peanuts were gone. I could tell they were eaten by birds and not by squirrels because the squirrels always discard the shells nearby. There were no shells to be seen. Even so, the squirrels came back the next afternoon. I was glad to see that the alpha squirrel had not clawed his eyes out. This time, however, he was far more cautious. I could see him on top of the peanuts sniffing the chili powder, trying to decide whether or not to take another peanut. He did not. His partner then had her turn. She too sniffed the peanuts and walked away.

Then there were a couple of squirrels I had not seen before. They immediately took the peanuts in their mouth and just like the first squirrel violently reacted to the chili powder, dropped the peanuts and ran away. So far, so good! My method is working. I hope this method will work for you too. Please, try and it out and report your findings here. I am also curious to see if this will work with deer.

Good luck.

https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Rea...00U5G7IN6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Click to expand...

Ordering the powder now and will report back on results.

The baffles work well but the position is critical. Too low and the squirrels can leap over it. Even with a long tube type I saw a squirrel leap up more than 16" to grab the section of the pole above it. It is a trial and error process.

For those squirrels that do get past the baffles a pellet rifle is how I create food for the local hawks and a coyote. Everything gets recycled.

I simply switched to Squirrel Buster brand feeders. They are not cheap, but they are worth it! They REALLY work. The squirrels knew about these feeders before I did. After I purchased them and hung them outside, the squirrels never even attempted to get at the seed in the Squirrel Buster feeders. I highly recommend them. {{I have no connection to the company by the way. I am just a very happy customer.}}

I still feel safflower seed in my domed feeder which the squirrels can easily access, but they do not like safflower seed, so they leave it alone. The Cardinals, however, like it, and they feed at both feeders with zero competition from the squirrels.