DIY squirrel proof bird feeder (1 Viewer)

[peewitphil]

Hi


I am new to this forum.
Have a look at my latest DIY squirrel proof feeder (and some of my previous failures) on my webpage :-

http://www.peewit.co.uk/squirrels/index.htm

I would be intested in getting feedback on possible improvements.

Phil

 

[IanF]

Ingenious device :t: I hope that it does the trick in stopping the Squirrels.

 

[TexasFlyway]

Phil;
You are a man after my own heart! A tinker of the first class!! I was just in the midst of building a bird feeder when I spotted this. We have some very ingenious squirrels here also. I can't wait to outwit them with this design. Well done!!

 

[jward]

Peewhit! Well done! I want to try something similar here with my suet feeder and let you know how it goes. Darn squirrels eat it so fast, and I'm forced to buy the expensive "spicy" version. Thanks!!

jw

 

[KC Foggin]

Well your link got quickly saved to my favorites as I am constantly battling more than a dozen squirrels at my feeders. My next step was to trap them and release them elsewhere but I think I will try your idea first. Thanks :t:

 

[KC Foggin]

Peewhit! Well done! I want to try something similar here with my suet feeder and let you know how it goes. Darn squirrels eat it so fast, and I'm forced to buy the expensive "spicy" version. Thanks!!

jw

Hi JW.
Does the spicy version get just as much bird activity as the regular suets?

 

[AnnieW]

Thanks JW for replying to this and bringing it back into view, and thanks Phil for sharing your idea. I already have all the bits, so I will be trying it out later - if it works, I may even celebrate by buying a new nut feeder; like yours the current squirrel proof one we have is now rather mishapen.

Anne

 

[jward]

kc, well, the short answer is yes., but I have only ever tried one other suet. It was peanut flavor and the squirrels massacred it before anyone else even found it. I have witnessed Downy woodpeckers, WB Nuthatch, and Titmouse feeding from the spicy one. I just bought another peanut one though and am itching to try it.

Peewhit et al,

Any ideas on a "sheath" for a suet basket??? I thought about it all weekend and couldn't come up with one. Also, it will be more difficult as the suet basket is traditionally (at least in my mind) up against the tree, so your sheath idea for the peanut feeder may not work. Any ideas???

JW

 

[romancitizen]

It works

I am in the fortunate position of being able to hang bird feeders outside of the office window. Much amusement has been afforded round the office at my attempts to stop squirrels from pinching the food (and chewing up the feeders).

Yesterday I installed a new feeder, based on this design. The cheer that went up this morning when the squirrel ran down the stick and finally turned and retreated (defeated for now!) was most gratifying.

A colleague has suggested he has gone to search on the Internut for a solution.......

 

[Willie Ekaslike]

A colleague has suggested he has gone to search on the Internut for a solution.......

LOL.. :'D

 

[dampflippers]

Suggestion:
fat ball/ fat cake, suspended on wire. Above the hook affair, thread some big beads or equivalent to cover about 3 inches of wire. Then you need a disc the size of an LP (or even an old LP). Thread this on. Hang it all up so it is high enough for squirrels not to be able to jump from the ground.
The theory is that if a squirrel slides down the wire, as long as the disc is big enough the squirrel will tip the disc and not be able to hang on with it's toe nails. Hopefully there will be a satifying nail screech across the grooves as it slips elegantly to the ground!

As I said, this is just a prototype idea, but if it works please tell me and I'll get it patented!
ps we don't have squirrels, so I can't test it!

 

[romancitizen]

Beads etc

Suggestion:
fat ball/ fat cake, suspended on wire. Above the hook affair, thread some big beads or equivalent to cover about 3 inches of wire. Then you need a disc the size of an LP (or even an old LP). Thread this on. Hang it all up so it is high enough for squirrels not to be able to jump from the ground.
The theory is that if a squirrel slides down the wire, as long as the disc is big enough the squirrel will tip the disc and not be able to hang on with it's toe nails. Hopefully there will be a satifying nail screech across the grooves as it slips elegantly to the ground!

As I said, this is just a prototype idea, but if it works please tell me and I'll get it patented!
ps we don't have squirrels, so I can't test it!

I tried this using a large biscuit tin lid, but he got round it - they can stretch a surprisingly long way ! but not the length of a large Coke bottle.....

btw, I smeared some Deep Heat round the lid of the bottle to stop him nibbling at that.

 

[timmyjones]

after having the squirels decide to make a dray in a tree next door they soon sabotaged the feeders and so no other bird could get to it then it would eat all the nic bits off the bird table so...

I put the feeders on the washing line he he he cant get it any more then i put a load of brambles around the base of the birdtable and on the pole he's now learnt not to try and climb up it anymore

 

[Nutcracker]

DIY squirrel proof bird feeder

A colleague has suggested he has gone to search on the Internut for a solution.......

Watch out these DIY squirrels are very ingenious

 

[cavan wood]

DYI looks ingenious.

As far as climbing up the pole is concerned, no squirrel has ever gotten up this one. But it sure is fun watching the new ones try.

Scott

 

[romancitizen]

You have to admire their ingenuity

no squirrel has ever gotten up this one. But it sure is fun watching the new ones try.

That looks a good one !

After 36 hours of trying to work out how to get past the bottle, the d*mn squirrel made it by jumping from the nearest tree ! the counterweight annoyed him so he bit through the string and the bottle slid down, covering the feeder again ! He then spent an hour climbing the tree, shinning down the pole and trying to get round the bottle, falling off at least 20 times. to the great amusement of all in the office (this is seriously affecting our already negligible productivity levels).

Next week I will move the feeder further from the tree: I also think that one could glue two bottles together and FIX them to the pole. Will keep posting progress.

 

[peewitphil]

Internut fan

Hi romancitizen

I must admit that the squirrels in your area seem more determined than my locals so I'm glad to see they are giving the design a thorough working over. Your colleagues suggestion about the squirrels searching the Internut for ideas had me falling about. Looking forward to the next installment of contest.

Regards

Peewitphil

 

[scott5]

Hi All
This saga with the Squirrels is very amusing.
I moved into a bungalow two years ago and much to my delight have lots of bird visiting the graden. (Lots of feeders + nestboxes)
BUT also had at the highest count 7 squirrels which for the first year destroyed all my feeders. Plus eating all the rose buds of a specially bought climbing rose.
I tried various ways to stop them but did not realize the persistance they would show at getting the food.
I eventually caught 5 of them and moved them to a large wooded area near were I work.
( I think this may be illegal actually?)
Since then I have a couple that come regular.
I have put up a quirrel box with peanuts in for them and have bought all metal feeders which I have hung on long thin wires from high branches.
They do occasionally get to them but I will cope with that for the entertainment value.
Brian

 

[Okie]

Nice lookiing device, and looks like it would work great. :clap: