This guy has become very bold lately and will stay even with the dog 3 feet below. So far though, only one.
Becoming a bird feeder problem.
How does the dog handle it? Or is the dog just not interested? Your squirrel looks a little different from the ones here.
Doesn't look like he's too happy to get his picture taken!
Trois,
I've had bad squirell problems for years. I've counted as many as 11 at once around my feeders. The only solution for me was to replace my open feeders with steel models that close up when a heavy animal gets on the perch. BTW they have no fear of my Airedale Terrier.
So far, if I keep the dog on the porch, the squirell stays back for the most part.
Last night the dog got a mouth full of raccoon hair. I still have a steady stream of Cardinals and Red Wings, with a few Carolina Chickadees.
We just don't have that many squirells here.
Squirrel farmer here....LOL They get into all the "squirrel proof" feeders we've tried. Can you tell me the brand name of the one you mentioned, raisedbedbob?
This message was edited Jun 7, 2007 11:46 PM
A beautiful Fox squirrel, trois ..
Kind of surprised that the coons hadn't already tried to stake claim already also! .. hee ..
When one of any of the mammalians set in to claiming domain over a bird feeder - you can book it, there'll be more joining in to 'claim the gold mine' soon. The feed will get spilled from the ruckus and antics of each of them running another off ..
If you really want to get them disinterested and to scootin' back off to fartherest parts - move the feeder out and/or away any tree, porch, and away from any nearby trees/limbs/bushes/roof edges, etc. Try to get some pole feeders and place a squirrel baffle onto the pole. The plastic baffle jobbies don't hold up well (rather, for very long) .. after a bit of exposure to the sun/elements. They start to disintegrate .. and the squirrels' toe nails can eventually get a good 'nuff grip, and then jes go on up to the feeder. I'm relatively certain that I'd placed some info (on one of my threads) about using the larger/largest stainless steel 'mixing' bowls and inverting it onto the feeder pole as the baffle. Just remember to pound/beat the lip of the bowl down .. so's not to provide a 'gripping' edge, in case the tree rats take a few wild leaps in hopes of finding something to 'grab' onto. And they certainly will try .. over and over again!
.. LOL ..
Ours, continue to work well .. as long as there are no tree limbs, porch banisters/railings, and the like .. (that will grow/extend over), to give them somewhat of an added step to catapult and propel themselves over on or up to the bird feeder/s.
Oh heck, trois .. you're an intelligent feller; I'll bet you've already got something in mind to getting those unrulies to back off and to stay out and away from the bird feeders.
My best to you ..
- Magpye
This message was edited Jun 7, 2007 11:24 PM
The coons come a little later in the day. I am going to sprinkle some Hot red pepper powder on the food, as the birds like it and rodents don't. I will report.
trois
A Fox squirrel... no wonder it looks different from the grey ones in the yard here. There's a population on Maryland's Eastern Shore that's on the endangered species list, I think it's a sub-species of the Fox squirrel. They're huge, like two feet long.
KyWoods, I confess I can't remember the brand name, but this link shows what they look like. I'm certain you can find one at a lower price.
http://www.wildbirdsmarketplace.com/7533-%E2%80%93-Squirrel-Proof-Bird-Feeder-p61.html
KyWoods, Heres another great feeder. I have loads of squirrels and have never seen one be able to beat it. I can hang it from trees too if I so desire. It is pricey too but its been so successful I considered it worth it. Also a 100% Lifetime Guarantee.
http://shawcreekfarms2.stores.yahoo.net/sqbupl.html
Very nice feeders, thanks for the links--yep, pricey, but I guess you get what you pay for!
I purchased one at our local hardware store that was about half the price. It quickly paid for itself in seed savings. I never knew how much those darned squirrels were costing us in bird seed. If you have squirrel problems, these feeders are really worth the money.
Well, so far the Cayenne Pepper is working. I just sprinkle some on top when I refill. He tried to continue as usual but no longer comes to the feeder. He does retrieve loose seeds that have been kicked out of the feeder. I am wondering if it will get used to spicy food or not. Closed circuit cameras help a lot. The Raccoon hates the pepper, but eats it anyway, just a lot of frowning. I tried moving the feeder into an open area and the raccoon will not go there in daylight. No problem for the squirrel though.
trois
I tried the hot pepper in the gardens, thinking it would keep the critters from digging, but it didn't work. Haven't tried it on the seeds, though.
We used it after the dillies dug up the same transplant 3 nights in a row, and end of problem. Cayenne works well if liberally sprinkled over the area for some critters.
Mine did not like the taste of the hot pepper oil at all but they kept trying it and eventually got used to it. That was the last straw before buying the expensive feeder and a pole w/ baffle system..
Now if I could just beat the Starlings!
I have never seen a Starling, English sparrow, or Pigeon here. Lots of all in town, 5 miles away.
Wow, Trois, I'd take a squirrel over those guys anytime!!! Of course, we only have the very small Douglas Squirrels around here and they are not nearly as obnoxious as the greys we had in Seattle!
It seems like everyone has some kind of critter problem. I just try to enjoy them all as long as they are not too destructive.
I'm finally beggining to enjoy the squirrels antics a little more now that the bird seed situation is under control.
We put out "Chuck A Nuts" squirrel food (aka, pumpkin seeds) and they seem to prefer the pumpkin seeds and leave the sunflower seeds for the birds. It's healthier for them too. Too many sunflower seeds is bad for the squirrels health.
http://www.amazon.com/Chuckanut-Premium-Squirrel-Diet/dp/B0006349EO
I will have to look for some. It sounds like a solution.
We buy ours at Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH)in the bird feed section.
You mean if I put out pumpkin seeds, they'll leave the black oil sunflower seeds alone? Wow--wonder if coons like them too?
trois - "The Raccoon hates the pepper, but eats it anyway, just a lot of frowning." - LOL!!! That's great, lol. I don't think I've ever seen a frowning raccoon, lol.
~Kristy, giggling
We keep 'em smilin' around here, I know! There's a coon family on the back porch right now, feasting on cracked corn. We put out old/bruised fruit for them, too, and they love it! A friend used to give me all the fallen apples from her tree to feed them.
Hehehe, glad there are others that intentionally feed the critters. My mom yells at me when I do, but I said to her, "If I don't give them food, they'll eat your plants instead." I don't think she's buying it, lol.
~Kris
Well, I put out some oil sunflower seeds for the house finches and toss a handful of the squirrel food (pumpkin seeds) and the squirrels go to the pumpkin seeds first. By the time they finish, the birds have eaten all the sunflower seeds.
Our squirrels know I'm a softy, so they will peer in or knock on the slider if they see me. I hand them a nut for a treat.
Make friends with the critters? Way to go!
Every critter has it's place in the world. We need to understand how to live peaceably with them.
LOL, they knock on the door demanding refills? Ya think maybe ya got 'em spoiled just a little bit, do ya? I LOVE it!! My Dad was sitting outside and a squirrel came up and sniffed his pants leg--a coon did that to me once. And when we first moved here, we had the chipmunks taking peanuts out of our hands. There are too many of 'em now, they'd fight over them!
A number of years ago I had a squirrel who would come into my kitchen and wait for me to make her a peanut butter sandwich. She was around for three years (she either had some birth defects or had been in a fight so she was unmistakable - and I know it was a "she" because she was obviously a nursing mom the first year I met her). Once I found her sitting on the back of my couch and decided maybe it had gone a bit too far!!!
We never put out more than a hummingbird feeder and a handful of seeds in the past. The house finches and doves would come to our deck and drink water and sit in the deck plants. Then developers tore down two older homes that had large gardens and built 18 townhomes and a parking lot in their place. All of a sudden, instead of five or six birds, we had dozens. The black tree squirrels showed up for the first time as well. So did an oppossum and a feral cat. They were starving because their habitat had been destroyed.
We noticed one badly scarred squirrel who was a regular. We named him Squirrel Capone. The other squirrel had an exceptionally long and pointed nose. We named that one Cyrano de Squirreliac. I think Cyrano was the stud, most of the current crop of young squirrels have his profile. We also have one charcoal grey one that looks like a cross between a black tree squirrel and Cyrano's silver grey colouring, not to mention his nose.
We think we are the ones watching the wildlife. In truth, they are watching us.
If I sleep in on the weekend, I can see the housefinches sitting on the deck railing, stetching and straining to peer through the crack in the drapes. Once I open one side of the drapes, the hummingbird toots the breakfast announcement. The finches and doves fly in, the squirrels run up the tree. There are usually two squirrels chasing each other around territorially. I think it's a new generation each year.
As long as she doesn't damage the couch, you've got a new family member. LOL!
Wonderful, garden_mermaid - so glad you are enjoying the wildlife so much (and that they obviously are enjoying you as well!!). Such a treat to see what is going on in the "outside" world - makes me relax even if I think I'm beyond relaxing.
We live in a different area now and the little gal hadn't shown up for the last year or two we'd lived in that house. Interestingly enough, none of my cats cared if she was in the house! But I guarantee you the three I have now would NOT tolerate the presence of such a being!! Sure a fun memory, though.
My cats are enjoying watching them as well. Big hunters they are.......until something charges back at them. Ha! My little Somali mix thought she was going to take on a fully grown Cooper's hawk. She was crouched and chattering away at it. Then the hawk bent its head down to take a look at her through the slider. She dissappeared under the couch.
LOL - smart kitty!!!!
I'm still laughing at "Cyrano de Squirreliac," ROTFL! We named our 1st groundhog "HiThereKids," I forget why, lol. It referred to an old David Letterman sketch, I think. And we call the bunnies "buntas," cause my best friend used to call them that, lol. And any chipmunk I see is instantly called "Chippy."
~Kristy... seems I'm going to have to get more creative with names, lol.