OT — bah!! Any recs for a squirrel PROOF bird feeder? —OT

MaskedMarvel

Greetings friends,

Im tired of picking our unscrewed squirrel proof feeder up off the ground and losing piles of seed. We have three feeders. All three have been defeated. 

A neighbor has one that they say works pretty well:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?k=brome+squirrel+buster+plus+squirrel+proof+bird+feeder&sprefix=brome+sq&crid=1MN013Y6TI8O2

The Brome line seems to confound her squirrel robbing pretty well. 

Im minutes away from commissioning @nolaegghead to make me one out of pecky cypress... but thought I’d ask here before getting too deep into that man cave..

many help greatly appreciated

8-Damien

fishlessman

https://youtu.be/oNltR4iCRCA

my brittany gaurds the feeder, down to just one grey and one red

RRP

I feed birds black oil sunflower seeds year around and used to fight both squirrels and coons. I finally found the perfect set up that works well. This feeder claims to be squirrel proof but it wasn't until I added the second cone on top. The squirrels would climb up the tree - go across the metal brace and as they try to get around the cone they would slide off and oftentimes could grab ahold of the basin when falling. BUT with the second cone on top they never have been able to!

Then the coons learned to hang on the brace and lift the chain and dropping it which would cause a lot of sunflower seed to fall out. Then they would go down and eat the spillage off the ground. So to stop that I anchored the bottom to a brick on the ground which they could not lift.

frazzdaddy

https://youtu.be/dEW9TG6Dcgg

milesvdustin

Put it on a pole with a slinky underneath over the pole. When the squirrel gets to the slinky it slides right back down to the ground. 


All the squirrels at my house are named Mr. Pizza. Actually, all squirrels my son sees are Mr. Pizza

Woodchunk

Been using this for over 10 years, works great. Keeps the raccoons out also
https://www.amazon.com/Woodlink-Absolute-Squirrel-Resistant-7533/dp/B001G17E7Y/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1MN013Y6TI8O2&keywords=brome+squirrel+buster+plus+squirrel+proof+bird+feeder&qid=1548098294&sprefix=brome+sq&sr=8-15

Also have a tube feeder covered with heavy wire that works well, but the raccoons knock it to the ground now and then.

HeavyG

I've got a Brome and a Droll Yankee tube feeder with the metal cage. They both work well at keeping the squirrels at bay.

DoubleEgger

Second the slinky

booksw

We use a pole from Wild Birds Unlimitted with a raccoon baffle on it.  It’s not close to any overhanging tree.  The squirrels are all over the yard, in the trees, and on the ground under the feeders but we have never had one in a feeder.

alaskanassasin

It’s worth looking at squirrel catapult videos on YouTube 

northGAcock

This is not a reliable solution.  

Teefus

Easy. Locate it on a pole with a squirrel baffle or hang it with a squirrel baffle above, and in each case locate it where the varmints can’t jump from an adjacent branch or fence. I’ve been feeding my birdie buddies for 30+ years and the only seed the squirrels get is the stuff I put on the ground for them. Hey, they gotta eat too. It keeps the hawk population robust as well. 

HoustonEgger

I took an old patio umbrella, removed the canvas and cut the fingers down. Drilled some holes, installed hooks and now I've got a pole bird feeder that can accommodate up to 8 feeders at once. I used a rebar to provide extra stability when putting it in the ground - which allows me to move it when the seed mess gets to be too much. Also use the baffle on the pole and haven't had a single problem - except the fat pigeons making a huge mess. 

RLS

Brome squirrel buster gets my vote. We have 2, one for seeds and one for meal worms. We had the Yankee Flipper which is very entertaining, but once the battery dies, it's a feeding frenzy for all...

Rick

pasoegg

northGAcock said:

This is not a reliable solution.  

I bet you he will will wear out a hot biscuit!!!

XC242

Teefus said:

Easy. Locate it on a pole with a squirrel baffle or hang it with a squirrel baffle above, and in each case locate it where the varmints can’t jump from an adjacent branch or fence. I’ve been feeding my birdie buddies for 30+ years and the only seed the squirrels get is the stuff I put on the ground for them. Hey, they gotta eat too. It keeps the hawk population robust as well. 

Do this.  

JohnInCarolina

Jstroke

You can make a baffle to hang over the feeder pretty easily with chimney flashing and a rivet gun. I’ll send a pic tomorrow. It’s dark and cold and I’m tuckered.

chzplz

I have a Brome “Squirrel Buster Classic” hanging from a tree branch. Squirrels have not been able to figure it out.

...but a chipmunk wasn’t heavy enough to trip the squirrel-proofing mechanism and this guy had a lazy pig out. I didn’t mind. 

nolaegghead

Just feed the damn squirrels,  you squirrel haters.

MaskedMarvel

Some of these are really cracking me up...

Legume

It’s ok to feed the squirrels, bring em in a little closer.

gdenby

I have a friend who has bird feeders outside his house, as do I, and he got a catapult. Said it only discouraged them.

I had a squirrel a couple years ago that was truly amazing. Could jump 5 ' straight up. 8' from the fence to the pole where I had the feeder. Was a tightrope walker. Could jump over plates along a rope to get to a feeder in the middle of a 20' line. Learned to let go, and as it was falling, grab the feeder just long enough to pull it sideways, and spill seed.

Finally stopped it by putting nails on the end of the pole it had to jump to from the fence. Then put metal stove pipe flashing on the pole that was too big around  to grab, and impossible to claw up.

Took it about a week to learn it couldn't get to the feeder. Ended up having up to 80 birds a day. And then the hawk came... At least the sparrows never knew what hit them.

fishlessman

gdenby said:

I have a friend who has bird feeders outside his house, as do I, and he got a catapult. Said it only discouraged them.

I had a squirrel a couple years ago that was truly amazing. Could jump 5 ' straight up. 8' from the fence to the pole where I had the feeder. Was a tightrope walker. Could jump over plates along a rope to get to a feeder in the middle of a 20' line. Learned to let go, and as it was falling, grab the feeder just long enough to pull it sideways, and spill seed.

Finally stopped it by putting nails on the end of the pole it had to jump to from the fence. Then put metal stove pipe flashing on the pole that was too big around  to grab, and impossible to claw up.

Took it about a week to learn it couldn't get to the feeder. Ended up having up to 80 birds a day. And then the hawk came... At least the sparrows never knew what hit them.

we had a coopers hawk that took care of the feeder, was a bloody mess out there one year. has not been back since.

fishlessman

squirrels dont touch the thistle feeder.  now how do you stop a black bear other than to stop feeding come spring, they just destroy the feeder

The_Stache

Woodchunk said:

Been using this for over 10 years, works great. Keeps the raccoons out also
https://www.amazon.com/Woodlink-Absolute-Squirrel-Resistant-7533/dp/B001G17E7Y/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1MN013Y6TI8O2&keywords=brome+squirrel+buster+plus+squirrel+proof+bird+feeder&qid=1548098294&sprefix=brome+sq&sr=8-15

Also have a tube feeder covered with heavy wire that works well, but the raccoons knock it to the ground now and then.

Have had the same feeder (as above) for >10 years and no squirrels... now hawks... that's a different story!!

The_Stache

northGAcock said:

This is not a reliable solution.  

If you can disguise your squirrels to look like cats... this may indeed be a solution!

Sea2Ski

fishlessman said:

squirrels dont touch the thistle feeder.  now how do you stop a black bear other than to stop feeding come spring, they just destroy the feeder

Electric, if given in enough quantity, can stop all living things Fish.

fishlessman

Sea2Ski said:

fishlessman said:

squirrels dont touch the thistle feeder.  now how do you stop a black bear other than to stop feeding come spring, they just destroy the feeder

Electric, if given in enough quantity, can stop all living things Fish.

seems extreme for a couple bears

RRP

Regarding feeder height...any bird feeder 4 foot and under is called a cat feeder! 

Botch

fishlessman said:

squirrels dont touch the thistle feeder.  now how do you stop a black bear other than to stop feeding come spring, they just destroy the feeder

You need a bigger catapult.  Look up "Monte Python Cow Catapult".
 
"Run Away!"