Also I saw something on Ebay called the Absolute II squirrel proof bird feeder, is it hype or true?

"Squirrel proof" usually means the Squirrels can't eat the feeder! LOL There is no such thing as "Squirrel proof" however there are lots of good "squirrel discouraging " feeders. Give a Squirrel enough time they will eventually figure it out. If there is plenty of food that is easier to obtain they will leave the feeder alone.

actually there is a Squirrel proof feeder.
It is called the "Squirrel Buster Plus", we have had ours for a bit over a year and a constant barrage of squirrel after squirrel has never gotten a single seed from it.

The only seed squirrels get are what the birds spread onto the ground from the feeder.

I did have to add a longer pole to keep he feeder out further but not for the squirrels, was because of a Raccoon which is large enough to hang onto the upright pole and reach over and grab the feeder.
The "Flaming Squirrel sauce" which is Habanero oil thwarted him for a a bit but we had our bird bath right there and what he did was pull the feeder over and then dump the seeds in the water, wash them, then eat them.

So the longer pole stopped that.

But squirrels have zero chance.

Here is another post showing the longer pole and feeder setup.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/wildlife/msg0522232812126.html?19

Here is a link that might be useful: Squirrel Buster Plus

This post was edited by Nunyabiz1 on Mon, Mar 18, 13 at 13:16

Get a squirrel baffle, checkout www.squirrelbafflestore.com

Thats where I have gotten all mine and that solves the squirrel issue all together.

Yes, that is true. Some think it is why the plants evolved capsaicin...to discourage rodents from eating their fruit while not discouraging birds. (Birds fly and spread seed more farther).

The catch is that hungry squirrels can develop a tolerance to capsaicin over time and come to like it, the way some humans do.

It's still worth a try.