Squirrel War

8 years ago

I have been fighting a war with squirrels for years. I have
five large oak trees that they love, and, unfortunately lots of other things
that they like to eat….Like bird seed and flowers and...

It took me a long time before I finally found a bird feeder
that they couldn’t defeat. I loved watching them fall off of it as soon as they
put their wait on the wooden bar that closed the feeder.

Then one squirrel learned to hang on to the very top of the
feeder with his legs and then pick off seeds on one corner of the feeder.
Others seemed to learn this tactic. Also, rats were able to defeat the feeder
because they weighed very little.

So, I found an answer that defeated both rats and squirrels—an
18in baffle that easily fit around the metal pole. No squirrels and no rats in
the feeder anymore.

Next came my cuttings pots. The squirrels kept digging in
the pots for some reason and pushing out my carefully-prepared cuttings.
Finally, I purchased a hamster cage from a local pet store and put most of my
cutting in it. Then I bought a large plastic container, drilled holes in the
top and bottom and put cuttings in there. That worked out even better, as the
cuttings inside the plastic container did better than the ones in the cage.

The latest battle has come with my hummingbird feeders. One
or two squirrels learned to hang from the feeder and tip the sugar water into
their mouths. I’d put the feeder out and a day later the sugar water would be
gone. So, I ordered another baffle and put that on one pole. It worked. Then
the squirrels discovered my other hummingbird feeder. I just ordered another
baffle from Amazon.

They still get into my potted plants and they eat some of
the blossoms from my flowers. This isn’t a winner-take-all war. And there is no
end in sight.

Featured Answer

User

8 years ago

When we first moved here we wanted to feed the birds. After about 5 years of trying all kinds of feeders we finally gave up. I told my DH when he brought home the last type "you know, as soon as you hang that one up they will be putting on their white lab coats and grabbing up their slide rules and clip-boards and they'll have it figured out in a week." Guess who was right??

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Comments (8)

jrb451
8 years ago
We've had best success with a pole feeder with baffle placed outside jumping distance from a nearby tree. Of course that does not stop them from feeding on the bird seed the birds scatter from the feeder. They enjoy eating the Dogwood flower heads so much so that one year we only had 1 or 2 on each tree. I'm not a fan of squirrels.
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Rhonda
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I feel your pain Tom! It sounds as if you have them somewhat under control. But, as you know, and as Rita insinuated, they are extremely smart....you can almost see their little minds working trying to figure out a problem.

I battled them non-stop in Ohio and Williston. The only partial saving grace in Ohio was the fact that I had several huge (100+ year old) black walnut trees and a few very large Ohio Buckeye trees that provided lots of nuts for the squirrels who would store them for winter. I had walnut and buckeye seedlings pop up everywhere when the squirrels forgot where they buried them :)

At least 3-4 times per year in Ohio we would hear a very loud POP and then lose electric. The squirrels would run across the overhead electric wires (we lived on a river so lines weren't buried) to run between trees and hit the transformer and knock it out! Each squirrel only did it once as they were fried and thrown off.

In Williston, after having them clean out my suet feeders and seed feeders on a daily basis, and trying baffles, flingers, greased poles, etc... I finally broke down and spent more money than I ever had on a feeder and bought 2 (1 seed and 1 suet) Roller-feeders which did work 100%. It took a while for the birds to figure them out but the squirrels never did. I would get a kick out of watching them try :)

Unfortunately, when they couldn't get to my seed and suet, they started eating the leaves of my potted succulents scattered around my gardens which cost more than the bird seed and suet!!! I finally found Repels-all and sprinkled it on my succulents and they stopped chewing them.

Of course, they moved on to digging up bulbs!!! OMG!!

The final straw...and I swear that this is true....occurred one evening after work when I was sitting on my wicker loveseat in my shade garden in Williston watching the hummers store up on nectar before turning in for the night. I was so calm and enjoying my view when something hit me on top of my head. I thought "Oh, just an acorn falling from the live oak I was sitting under". Then, BOP it happened again. Finally, after 4-5 direct hits on the head I looked up and there about 30 foot up was a big ole squirrel sitting in her nest staring down at me. The %#@* thing was throwing the acorns at me as if to chase me off!!

If you ever figure out how to totally defeat squirrels, get a patent for your invention and you will become a millionaire :)

Rhonda
irma_stpete_10a
8 years ago
Tom, what was the size of the "large plastic container" that you placed (planted? set pots in?) your cuttings in?
Tom
Original Author
8 years ago
It's not large, Irma. there are many to choose from. The most important thing is to get one that is high enough, so the cuttings/small plants can grow. I estimate that the one I have is about 12-14 inches long, about 6 in wide and perhaps 6 or seven inches high. I can get six decent-sized cuttings pots in it. I don't use very small pots for cuttings, because I want the roots to be able to establish themselves and I want to be able to put two nodules into the dirt if possible.

I believe I can fit 15 or so pots in the hamster cage. Right now the two is all that I need. I have plants of various sizes that I took from cuttings in pots in various places. I will put some into the ground soon, and others I will wait until spring.

Rhonda, your story is too funny.

I have found the 18in baffles really work. Of course the pole needs to be away from branches or screens or things that they can hang on and then jump onto the feeder.
Pea
8 years ago
I don't know what the squirrels are attempting but they dig in my cuttings too. But they usually don't bother my plants otherwise. I throw out my bread ends and cracker and chip crumbs as well as fruit when it gets past its prime out back and it seems to keep them focused away from the plants. Plus the palms provide plenty of palm nuts for them.
irma_stpete_10a
8 years ago
Wondered why my ever-blooming hibiscus wasn't.... until I saw a squirrel last week having lunch on the freshest tips. Ah, well, one must vary one's diet from birdseed. I admit I encourage squirrels but only because they come before, with, and after the birds. My cat finds them fun to watch, too.
secretsquirrel007
8 years ago
As my call name says it.My client is not guilty.LMAO