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Some sophisticated bird feeder pole that is designed to keep away squirrels out of the bird feeders can be expensive. If you already have your own wild bird feeders, you can tweak it a bit to turn it into squirrel proof feeders without spending too much. All you need is to think like a squirrel.
Make your own squirrel proof feeders to keep squirrels at bay
Don’t look too shocked. We said think, not to act like one. The only way to win the war between feeders and squirrels is to know the enemy inside out.
Imagine that you are the squirrel and look at your feeders to where you are standing right now. Does the location seem easy for you to reach? Remember that squirrels can use their sharp and curved claws to climb up or down in any flat surface, yes, any flat surface including your house walls.
Take another position and look again at your feeders. Think about other ways on how can squirrels possibly reach your wild bird feeder. Remember that squirrels can be quite determined in their foraging for food and may not easily give up if they know that a good feast await them when they reach the seeds and nuts in your bird feeder pole.
When you have gained a fair idea on how squirrels can reach your feeders, it is now time to think of your counter act and to make squirrel proof feeders. Are your feeders within reach by jumping squirrels? Or do squirrels can easily climb up or down on your bird feeder pole?
Your primary goal in making squirrel proof feeders is to prevent the squirrels from reaching your feeders. As such, you can make use of makeshift spinners out of old plastic bottles or any cylindrical object. Suspend it around your feeders and make sure that it can spin freely so that jumping squirrels will have no choice but to land on these objects.
When squirrels reach your spinners, their movements will cause the object to spin either clockwise or counterclockwise. This sudden reaction will make the squirrels to lose their grip and balance. As such, they will have no other place to go but down to the ground.
Being an intelligent general, you know that one goal is not enough. You need to make a back-up plan in case those persistent squirrels managed to surpass your “traps”. As such, there is another thing that you need to do to enhance your squirrel proof feeders.
Scatter crushed peppers or any spices with some of the bird seeds outside the feeders. Squirrels, like any other mammals have more advanced taste buds than birds and other fowls. They can taste the spices and will certainly move away from your feeders whereas birds will probably not notice any of this.
As such, you do not need to spend an arm and leg just to battle with squirrels and to make squirrel proof feeders. All you need is to be more flexible and creative in meeting your goals. This way, you are making your bird feeding experience a bit more exciting than the usual.
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