People love to feed the birds, and it feels good to watch the birds eating from the feeder. However, the problem is squirrels also like to eat from the feeders. They scare away all the birds and take over the feeder you planted and all the food you put there.
Therefore, choosing a suitable feeder is essential to keep the squirrels away from it. We all love squirrels, but they can become a nuisance. Not only can squirrels come and eat from the bird feeders, but they also teach the techniques to other squirrels on how to do it. So, how can you keep the squirrels away from climbing the bird feeders and eating the birdseed?
A few ways have been tested, which can prevent the squirrels from stealing the bird’s food.
Here are four things you can try.
Caged Feeder
The caged feeder is precisely what the name tells you. It is designed in a way that a metal cage surrounds the feeder. The metal cage has space so that the birds can get inside and eat from the feeder easily; however, the squirrels cannot get their heads through the cage. Apart from the squirrels, some of the large birds can’t get inside either.
Mostly the cage is built from a plastic material, which is chew-proof. It doesn’t rust and gives a nice look.
Using Grease on the Pole of the Birdfeeder
Another technique is to apply grease to the bird feeder pole. This is an easy and inexpensive way of keeping the squirrels away. The pole would get very slippery by doing this, and the squirrel wouldn’t climb on it. You can also call a rodent control company in Toronto or anywhere else for this purpose.
This is a cheap way to prevent squirrels. However, you’d have to apply grease on the pole again and again. On top of that, it would create a mess too. Secondly, if your kids come into contact with the pole, they would end up having dirty clothes when they brush against the pole. Lastly, pets can also transfer the grease from the pole to your house, making it dirty.
Use Pepper
Squirrels hate pepper. Get a pepper-based repellent to apply on the Bird Feeders. They won’t come close to the feeder because they don’t like the taste and smell of the pepper. On the other hand, birds don’t even notice this. If you want to know more about it, you can ask a reliable rodent control company, and they will readily answer all your questions.
Use a location that is beyond the reach of a squirrel
Squirrels can jump to places that are up to 10 feet. So, keeping the feeders away from the trees, wires, roofs, etc., would be a smart option. Ideally, you’d have to hang the feeder on a metal pole that is at least 6 feet high.
Also, make sure that the area around the feeder is kept clean. Clean up any birdseed that has been spilled so that the squirrels aren’t attracted to the area.
Conclusion
Squirrels are adorable but can be destructive at the same time. So you have to try the tips given above to keep the squirrels away from the feeders, or else it would destroy it and scare away the birds as well. However, if the squirrels are still coming, you could consider calling an animal control company in Toronto to get professionals to deal with the problem.
If you don’t keep them away from the feeders, they would mess on the bird feeder and get an opportunity to enter your house too, which would cause many problems.