Ideas wanted for a baffle to 'squirrel proof' a pole type bird feeder.

[Dave7]

Photo below is untidy but shows the problem.
Squirrels are becoming a real problem and can empty the fat balls in a day.
I can get a squirrel proof fat ball holder but then the pesky varmints will chew through the seed feeders.
I can purchase a baffle from eg Amazon but the cheaper £8 ones get bad reviews and £17 seems a lot for what I need.
So....... any ideas.......bearing in mind my lack of DIY skills?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Photo below is untidy but shows the problem.
Squirrels are becoming a real problem and can empty the fat balls in a day.
I can get a squirrel proof fat ball holder but then the pesky varmints will chew through the seed feeders.
I can purchase a baffle from eg Amazon but the cheaper £8 ones get bad reviews and £17 seems a lot for what I need.
So....... any ideas.......bearing in mind my lack of DIY skills?
View attachment 824709

Based on literally seconds of detailed research

I reckon a sort of cage suspended on a wire between 2 poles/posts/branches would work
if the 2 supports are a decent distance apart - i.e. beyond squirrel jumping range

if the wire is thin then the varmint can;t get a decent grip

either that or this

which I can attest is very very effective

although there are a few other problems associated with them
including their amazing ability to moult 2 full dogs worth of hair a day and still be the same size

 

[Dave7]

Based on literally seconds of detailed research

I reckon a sort of cage suspended on a wire between 2 poles/posts/branches would work
if the 2 supports are a decent distance apart - i.e. beyond squirrel jumping range

if the wire is thin then the varmint can;t get a decent grip

either that or this

View attachment 824710


which I can attest is very very effective

although there are a few other problems associated with them
including their amazing ability to moult 2 full dogs worth of hair a day and still be the same size

Suggestion B doesn't work. I can utilise my daughters 2 terriers. Oth they and the squirrels think its a game. Sadly i cant tether them outside on a permanent basis and when I open the door they are like bullets but sadly, so are the squirrels.
Suggestion A imo reflects your 2 seconds of cogitation

 

[Sharky]

Have you tried one of the ultrasonic repellant devices?

 

[Dave7]

Have you tried one of the ultrasonic repellant devices?

Thanks
Some years ago I bought 2 of them but they had no effect.
They also worry me re do they affect other things like foxes, hedgehogs or even dogs.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Suggestion B doesn't work. I can utilise my daughters 2 terriers. Oth they and the squirrels think its a game. Sadly i cant tether them outside on a permanent basis and when I open the door they are like bullets but sadly, so are the squirrels.
Suggestion A imo reflects your 2 seconds of cogitation

I have seen videos of people who have done it like that

I have also seen videos of squirrel out-smarting them
but I reckon a fat ball suspended on a wire from high up on out house wall
to the trees at the back of the garden

by a thing smooth wire

would sort it out

next problem would be to work out how to put the fat balls up there!

there is a mystery in our house as to why my wife never seems to want me to implement and experiment these amazing insights


BTW - I would not suggest that any owners of Labs try this
the idea of suspending a ball of fat out of reach of a lab would like torture to me!!!

 

[MontyVeda]

My solution would be to remove the feeder altogether. Surely the birds can feed themselves without human intervention.

 

[Dave7]

My solution would be to remove the feeder altogether. Surely the birds can feed themselves without human intervention.

Yes, that must be why the RSPB recommend that we put food out for them (at specified periods of the year).

 

[MontyVeda]

if they can't survive a winter without humans feeding them, they'd be long since extinct.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I used a cage available from many retailers that sell bird feeders - work well. There are also shield things (baffles?) you fit above the bird feeder but I have no experience of them. Search engines will give you loads of retailers for the different types. My cages are Chappel Wood but I think the brand was sold so some other manufacturer and what is marketed under the name is different from the exact cages I use.

Whilst I took the cages off at start of summer, I still have not yet resumed feeding birds as per RSPB guidance to stop bird feeding throughMay to end-Oct https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/how-to-help-garden-birds and the grey squirrels around have not been attracted to the fatball feeder.

 

[fossyant]

I'm going to follow this thread with interest. My father in law tried all sorts to stop the squirrels. They are clever buggers.

Example 1 was FIL greased the pole to the feeder, they soon worked out they had to jump across to the top instead of climbing it.
The best example was FIL went into Homebase and bought a kitchen 'flip bin lid' - he went to the till and the assistant said 'there is a bin to go with that'. FIL said he didn't need it. Anyway, he installed it on the pole so when the squirrel climbed over it, it flipped. It worked for a few days until they sussed how to get around it.

You may be better just embracing it and finding something cheap and easier to access then they will munch that.

I'll also add, mice and rats are clever too.

 

[slowfen]

https://www.wildmeat.co.uk/blogs/re...IZLde3ybDG02uYxtgFj7bwmcO4otNb53lqPAsAy7J5N5N

or

https://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/blogs/wildlife-guides/how-to-stop-squirrels-from-eating-bird-food

 

[Dave7]

View attachment 824723

That would work, thanks.

 

[Dave7]

View attachment 824724
https://www.wildmeat.co.uk/blogs/re...IZLde3ybDG02uYxtgFj7bwmcO4otNb53lqPAsAy7J5N5N

or
View attachment 824725
https://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/blogs/wildlife-guides/how-to-stop-squirrels-from-eating-bird-food

I like A and did own one but gave it to my son.
Re B.....this is mainly for the fat balls so cant see that working.