The Trouble with Squirrels, Why Didn't I Think of That?
By Morley Hunt
@Morleyhunt (21748)
Canada
December 26, 2016 4:59am CST
Bird feeders provide hours of entertainment to adults and children alike.
On our rural property we have two feeding stations. Over the years we have tried may different approaches to making the feeders squirrel proof, without breaking the bank.
At one time we had a feeder mounted on a two inch steel post. The squirrels walked up and down the post as if it were a superhighway designed with them in mind. The squirrels not only ate ALL the food intended for the birds they also destroyed the feeder. My husband made this huge, unsightly sheet metal cone to discourage the squirrels.
Hanging it from a tree was like sending out gilded invitations.
The skinny pole, slowed then down for a few weeks, then, the feeder was emptied in minutes.....and the feeder was left hanging, lid off, totally askew.
A week ago, someone posted a video on Facebook! That was a eureka moment. Let's try that!
Now a Slinky toy graces both our feeder poles. No squirrel has yet breached our defences! It doesn't look unsightly.
We can go back to feeding the birds. The squirrels are welcome to clean up any and all feed, spilled to the ground.
30 people like this
28 responses
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
26 Dec 16
i saw that's well 'n thought how brilliant! so glad to hear that such's workin' well fer ya, hon. i do wish i'd squirrels to try't out'n here, lol. i do so miss their antics! 'n raccoons...lest not ferget 'bout those adorable creatures who can figure most all thingies to make more work fer the humans, lol.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
27 Dec 16
@Morleyhunt jest gotta find me some squirrels 'n raccoons to test the theory, lol. there's some'f both 'round these parts (the golf course'n town's some squirrels, the raccoons 've been spotted 'bout 10 miles from here. i've hunted fer 'em, but've yet to find any the nearly 40 years i've been here though).
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
I see no reason that it won't work. Even the raccoons should be put off by the slinky. Time will tell.
2 people like this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
@crazyhorseladycx the raccoons will come root through our trash if we are stupid enough to set it outside. That's a mess I don't like to clean up. The squirrels....well they are everywhere.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
26 Dec 16
That photo is so cute! Love how the squirrels make use of what is left.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
I don't mind them cleaning the feed up off the ground, but I wish they would stay off our feeder.
@allknowing (130523)
• India
27 Dec 16
There is another solution. See that those squirrels have enough to eat elsewhere and your bird feeders will be left alone. We have countless squirrels in our property and they have enough to eat. We do not have bird feeders as they too have enough to eat - fruits and stuff. Here birds and squirrels get along very well
@allknowing (130523)
• India
27 Dec 16
@Morleyhunt May be then they are like some human beings who like to hoard
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
The squirrels hav plenty to eat. They buried and hid an abundance of acorns, hickory nuts and walnuts....not to mention the pine cones they like to snack on.
2 people like this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
@allknowing I think they are just being greedy.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111563)
• El Paso, Texas
26 Dec 16
I watched mom feed birds for over 40 years, lucky for her there weren't any squirrels, I'm not even sure we have any around here although I think there is a ground squirrel around here somewhere, she helps the rabbits find the the tasty morsels I've tried to grow.
@rebelann (111563)
• El Paso, Texas
27 Dec 16
I've only seen one ground squirrel so far, it moved in about 2 years ago @Morleyhunt then those damn wabbits took over 
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
Where we live we have had a running battle for almost 16 years to keep the squirrels out of our feeders.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
@rebelann we have rabbits, but not enough that they are a nuisance.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23392)
• United Kingdom
26 Dec 16
Good idea or a little wind spinner might distract them!
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
26 Dec 16
They can't really climb the slinky! So far just touching it has sent them scurrying back down the pole.
3 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
28 Dec 16
We solved the problem by hanging the seed from the end of a plastic bottle the squirrels couldn't get a good grip and fell off before they reached the seed at the end.
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
29 Dec 16
We have tried different things of the years. Some were very unsightly. This one is very unobtrusive.it also seems to be effective.
@LadyDuck (461873)
• Switzerland
27 Dec 16
@Morleyhunt I would be unable to shoot squirrels, I am unable to hurt any kind of animal.
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
@LadyDuck mice and rats don't cause me too much concern. Doesn't that make me sound horrible. Oh yes, and snakes.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
We have an abundance of squirrels. We've considered shooting them there are so many.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
I think it's a wonderful idea...it seems to be working. I wish I could take credit for thinking of it.
1 person likes this
@just4him (310131)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
28 Dec 16
Is that a slinky attached to the pole? How does it keep the squirrels from getting at the bird feeder?
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
28 Dec 16
It's attached at the top of the pole. When the squirrel tries to climb the slinky...it stretches....dumping the squirrel.
2 people like this
@just4him (310131)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
28 Dec 16
@Morleyhunt Now that's a clever idea.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
26 Dec 16
Squirrels are amazingly smart when it comes to getting food. I once watched a PBS show and these guys made a feeder that had 19 different deterrents to keep the squirrels out. It took the squirrels less than a day to breach all those defenses. They are pretty amazing. I will be interested to know if the slinky works.
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
The first slinky has been in place for about a week. The second only for two days. No squirrels have breached the slinky as of this moment.
2 people like this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
@fishtiger58 if the squirrels breach the slinky everyone will hear about it. I will be sad.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
27 Dec 16
@Morleyhunt Wow that is something I will have to remember, pretty amazing. I hope you keep us posted as to if and when they do.
1 person likes this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
29 Dec 16
Ha! Good idea but I can't see what you did in the picture with the slinky. Where did you put it to stop the squirrels?
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
29 Dec 16
The slinky is around the pole fastened to the top of the pole so it hangs partway down.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
30 Dec 16
@MarymargII I saw a short video on Facebook and knew I would be trying this.
1 person likes this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
30 Dec 16
@Morleyhunt Okay now I get it- very clever! I used to have a lot of squirrel problems too!
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
26 Dec 16
I told my husband, the minimal expense makes it worth trying. So far it works. It also is much more pleasing to look at.
1 person likes this
@Clairelouiser (684)
• United Kingdom
9 Jan 17
I tried this in out garden! It worked for a while until they started to jump from the fence and onto the top of the feeder! We just put a special feeder out purely for them now. I know when I am beaten. Outfoxed by a squirrel.
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
There is nothing that they can launch themselves from near the feeders. The slinky has been in place for a month now and not one squirrel has breach our defences. Hurray!
1 person likes this
@Clairelouiser (684)
• United Kingdom
9 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt Nice! I will try moving the feeder further away from the fence when it stops raining, I have moved it twice but my garden is on a slope.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (171967)
• United States
27 Dec 16
They are clever those squirrels! We have one that I swear is the size of a cat that hangs out in the area behind my deck. He is one well fed boy!
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
We have a few obese squirrels hanging around.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
28 Dec 16
The video of the squirrel trying to climb the pole with the slinky was pretty funny as well.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328095)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Dec 16
Round one to the squirrrels, round two to the humans. Wonder if there will be a round three?
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
This is a wait and see. Right now it's so windy, nothing wants to be outside.
1 person likes this
@Morethanamom (1948)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
Oh darn. You got yourself some slinkies before I could give you the one I found! Oh well, the kids will have fun with it. Glad it has worked for you.
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
27 Dec 16
The squirrels jus take all the pecans around here !
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
The squirrels had already collected all of the walnuts....most of them, directly off the tree...they didn't wait for them to fall.....not to mention all the acorns and hickory nuts.....then there are the pine cones....that's a delicacy for squirrels. There should be no need for raiding the bird feeder.
@Morleyhunt (21748)
• Canada
27 Dec 16
I don't nd squirrels....but when they get into my attic or raid my bird feeders. I'm not so fond of them.
1 person likes this
