Squirrel f***ing nutkin....

[Bill]

Anyone got any smart ideas to stop the bd treerats pinching nuts out of a hanging bird feeder?

I was thinking of hanging a pop bottle over it but wasn't sure if the birds would still get in.

[Tanguero]

http://www.crossbows4u.co.uk

[Bill]

:DUnfortunately any overshoots will end up in a neighbours living room.

[mrmaggit]

Bill said:

Anyone got any smart ideas to stop the bd treerats pinching nuts out of a hanging bird feeder?

I was thinking of hanging a pop bottle over it but wasn't sure if the birds would still get in.

I got fed up of ours scaring the birds off, so I set up their own feeder. Works a treat, but a new squirrel has worked out that if he lifts the front screen, the nuts fall out and jam it open, so he doesn't get bashed on the head by the lid. Unfortunately, it means the nuts last half an hour max, so I'm going to have to screw the panel in place at the weekend.

There were eight assorted birds on the ground underneath the squirrel feeder this morning. Still, at least all the fallen leaves got tossed about.

[Sam_68]

Personally, I use an air rifle. Move the bird feeder to somewhere with a solid backstop if you're worried about pellets/crossbow bolts oversailing neighbouring properties?

Failing that, wire it up to a mains switch, maybe?

[Fort Jefferson]

Bill said:

:DUnfortunately any overshoots will end up in a neighbours living room.

Shoot from your bedroom window, so all shots are downwards.

[Gingerbread Man]

To stop them climbing up our bird feeder, I smeared the pole in silicone grease.

Haven't seen one up there for a while.

[mybrainhurts]

Get Cara Van Man to stand in your garden and shout at it in Spanish...

[R60EST]

I think squirrels are more fun to watch than birds , it's all wildlife I don't see what your problem is

[Bill]

Fort Jefferson said:

Shoot from your bedroom window, so all shots are downwards.

It's under a frame covered in climbers, so that's no good unfortunately.

R60EST said:

I think squirrels are more fun to watch than birds , it's all wildlife I don't see what your problem is

Because they're imported vermin and affect native animals. They're just rats with good PR.

[Sam_68]

For what it's worth, the peanut feeders with a heavy-duty outer cage do work, and still allow both big and small birds to get to the nuts (I've got eveything from blue tits to woodpeckers using mine).

Still not as entertaining as shooting the bds or passing 240V through them, though.

[Fatboy]

R60EST said:

I think squirrels are more fun to watch than birds , it's all wildlife I don't see what your problem is

Set up an assault course for the squirrels instead - way more fun to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY9GBl7UmVs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWU0bfo-bSY&fea...

[Simpo Two]

Bill said:

Because they're imported vermin and affect native animals. They're just rats with good PR.

It would be an interesting excercise to see how many animals we have are actually native to this country. Rabbits were introduced by the Romans, and I doubt cats are native. Potatos come from South America so you can't eat those either!

[dr_gn]

Put some thin bowden cable between a couple of convenient trees (high up), and suspend the bird feeders from wires from this. Make sure the vertical wires are longer than the length of a squirrel (body + tail).

After a few weeks they will try shuffling along the top wire upside down, and attempt to climb down the vertical wire. Because the wire is too thin for them to grip, they end up sliding down, usually smacking their heads on the feeder on the way down.

Works for me!

[Bill]

Simpo Two said:

It would be an interesting excercise to see how many animals we have are actually native to this country. Rabbits were introduced by the Romans, and I doubt cats are native. Potatos come from South America so you can't eat those either!

If it helps I don't particularly like rabbits or cats either... And potatoes don't tend to kill off more fragile native animals.

[ChrisnChris]

Little fekers dug up all my broad beans last year
I invested in a trap....3 so far, my workshop is in the wilds so they get released there.
You could, of course shoot them when they're in the trap if so inclined

[Bill]

Unfortunately for all the shooting ideas (even the humane waterpistol version) the feeders are shielded from upstairs and our downstairs doors and windows are the folding type so a stealthy approach isn't easy. I'm also not bothered enough to harm them, I just want to stop them eating the birdfood.

ChrisnChris said:

Little fekers dug up all my broad beans last year
I invested in a trap....3 so far, my workshop is in the wilds so they get released there.
You could, of course shoot them when they're in the trap if so inclined

AFAIK because they're vermin it's the law that if you trap them you have to destroy them...

[Bri957]

One of these worked for about 18 months, until one squirrel finally worked out how to beat it.

http://www.thegardenersshop.co.uk/squirrel-proof-b...

Now have one similar to this, seems to be working.

http://www.gardensupplies.co.uk/shop/product/503/w...

[GreenDog]

Bill said:

Unfortunately for all the shooting ideas (even the humane waterpistol version) the feeders are shielded from upstairs and our downstairs doors and windows are the folding type so a stealthy approach isn't easy. I'm also not bothered enough to harm them, I just want to stop them eating the birdfood.

ChrisnChris said:

Little fekers dug up all my broad beans last year
I invested in a trap....3 so far, my workshop is in the wilds so they get released there.
You could, of course shoot them when they're in the trap if so inclined

AFAIK because they're vermin it's the law that if you trap them you have to destroy them...

Something like a £2000 fine for releasing them into the wild, even if you've just caught them from the wild somewhere else.

[SirClarke]

Shooting them is never really going to solve your problem as killing a couple will just leave space for more to come in. Unless you want to spend all your time staking out the bird squirrel feeder and probably maiming a few whilst also scaring off your birds and destroying the feeder with pellets in the process then you probably need another solution.

I would have thought separate bird and squirrel feeders is your easiest solution, just make one lot an absolute pain to get to (covers/greased poles etc) and one really easy for them - even just on the ground.

Squirrels are pretty interesting to watch anyway and seeing as there's absolutely no hope of ever getting rid of them from the UK you may as well embrace and enjoy them.