Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihnss.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!ihnss!jtkrist From: jtkrist@ihnss.UUCP (J. T. Krist) Newsgroups: net.rec.birds Subject: Re: squirrel@feeder Message-ID: <2575@ihnss.UUCP> Date: Wed, 14-Aug-85 11:07:12 EDT Article-I.D.: ihnss.2575 Posted: Wed Aug 14 11:07:12 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 17-Aug-85 16:28:27 EDT References: <711@umd5.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 42My next door neighbor (a retired Western Electric Engineer) uses a battery and spark coil attached to the feeder. When ever he sees a squirrel on the feeder, he'll give it a zap. Claims that they learn pretty fast. But then, this is a guy who has a radio controlled model Canada Goose that he takes to the local pond, and gets kids to throw bread at. Since I can't stay home all day, I've gone through a number of feeders (and especially a lot of suet). It's amazing to see the way that squirrels can leap from trees, bird baths, phone wires, the side of the house, etc. to land on a feeder. So the first problem is to hang the feeder where the squirrel can't just jump onto it. I have mine hung on the overhang of my house in front of a large sliding glass door. Too close to the edge of the door though, and the rascals will climb up the bricks of the house and jump over. They haven't yet figured out to get suction cups to climb up the glass. To hang the feeders, I use heavy, plastic coated wire. I guess they could knaw through that, if they really wanted to, but maybe there's easier food to come by where I live. Finally, I bought some heavy plastic "squirrel guards" from the local hardware store. These are roughly 18" hemispheres of about 3/16" plastic. These are hung low enough so that the squirrels can't reach them while hanging from the roof of the house. Their size, shape, and slipperyness seems to keep the squirrels from being able to hang on and knaw they way through. I've used this solution for about two years and haven't had a problem with squirrels since. I have a large Droll Yankee sunflower feeder, a Droll Yankee thislte feeder, and a mesh bag of suet, installed as described. We get juncoes, chickadees, cardinals, downy woodpeckers, and occassionally a pine siskin, and crossbill along with the resident {english sparrow|house sparrow|weaver finch}es. -- Jim Krist ...!ihnp4!{ihnss!ihesa}!jtkrist AT&T Bell Laboratories Room IH 6C-541 Naperville, IL 60566 (312)-979-4847