Outsmarting Squirrels?
I predicted with great accuracy the response I would get from readers about my method of solving the uninvited squirrel guests at my wife Kathy's bird feeders. I told Kathy and Ellen - the faithful employee who handles my mail order and Stain Solver business - that we would get lots of letters and calls from people who had other and/or better solutions. Let me tell you, did I ever get the letters, calls to my radio show and emails! Most people were supportive and I enjoyed many of the comments.
Squirrel Club President
Believe it or not, I even got a call from the president of a Chicago area squirrel admirers club! He chuckled at the column and politely told me it was just a matter of time before the wonderful squirrels would be feasting at those feeders once again. So far I am OK. I even got mail from two people who had identical setups but the diligent squirrels in their yards crossed the wire up side down fist over fist like you see soldiers traversing a rope! This happened just once to me to my GREAT surprise 10 days ago. It had just snowed the day before and the wire was encrusted with frozen snow. This increased the diameter of the wire and made its surface more uneven. Kathy, Ellen and I were eating lunch and one of those little devils started across the wire! I scared him away and since the snow melted I have not had any trouble. Looks like Mr. Squirrel Club President was right......!
Other Solutions
Everyone that contacted me had a story or an idea. Many people have had success with different types of grease coated pole mounted feeders. Been there, done that. Too messy and the feed sticks to the grease and turns moldy.
Still others used large diameter 3 and 4 inch Schedule 40 PVC plumbing drain pipe. The feeders are attached to the top of the pipe via a standard toilet flange fitting that fits on the pipe. Some people screwed the feeder to the toilet flange while others screwed a piece of plywood to the flange. The flange is not glued to the pipe. This allows you to remove the feeder to service/fill it.
Perhaps one of the most unique solutions was a recent one I got two days ago. A person bought one of those giant plastic water bottles that works on an office or household water cooler. He cut the bottom off the bottle. The bottle was then slid down the pole to just below the feeder. A squirrel climbs up the pole, can see through the clear bottle to the feeder but can't get through/or around the bottle to get to the feeder. Pretty ingenious!
Squirrel Proof Birdfeeders - read about them in that column.
