I've been robbed

jzmtl · **on:** July 26, 2012, 12:23:15 AM

By tree rats!

So I put up a feeder last week to help out the local bird population, turned out they aren't the ones feasting. I wouldn't mind it usually but they eat 20x the birds do (feeder was full), hog the feeder and chase away the birds, and known to eat bird eggs and baby birds too.

I've plinked them with my walmart grade air rifle a few times but they keep coming back (the pellet probably missed them by a foot). All the tree rat proof feeder design requires open space with no structure around, which is not possible in the chicken coop sized yard here. Going to have to think of a way to fix this...

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2012, 12:28:04 AM

Like with my recent ant problem, there are some creatures on the planet you have to grudgingly admire for their abilities. We don't bother with a feeder. We just dump bird seed and sunflower seed on our deck. The squirrels eat all the sunflower seeds, and usually get enough so that they eventually leave, and the birds eat the smaller seeds. We're just doing it to lure in animals to give our cat something to watch anyway.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2012, 01:23:50 AM

Love them or hate them you just have to give the little buggers props for getting into all the things they get into. My father has gone through a lot of supposedly squirrel proof feeders, and none of them have ever actually done much more than slow the critters down.

Def

Gareth · **Reply #3 on:** July 26, 2012, 02:26:12 AM

You are never going to stop these guys.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #4 on:** July 26, 2012, 02:59:19 AM

I wonder how many of us could have managed an obstacle course like that!

Def

Mr. Whippy · **Reply #5 on:** July 26, 2012, 03:38:17 AM

Jack Russell terrier. We haven't seen a squirrel with a head for years now.

(And yes, some of them climb trees after the rats)

jzmtl · **Reply #6 on:** July 26, 2012, 04:15:16 AM

Can I borrow one?

These damn rats aren't even from around, they come from 100+ yards away on telephone cables.

ducttapetech · **Reply #7 on:** July 26, 2012, 11:48:48 AM

is it squirrel season up there yet?

nuphoria · **Reply #8 on:** July 26, 2012, 12:52:38 PM

Phew, I thought you were gonna say your house was done

As for the naughty squirrels, the force is very strong with them.

Gareth · **Reply #9 on:** July 26, 2012, 02:09:41 PM

ducttapetech · **Reply #10 on:** July 26, 2012, 11:01:49 PM

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **Reply #11 on:** July 27, 2012, 08:41:46 AM

Get a dog cone and put it around the pole under the feeder; they do a good job of keeping squirrels out of bird feeders.

Whoey · **Reply #12 on:** July 27, 2012, 09:49:40 AM

superhero pose:

Gareth · **Reply #13 on:** July 27, 2012, 09:58:45 AM

Gareth · **Reply #14 on:** July 27, 2012, 10:07:09 AM

ducttapetech · **Reply #15 on:** July 27, 2012, 10:22:56 AM

Logrus9 · **Reply #16 on:** July 27, 2012, 02:31:30 PM

Put hot red pepper powder in the feeder. It doesn't both the birds but will bother the squirrels.

jzmtl · **Reply #17 on:** August 01, 2012, 08:18:56 PM

Well I think the battle is won for now, after a few failed attempts to keep them out (and feeder chewed half way through), I encased the feeder in 3/8" wire mesh, with a few 2x2 slots cut out so the birds can pick out the sunflower seeds. I don't think it interfere with bird feeding, and the rats came back a few times but left quickly because they couldn't get to the seeds.

Can anyone tell me what bird are these? I suck as IDing anything.

Fisting_Chili · **Reply #18 on:** August 07, 2012, 05:34:38 PM

What about one of these?

Fisting_Chili · **Reply #19 on:** August 07, 2012, 05:38:55 PM

Haha! guess its a brand bird feeder called a Yankee Flipper

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