Putting squirrel feeders in your garden may be a good way to drive them

Songbird Essentials Squirrel Feeder

away from your bird feeders. Squirrels are serious seed eaters, the reason why bird feeders are a favorite target for them.  They have strong legs that can run as fast as 20 mph making them high jumpers as well to at least 8 to 10 feet above the ground. And their teeth, boy, aren’t they strong. Their teeth can grow 6 inches per year, and it never stops, but we see them short because of the many activities squirrels do with their mouth, eating being the main thing.

To protect the food intended for the birds, many garden owners have resorted to mounting the bird feeders on poles that are set much higher than the squirrels’ jumping distance. But since these animals are also good climbers, protecting the bird feeder from them can really be a challenge. Many have tested that PVC pipes work on them because the sleek surface is hard for them to cling on.

It is when squirrels do not have their own feeders do they search and look for food in other places. A salvaged feeder drives birds away from your garden and if you love seeing and hearing these birds in your back or front yard, then you have to deal with this squirrel problem. But even though they seem to be such pests, they can be fun to watch too as they are very smart in their pursuit of food. Put squirrel feeders in your garden and you’ll have a space booming with activities.

As the battle against the squirrels goes on, besides making your feeders squirrel resistant, a little bribery can also help. Setting up an easy to use squirrel feeder that is away from your bird feeders can help to distract them from causing trouble at your bird feeders.

The Squirrels Only Feeder is a small wooden box in which you place a squirrel’s favorite goodies, such as peanuts or pumpkin seeds. The squirrel must lift the lid and hold it open while it takes out a treat. the Squirrel Spinner, Spin-A-Cob and Squirrel-A-Whirl also provide challenges for your squirrels. These products have several long arms to attach a dried ear of corn. When the squirrel climbs after the corn, the arms twirl from its weight. Another fun way to feed is in our Squirrel Jar feeder. It’s designed to keep seed dry and squirrels go inside the glass jar to dine in comfort and in complete view! We also have a table and chair feeder for polite squirrels, and a See-Saw and Trapeze feeder for the kids. Hang a corncob from the elastic Squngee feeder and when the squirrel jumps on , it bounces up and down like a bungee cord.

Do you want more squirrels in your backyard? If so up one or two Squirrel Condos from Chuck-A-Nut. Mounted high in the trees they make great homes for squirrels (as well as owls and woodpeckers) especially where dead timber is in short supply.

Video on how to keep squirrels out of your bird feeders. These products can be ordered from our secure website.

The Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)  and the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), are the most common squirrels in North America. Native to the eastern half of the United States and Canada they have been introduced to parts of the Western United States and British Columbia. World wide their are 365 species of squirrels! An adult squirrel typically lives alone, but  they will huddle together in their nests during extreme cold weather to stay warm. In the winter, squirrels are most active in the morning hours and tend to stick around their nests the rest of the day. Mating season begins in late winter, so acrobatic chase scenes are more common during this time of the year. Spring through fall, listen for the screeching call of the young in the nest begging for food. In the summer, squirrels are most active in the morning, tend to rest in the afternoon, and then reemerge to forage for a couple of hours before sunset.

Typical litter size is 3-4.

Squirrels can eat their weight in seed in one week.

Squirrel’s front teeth grown 6 inches per year and are worn down by eating and gnawing.

Top speed for squirrels is 20 mph.

Squirrels exceptional  jumping ability can launch them 6 vertical feed and 8 horizontal feet.