Monday, January 23, 2017

Avoiding Squirrel Suet "Candy"

Discovered a small way to limit squirrel poaching.

I had been putting out Peanut Delight Suet because it has the highest protein content: 10% vs. 4% for the other types of suet. I figured more protein would be good for the birds.

Well, the squirrels think it is candy. So, I've switched to the other "flavors".  Instead of having to replace a suet cake every three or four days, they now last a week or two.

Slow learner here.

6 comments:

MAX Redline said...

Ha! I feed birds in really crummy weather as well, TD. But I placed a baffle on the feeder stand that deters squirrels.

At the old place, I had a wooden post, and the squirrels would climb right up. I put a two-foot chunk of PVC tube on the post and secured it near the feeder with a home-made baling-wire "spring". I attached a line at the top of the tube, which was connected to a counterweight.

When the squirrels climbed up to get to the feeder, the spring gave way under their weight, and the PVC tube took them straight back to the ground. Then the counterweight returned the tube to its normal position.

It was kind of amusing.

T. D. said...

You build neat stuff, Max!

MAX Redline said...

Just have a perverse sense of humor, TD. :-)

T. D. said...

Not just that. You can figure things out and then build them. Like the fix for the beaver dam that was bothering your neighbors. You're a renaissance man. Can do just about anything.

MAX Redline said...

Ha! Anything to annoy the critters. :-)

T. D. said...

Or help them. :-)