WOW - it's good to know I am not alone in trying to fend my BIRD feeders from squirrels!! Good to know about baffles and the RSPB squirrel proof feeders and Dovefromabove I love your idea about greasing the pole - preventative and entertaining! Macavitythecat - I don't dislike any wildlife but the urban squirrels in my neightbourhood are so confident that they scare off the birds and have a monopoly on all the food myself and other bird lovers put out - I just want to create some balance in my garden to allow all the visitors a chance of a meal.
There is no food that the squirrels don't like. Forget bird feed, its figs, hazelnuts and grapes from my vines. They have tried tomatoes but weren't that keen on them.
The greasing the pole option worked for us, but we used proper engineering grease - much better than butter or oil - I had a can kicking around in my garage, but you can probably get it at any motor factors/Halfords etc. We did it a couple of times and after a few weeks they stopped bothering, never to return again
There is a big difference between urban foxes and grey squirrels. Foxes are a native species but can certainly be a massive nuisance in some areas, whereas grey squirrels are officially classed as vermin and may not be released if captured. They legally must be destroyed.
All furry, cuddly looking animals are not equal!
As for how to stop squirrels of any colour nicking the bird food, I suspect it will be an ongoing battle. Anybody who saw the programme a few years ago with squirrels managing to defeat just about any obstacle put in front of them will realise it isn't going to be easy.
So if they have to be destroyed as KT53 says and i am in agreance for reasons I have already said . What if the RSPCA get involved ? I seem to remember a bloke found drowned one i n his waterbutt . And RSPC got involved and caused a stink ?
Can anyone else remember this ?
I read alsorts up and cant always remember where I got it from -
I blame my age ..........everytime ........sometimes it works !
They have to be killed humanely and I presume drowning wasn't considered to be humane. There also seem to be elements in the RSPCA who are opposed to any kind of animal/pest control.
There was a similar thread not too long ago where I suggested squirrel bafflers - things like this as well as common sense really e.g. placing your bird feeder at least 6ft away from branches etc really helps too.
with regards to the legality of humanely disposing of pests I've done a bit of research. I knew a chap who would shoot squirrels off birds feeders with an air riffle (lived in the middle of nowhere) - he always said that grey squirrels were classed as a pests. SO I did some research...have a read of this article I've pasted below the main stuff from page 6. Basically you can capture squirrels but it is illegal to release them unless you have a license so really the only option is to kill them.
(ii) Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA) (available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/about_legislation.htm) prohibits the release into the wild any animal which is 1) of a kind that is not ordinarily resident in and is not a regular visitor to GB in a wild state or 2) is included in Part 1 of Schedule 9. Currently (June 2008), the black rat (Rattus rattus), the fat/edible dormouse (Glis glis), the grey squirrel (Sciureus carolinensis) and the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) are listed on Part 1 of Schedule 9 and therefore cannot be released, except under licence.
Posts
WOW - it's good to know I am not alone in trying to fend my BIRD feeders from squirrels!! Good to know about baffles and the RSPB squirrel proof feeders and Dovefromabove I love your idea about greasing the pole - preventative and entertaining! Macavitythecat - I don't dislike any wildlife but the urban squirrels in my neightbourhood are so confident that they scare off the birds and have a monopoly on all the food myself and other bird lovers put out - I just want to create some balance in my garden to allow all the visitors a chance of a meal.
Thanks for all your suggestions and help.
There is no food that the squirrels don't like. Forget bird feed, its figs, hazelnuts and grapes from my vines. They have tried tomatoes but weren't that keen on them.
The greasing the pole option worked for us, but we used proper engineering grease - much better than butter or oil - I had a can kicking around in my garage, but you can probably get it at any motor factors/Halfords etc. We did it a couple of times and after a few weeks they stopped bothering, never to return again
My mothering-law (75 yrs) runs out of the kitchen with one of those power soakers (water gun) it's really quite funny to see.
James
Macavitythecat,
There is a big difference between urban foxes and grey squirrels. Foxes are a native species but can certainly be a massive nuisance in some areas, whereas grey squirrels are officially classed as vermin and may not be released if captured. They legally must be destroyed.
All furry, cuddly looking animals are not equal!
As for how to stop squirrels of any colour nicking the bird food, I suspect it will be an ongoing battle. Anybody who saw the programme a few years ago with squirrels managing to defeat just about any obstacle put in front of them will realise it isn't going to be easy.
I do like the idea of greasing the pole
So if they have to be destroyed as KT53 says and i am in agreance for reasons I have already said . What if the RSPCA get involved ? I seem to remember a bloke found drowned one i n his waterbutt . And RSPC got involved and caused a stink ?
Can anyone else remember this ?
I read alsorts up and cant always remember where I got it from -
I blame my age ..........everytime ........sometimes it works !
They have to be killed humanely and I presume drowning wasn't considered to be humane. There also seem to be elements in the RSPCA who are opposed to any kind of animal/pest control.
There was a similar thread not too long ago where I suggested squirrel bafflers - things like this as well as common sense really e.g. placing your bird feeder at least 6ft away from branches etc really helps too.
with regards to the legality of humanely disposing of pests I've done a bit of research. I knew a chap who would shoot squirrels off birds feeders with an air riffle (lived in the middle of nowhere) - he always said that grey squirrels were classed as a pests. SO I did some research...have a read of this article I've pasted below the main stuff from page 6. Basically you can capture squirrels but it is illegal to release them unless you have a license so really the only option is to kill them.
(ii) Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA) (available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/about_legislation.htm) prohibits the release into the wild any animal which is 1) of a kind that is not ordinarily resident in and is not a regular visitor to GB in a wild state or 2) is included in Part 1 of Schedule 9. Currently (June 2008), the black rat (Rattus rattus), the fat/edible dormouse (Glis glis), the grey squirrel (Sciureus carolinensis) and the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) are listed on Part 1 of Schedule 9 and therefore cannot be released, except under licence.hope this helps