Squirrels and peanuts

[MsEVP]

(I nearly put this under PETS until I stopped myself!)

How do we put peanuts down for Cyril (I know, I know, there`s lots of them around) without the other birds (big and little!) pinching them? Is there some kind of special feeder or house we can buy or build? Thanks

[Jules001]

yes there are special feeders, Google squirrel feeders and you will get loads of sites coming up, they are mainly wooden boxes with hinged lids so that Cyril can help himself when he's hungry. In my garden I try to stop the squirrels eating the bird food so have the opposite problem to you :)

[lankeela]

LOL most of my customers want a feeder that the Cyrils cannot pinch the nuts from! I don't think there are many birds that will scare a squirrel off the nuts.

[Schutzengel]

We have a pair of squirrels and their baby who visit our garden, and did have a problem with them pinching the nuts from the bird feeders. After realising where they come over the fence which is about 8 feet way from the tree with the bird feeders, we put a little flat wooden platform (about 12" square, in a tree which was close to the fence, and put peanuts on it. It didn't take long for them to realise that the peanuts appeared at 8am and 4pm. They seem quite happy with the arrangement, and don't bother to go to the bird feeders. Although they do dig little holes and bury some of the nuts. Perhaps they like having a secret store.

[fredpuli47]

Or you could always leave the peanut bag in the house! 'Our' squirrels come in to the sun room, and have done so for months.The only birds to have come in have been a jay, who soon gave up after I had to rescue it three times ,it being not bright enough to find the door (!), and, inevitably, a local robin which comes in for the nut crumbs but doesn't bother with the whole nuts.Mind, that doesn't stop the squirrels indulging in squabbling and chasing one another around the room !

[MsEVP]

Oh thanks Jules, Lank, Schutz and Fred: I`m overwhelmed with such informative responses. Thank you all amd I`ll be following up on them. Cheers. Tina