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Post by Tringa on Nov 28, 2018 14:50:14 GMT
Although this questions isn't about gardening for wildlife its about feeding wildlife so I thought it was best in this section.
We have one seed feeder protected by a cage which has stopped the squirrels eating all the seed and destroying the feeder.
However the gaps in the cage are a bit too small to allow the GSWs to feed easily. They can get some food but don't bother most of the time. The parakeets can't feed at all from this feeder as they are too big.
I bought one of these -
- which also stops the squirrels from feeding, but allows the GSWs to feed. Unfortunately the parakeets can't use it. I think it is a combination of being too heavy and also the bill shape. Even if their weight did not close the feeding ports I don't think their parrot bill could get into the feeding port the way a pointy bill does.
At present I use an old wire mesh peanut feeder which the parakeets use, but so do the squirrels. The squirrels drive birds off the feeder, eat the nuts very quickly and break holes in the mesh.
I thought about getting one of these -
but they are quite expensive and some online reviews are not good.
I've tried putting peanuts on the shed roof to encourage the squirrels to feed there. It works a treat, the squirrels eat all those nuts and then move on the mesh feeder and eat the nuts there too!
Has anyone used one of these feeders? Any other suggestions would also be welcomed.
Thanks
Dave
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Post by teasel on Nov 28, 2018 15:40:34 GMT
I had a problem with pigeons so I made my own cage out of green garden fence netting that I happened to have. I expect squirrels would chew through it, but would chicken wire work, or would the holes be too small for parakeets? Maybe a wire netting with a slightly larger hole size?
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Post by rowanberry on Nov 28, 2018 16:28:56 GMT
Dave-
I had the same problem a few years ago, and the squirrels were getting out of control. I read that birds don't have taste receptors for the capsicum found in pepper, but all mammals do- so I rolled a handful of peanuts around in cayenne pepper before putting them in the feeder. I didn't use too much, (I worried the birds might get it in their eyes on a windy day) just enough to give the nuts a bit of flavour.  The squirrels left them alone after that.
Teasel, that is an impressive caged feeder! I think a parakeet might be able to fit through it, but I don't know if they'd make the effort to... some birds don't seem to like going inside things like that. Great way to keep pigeons out of your seed tray, though.  |
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Post by teasel on Nov 28, 2018 22:42:23 GMT
it's not pretty but does the job! Starlings and blackbirds have used it, as have the smaller birds. The pigeons used to sit on top when it first went up, so it had to be strong |
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Post by Tringa on Nov 29, 2018 9:00:03 GMT
Thanks for the replies Teasel and Rb
Unfortunately the gaps in chicken wire would be too small for the parakeets to get in.
I'd forgotten about cayenne pepper. I have tried it before and it did work fairly well, though it did wash off. I might try it again; it might be cheaper than buying a new feeder.
Dave
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The squirrels left them alone after that.