squirrels

Have a squirrel proof bird feeder purchased from RSPB and arrived home today to see a squirrel sitting inside it happily eating all the large black seeds from a small hole where the birds peck.  It ran away when I went in the garden but has continued to return as soon as I go indoors.  I'm assuming it is a young squirrel to be able to get thro' the bars.  Has anyone else had this problem and come up with a solution? 

I have a 'squirrel-proof' bird feeder, and have occasioanally found a squirrel inside. It's not that easy for squirrels to get in, or out. I have simply chased the squirrel off, and the problem has gone away.

Squirrels eating bird food can be a problem. The solution recommended by the RSPB is to dust the bird food with chilli powder. Chilli powder is harmless to birds but makes the food repulsive to rodents.

Details:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-202877

Never mind squirrels, we have been invaded by jays(beautiful creatures).They nested here and produced two beauties. So the four of them are ruling the garden , displaying typical crow family behaviour. By the way, they love peanuts in shells and compete with the squirrels(they like shell peanuts too) but the squirrels ,so far have given  the jays a run for the peanuts!!

Thanks Gary for that info and I will definitely follow your advice.  I stopped using bird feeders many years ago as every time I looked in the garden there would be a rat wrapped around one of the wire peanut holders having a feast.  When I saw the enclosed ones at the RSPB I couldn't resist starting to feed the birds again.  So, chilli powder it is!!  This website is brilliant for getting problems solved by people who are in the know.

i am afraid where i live near a railway line.. rats are a common problem.. so we got an air rifle.. it sorts them out.. have to keep on top of them..

Is that a new phenomena?-I have heard of "snakes on a plane" but "rats on a train" sounds like the next blockbuster

Why do people need to needlessly kill things-I know rats are a nuisance but often you will just wound them and are they doing any harm?- they are not in the garden

All sounds a bit wild west  and haphazard to me

gardeningfanatic do you actually shoot to kill? This sounds very drastic to me, do you need a license? I think that we should respect all of gods creatures.

Oh dear some of you need to move into the real world, all vermin need to be controlled, anyone who lives in a built up area will tell you that we would be over run with pests and disgusting diseases if we did not show that we are in charge. That might mean poison or being a good shot. Now where can I buy an air rifle?

I only come on here to find some garden tips and a bit of light heartened stuff-but want to ask this?-are pigeons fair game and what do they taste like?

Pigeons are game

Oh dear indeed joslow-so it is ok for people to go round shooting things?-what sort of example does that set?

That sort of attitude makes me very angry

On the rat front - a couple of years ago our neighbour put decking down without blocking it in and it was soon colonised by a family of rats, They used a run from his garden to ours to climb up on the bird table. It was the funniest thing ever to watch as they used their prehensile tails to abseil along the trellis to get to the food but saying that they had to go. Had to stop feeding the birds and the guy next door had to resort to getting an exterminator in as they were getting in his house. Thankfully they didn't get in my house. They were entering his via the tumble dryer vent.

I don't really like the idea of killing anything but as Joslow said, they carry disease and have to be controlled.

The image that will stay with me forever was the sight of my hubby in his suit and tie on Xmas day standing by a gap in the fence with a spade in his hand.

I shoot grey squirrels that come into my garden for the following reasons..

1) They are non native and are partly responsible for the demise of our native red squirrel.

2) I put out lots of expensive bird food, and the squirrels can empty the feeders in one day

3) They are vermin.

Once killed, I leave them out on the lawn and Mrs Fox & her cubs come by each night and takes them, which is a real treat to watch.

Then I think that is sad that you feel the need to be so brutal-I am glad I live nowhere near someone with such a reckless and gun-ho attitude

So you are really a lazy gardener, the whole point of gardening is controlling nature not allowing it to control us. I will go with any thing that means that I have the garden I want and if that means disposing of vermin them so be it.

Have just come in and saw you remark which I found quite rude-but never mind.

I am not going to get in an argument with you or any one else over this but will say this-when we are all now encouraged to tempt wildlife into the garden there are people like you and other posters who think it is ok- on some pretext- to go round killing things because you want a neat and tidy world?

Surely I am not alone in my view that this is wrong?

no you are not alone everything is welcome in my garden we have lots of birds squirrels,small frogs in our little pond little field mice running about and we love it also we have a cat that just sits looking at them all,and i feel sorry for the people who just are bent on killing things its so sad.

ok,I really don't want anyone to take offence at this because it's just my opinion and  I'm playing advocate here.... but, those of you who are objecting to shooting rats, are you vegan / vegetarian? It's a genuine question and just something to think about?

The reason I ask is if you eat meat or drink milk then the animals are killed.... if you drink milk then bear in mind that the biggest bi product of the dairy industry is beef, in the form of the male calves that are born in order for their mothers to produce milk.

I'm a fully paid up dairy, meat eater BUT I understand that animals are killed so they go on my plate. If you are going to complain about rodents being shot then maybe it's worth looking at other opinions you have as well. you've already said you shouldn't have one rule for one animal and another for a different animal

Personally I have a real phobia of Rats and mice and the much beloved deals with the mice with a humane trap..... as far as I know we've never had rats, but I don't think he's tell me even if we had! We leave nuts in a seperate spot for the squirrel and he seems to leave the feeders alone! We don't mind him visiting, the kids will sit for hours quietly watching out for him!