4 Ways to Keep Squirrels Off Your Bird Feeder

4 Ways to Keep Squirrels Away from Your Feeder

Squirrels are always rather mercenary when it comes to getting food, but fall is when they become relentless. Nobody knows this better than the innocent bird lover. You’re thinking about taking your feeder down for the year, but a few feathered friends still rely on it. So, your bird feeder remains, perched against the fall like a bird seed-based symbol of defiance. Then… the squirrels come.

These rodential rascals stop at nothing to deprive your birds of the meal that’s meant for them. They’ll hang upside down, perform death-defying acrobatics, and get shockingly aggressive, all in the name of a little seed. They seem unstoppable. They’re not. You just need to get even more creative than they are. Here are four ideas to help you get started.

Baffle Them

baffles may help keep squirrels away... as long as they're big enoughYou can find a bowl-like contraption called a “squirrel baffle” for sale at most hardware stores. They’re designed to, well, baffle squirrels. Baffles are made of plastic or metal and hang near the bird feeder. If your feeder hangs from a tree, then the baffle attaches above the feeder. If your feeder rests on a pole sticking out of the ground, then the baffle goes beneath the feeder on the pole.

Place the “bowl” upside down, so that the concave opening points down. When squirrels try to climb on the baffle, they won’t be able to find purchase. Instead of getting at your feeder, they’ll slide off the plastic slope and fall off. Don’t worry–squirrels are master acrobats, so a little fall won’t hurt them. It is pretty funny to watch, though. Baffles are cheap and relatively easy to make. Make sure your homemade baffle is wide enough that squirrels can’t stretch around it. If they can, you know they will…

Diversion

distract your squirrels with a different source of foodBased on the gusto they exhibit in the act, it’s easy to assume squirrels enjoy their feats of robbery. Believe it or not, however, that’s not the case. Squirrels go to great lengths to get at your feeder for one reason: they’re opportunists. When temperatures start to drop, squirrels get desperate to fatten up for winter. They need the food, and they’ve got the skills, so why not stage their high-flying heists on your feeder?

But what if they didn’t need to? Squirrels are all about the path of least resistance. If you were to, say, distract them with a more accessible food source, they’d leave your feeder alone. We’re not saying this idea doesn’t have drawbacks. You’d need a lot of food. Squirrels are nigh-insatiable this time of year. Plus, you’d invite more squirrels to your yard than ever. And you’d be feeding the enemy. When it comes to keeping squirrels away from a vulnerable feeder, however, a diversion may well be your best option. Everybody eats, everybody wins.  

Spice It Up!

use spicy bird seed in your feeders to scare off squirrelsAlright, so you don’t want to deal with any more squirrels than you have to. And you don’t want to feed those glorified bandits anyway. Fair enough. What if you could make the food you’re leaving for birds into something only birds would want to eat? You wouldn’t have to set out more food or even go to great lengths to squirrel-proof your feeder!

Well, did you know that birds don’t mind spicy seeds? They can’t taste the difference. Guess what can? Sprinkle some cayenne pepper or a similar spice onto your birdseed before you put it out. Birds will eat the seed just fine, but squirrels will smell the heat and stay well clear. You’ll have to re-apply the spice frequently, however, or it’ll wash off or blow away. Squirrels will notice the spice is gone as quickly as they smelled it in the first place, and then you’ll be back to square one. Some stores also sell bird seed that starts spicy, so you don’t have to add the spice yourself.

Suspension

suspend your squirrel feeder in the air to frustrate squirrelsThe squirrels around your house can leap up to 10 feet horizontally, but they can’t fly. If you could figure out a way to suspend your feeder just right, you could make it a birds-only zone. The easiest way to manage this gravity-defying trick would be to string up a wire between two trees.

First, find two mature trees that are at least 10 feet away from each other. Run the wire between the trees and pull it taut. Then, run some “spinners” along the wire to prevent particularly determined tightrope walkers. Spinners can be plastic soda bottles, yarn spools, or anything else that rolls. Squirrels won’t be able to walk across the spinner without rolling off the wire and onto the ground. Finally, hang your bird feeder in the dead center of the wire, far from either tree. Voila! You have a floating bird feeder. Terrestrial mammals need not apply. Just make sure the bird feeder is high enough off the ground, too. All this work won’t matter if your squirrels can just leap up and knock seed down whenever they want.

Look, all of these ideas may make it sound like we hate squirrels. We don’t! We actually find their determination and resourcefulness charming. Plus, they have those bushy little tails. The fact of the matter is, though, squirrels don’t need your birdseed. They’ll be just fine on their own. They got this far, after all.

Unfortunately, squirrels aren’t the only wildlife you’ll have be on the look-out for this fall–and most of the rest of it isn’t nearly as charming. If you have a pest problem in your home, whether it’s rodent or insect-based, give Griffin a call today. We’ll set you up for winter right, so you have nothing to worry about. Happy bird watching!

Preventing Rabbits in Your Yard This Winter

preventing rabbits in your yard this winter with Griffin Pest Control

Say what you will about the harshness of Michigan’s winters, but at least they can be beautiful. The pale evening sky lit in hues of violet and ghostly blue… tree branches kissed with the gossamer gloss of new frost… freshly fallen snow blanketing the earth in forgetful snow, perfect and un-bespoiled… thousands of tiny, perfectly spherical pellets of poop covering your yard–wait a minute!

Rabbits are active year-round, but chances are you tend to notice them a lot more this time of year. For obvious reasons. Not only are these little poo-machines on your lawn gross and annoying, but they can also be destructive.

Here’s everything you should know about what those rascally rabbits are up to this winter. Learn what they want and why it’s a problem, and you’ll be ready to keep them away.

What They Want:

what rabbits want this winter

Food

Rabbits don’t hibernate in the winter, which means they actively seek food sources all season long. Unlike most winter invaders, rabbits are mostly content outside. Rabbits primarily feed on grass and other ground level plants. After snow falls, however, they often can’t access the grass they’d normally rely on. To survive, they have to get a little less picky and a lot more creative.

If you have rabbits around your yard this winter, it’s probably because they’ve found a good food source nearby. For most homes, these food sources are leafy ornamental plants that are tall enough to remain visible even after snowfall. Hostas, burning bush plants, tall shrubs, twigs, bark, and tree buds all attract hungry bunnies.

Cover

Food isn’t the only thing a rabbit has to be particularly concerned about during winter. The loss of vegetation density means predators can spot their prey much more easily. Since they don’t hibernate like some Michigan winter wildlife does, rabbits must find places where they can both eat and hide from predators.

During winter, rabbits look for areas where they can eat without being harassed. They’re looking for thick bushes, evergreen trees, solid fences, and pretty much anything else predators can’t see through. Cover doesn’t attract rabbits the way food does, but it’s a definite secondary consideration. If your home provides a place to eat and hide, chances are the little bush tails will show up in force.  

Why They’re a Problem

why rabbits are a problem in winter timeA rabbit eat a lot. Feeding rabbits can strip bark from trees, de-bud or de-leaf plants, and even gnaw bushes down to their roots. Unfortunately, they ramp up their feeding on shrubs and other plants at an inconvenient time. Winter is just as hard on plants as it is on everything else. When rabbits eat, they often “clip” stems off of plants like, fruit trees, conifers, and other shrubs. Without stems, it’s more difficult for plants to absorb the energy they need to keep surviving and, eventually, growing.

When rabbits try to get at food or shelter, they can burrow through snow or gnaw away at structures. There’s also the… “waste” issue. You probably don’t like seeing the thousand-odd rabbit pellets left scattered all over your backyard. It’s gross, smelly, and dirty, especially come spring thaw.

What You Can Do

how to protect against rabbits this winterBesides calling your favorite residential pest control experts in Michigan, there are a few steps you can take to reduce the rabbit brigade filling your yard with land mines. And if you’re traveling for the holidays, make sure you pest-proof your home before you leave.

Installing a fence around your entire backyard may seem like the obvious answer, but fences have their drawbacks. First of all, rabbits are quite good at squeezing beneath traditional yard fences. Second, fences might actually attract rabbits looking for shelter from predators. If you have a rabbit problem, we recommend selective fencing, whether or not you already have a backyard fence.

Build or install wire-mesh fencing around any plants you think may be vulnerable to rabbit feeding. Make sure your fences extend down to the actual ground, because rabbits can easily burrow through snow. You should also consider clearing fallen twigs and branches from your yard frequently over the winter. Collecting clutter like this can help make your yard less interesting to hungry rabbits. Trimming your ornamental shrubs in winter can help deprive wildlife of the shelters they’re eager to find, too. Just make sure you don’t get so zealous that you harm your vulnerable plants the way the rabbits might!

We get that you probably don’t think of rabbits as pests. They’re not trying to get into your house, they can’t hurt you, and they’re just so darn cute! You’d be surprised what a pain rabbits can be during the winter. Beyond making your yard look bad, they can ruin your plants or even make your pets sick.

Don’t worry about the rabbits; humane exclusionary measures like fences won’t hurt them. And they’ll be able to find food elsewhere–trust us. If you have any questions about wildlife or any other pest problem this winter, give Griffin a call any time. We’ll help you deal with the bad parts of winter, so you can get back to finding the good stuff. We have a page that talks about all the seasonal pests found in Michigan as well. Learn More about them! 

Keeping Pests Away From Your Bird Feeder

Keeping squirrels away from your bird feeder

Having a bird feeder can be a lot of fun, especially if you’re a bird lover. After installing a feeder, you’ll probably start seeing birds you never could have glimpsed otherwise. With any luck, you could transform your yard into a miniature bird sanctuary and ecosystem.

Unfortunately, however, bird feeders often help create other kinds of ecosystems, too. Pest ecosystems. Pests aren’t picky; just because it’s called “birdseed” doesn’t mean they won’t help themselves to it. Part of owning a bird feeder is figuring out how to keep pests away from it. Here are a couple of good ways to do that.

Clean up after the feeder

Most ground-feeding pests like rodents and insects don’t actually climb up onto the feeder to eat. Instead, they wait for birdseed to fall from the feeder onto the ground, and simply snack on that! It’s an easy, constant food source for pests, and they’ll take advantage constantly.

One of the best ways to keep pests away from your feeder is simply to pick up after it. Clean up any fallen birdseed from beneath the feeder as often as possible. The less birdseed falls to the ground, the fewer pests will be able to use it for food.

Isolate the feeder

Pests feel more comfortable approaching food sources when they have cover to hide behind and sneak around in. Rodents and insects approach bird feeders when the terrain around the feeder is overgrown and shady. Long grass, weeds, bushes and shrubs, fallen leaves, and other assorted clutter all help pests move around.

Make sure the space around your bird feeder is as clear and open as possible. Place it out in the open, trim the grass around it, and keep it far away from your home. If pests feel uncomfortable around your feeder, they’re less likely to rely on it.

secure the feeder

Secure the feeder

Bird feeders often spill seed when birds, weather, or even pests knock them around. After bird seed spills onto the ground, it’s easy pickings for opportunistic pests. Most bird feeders tend to dangle from trees pretty freely or stand on their own.

However, you set up your bird feeder, it may be surprisingly easy to wiggle around or even knock over. Try taking extra steps to secure your feeder. Test it by trying to jostle or smack it around yourself. Ultimately, you’re trying to make sure no animal could shake loose birdseed, no matter what they try.

Fix the feeder

You might be surprised how often bird feeders break without their owners knowing. You leave your bird feeder outside for long periods of time. Wind, weather, birds, and pests take their toll over time.

Unfortunately, when bird feeders break, they usually break in ways that are convenient for pests. Either they’re easier to access or they start spilling bird seed onto the ground! Check on your feeder every couple of weeks to make sure it’s not broken. If you notice any damage, bring it inside until you can repair it. Don’t feel guilty; broken feeders are bad for birds, too.  

Use bafflers

“Bafflers” are bowl-like devices installed on the bottom of feeders to keep pests away. They won’t work on flying animals (by design), but they make climbing the feeder far more difficult. A bafflers is basically an upside-down bowl that prevents pests like squirrels from climbing up to access the feeder itself.

You can buy bafflers at most hardware stores or make them yourself. Sometimes they’re very effective, sometimes… they’re not. Bafflers can’t be the single solution to all your feeder problems, but they can be part of your solution.

Bring in the feeder

Bring in the feeder

This is the obvious sort-of solution we all tend to forget. Most pests–especially the BIG pests, like skunks and opossums–come out at night. When they come out, they’re hungry. Nocturnal foraging pests think they hit the jackpot when they find your bird feeder. If they can knock out some seeds they can feast all night.

Luckily, you can prevent this in the simplest way possible: just bring in the feeder at night! It’s not like birds are flocking in to feed overnight, anyway. If the feeder isn’t outside at night, then nocturnal pests won’t be able to use it. It’s just that simple.

 

Unfortunately, you can’t simply put out your birdfeeder and fill it up every now and then. At least, you can’t if you want to avoid pests. By following these pest-proofing steps, however, you’ll ensure that birds are the only wildlife eating from your feeder.

If your pest problems seem a little too significant to solve by pest-proofing your feeder, give Griffin a call. We’ll figure out why pests won’t leave you alone and make sure they do. Enjoy the birds!

How Does Wildlife Survive the Winter?

How Does Wildlife Survive Winter?

If you think preparing for winter is a big hassle for you, imagine how it is for animals. They don’t exactly have the resources you do. Like a home. Or clothes. So how could they possibly get through a winter without freezing to death? How do they make sure their babies get through winter?

The answers are more varied, creative, and effective than you’d think. Life finds a way, after all. Here’s how four of Michigan’s most common wildlife species hustle their way through the coldest months of the year. After reading what these poor animals go through, you’ll never think about your home the same way again!

Squirrels

squirrels fatten up and stash food to survive winterAs soon as temperatures drop, squirrels scramble to collect as many nuts, berries, and seeds as they can get their paws on. You’ve probably seen the common eastern grey squirrel race around stashing every crumb of food that isn’t nailed down countless times. They stash their foraged horde in several hidden caches for when they need it. They’ll return to the stashes (well, the ones they actually remember) to snack all winter.

At least, they’ll go back if if they don’t gobble up the food they find before they get a chance to stash it. Squirrels are known to eat their entire body weight in a week or less in fall! By winter, most squirrels fatten up so much it’s a wonder they can move at all! Squirrels need that fat to keep them warm. Although they sleep a lot to conserve energy, very few squirrel species hibernate in winter. Even the fattest squirrel needs to wake up and munch a midwinter snacks to stay warm and healthy.

Skunks

skunks burrow under structures in groups in order to survive winterSkunks don’t horde like squirrels do, but boy do they eat. Skunks spend fall hunting and eating insects, worms, lizards, snakes, mammals smaller than them, and more. All this eating builds thick layers of fat to insulate the skunk from the cold. When winter begins, skunks usually find burrows by digging under natural or manmade cover. Many skunk species create large, multifamily burrows and keep each other warm via proximity.

Contrary to popular belief, skunks don’t hibernate in winter. During the coldest times of the year, they enter a state of reduced activity called torpor. Torpor functions similarly to hibernation. The skunk enters a deep sleep, during which its metabolism drastically slows down. The big difference is, torpor doesn’t last. Like squirrels, skunks have to wake up and eat multiple times during winter to survive. When skunks wake up, they’ll take whatever food they can get. Skunks might react defensively if encountered after waking up. If you think you have a skunk spending winter under your porch, be careful!

Moles

moles dig deep underground to survive winterOk, we know we said these animals solve their winter problems creatively. But, look, creativity isn’t really what moles are all about. These mammals do one thing, and they do it very well: they dig. Moles don’t stop digging, even after the ground freezes in winter. Instead, they just dig deeper. Some mole species may dig as deep as 30 inches into the earth. They can also dig complex burrows deep underground to hunt and trap their food. Like squirrels, they may even store food in these burrows for when they need it in winter.

Most mole species seldom return to the surface during winter. They may not even be able to burrow through the hard ground. Instead, they remain in their burrows all season, relying mainly on earthworms, grubs, and subterranean insects for food. Moles rise back up through the ground as temperatures rise and the surrounding earth softens again. Sometimes, they may even return to the surface before snow melts completely.

Snakes

snakes congregate together in shelters called hibernaculums to survive winterAs if winter wasn’t bad enough, snakes have to contend with an extra challenge: their cold blood. As reptiles, snakes rely entirely on their surroundings to regulate their body temperatures. And they don’t even hibernate! How could something like that possibly survive winter? Instead of hibernating, snakes enter a torpor-like state of reduced activity called “brumation”. Brumation is an extreme slowing of a snake’s metabolism. During brumation, snakes can survive without eating or drinking for long periods of time. They still can’t survive freezing temperatures, however.

Before they enter brumation, snakes have to find or make an overwintering site called a “hibernaculum”. Brumating snakes are completely vulnerable while they sleep, so the hibernaculum has to be hidden. It can’t be out in the open, either, or the snakes would freeze. Usually, snakes burrow under existing cover like hollowed-out logs, porches, or rocks. Snakes often make hibernaculum nests in large groups, to keep one another warm. Like skunks, brumating snakes wake up periodically to seek food on warm days.

 

As tempting as sleeping the winter away sounds, we’re guessing you’re pretty grateful you’re not wildlife right about now. Considering how much work winter survival is, it’s hard to begrudge the pests sneaking into your home this season. Just because you understand it doesn’t mean you have to tolerate it, however.

If you have pest problems anytime this winter, give Griffin Pest Control a call right away. We’ll make sure to take care of the problem, so you can get back to surviving the winter your way–in style.