| Author | Message | ||
     86129squids |
OK folks, here's the scenario: In an effort to keep the birdies happy, I try to keep my 2 main feeders, plus a third window feeder full year-round, got 2 bird baths going too- always got birds, even saw a red-tail hawk (!!!) using the bird bath a week and a half ago. Of course, the local squirrels know about all this too. Recently my GF saw FIVE at one time congregating around the bird seed buffet, early in the AM. Consequently I can see my 2 feeders emptied in less than a day and a half. I had trained the GF's dog Chloe to be a fur-seeking missle, lots of shits and giggles there- until she sprained her leg for a 2nd time a couple of days ago. She's now "retired" from chasing tree rats. Here's my experiment: Seems I'd read somewhere that one can add a fair amount of cayenne pepper to the seed, which would affect the squirrels and not phase the birds. I did this yesterday, liberally coating the entire batch with cayenne. I tasted it prior, yes it was pretty dang hot. We've been watching a habitual offender momma squirrel filling up on the pepper- at first she just merrily ate and ate, for several minutes, to the point that we were guessing maybe she liked it better... then she ran down the tree, chased off another squirrel, then ran to the birdbath for a long drink... then laid in the grass a bit and actually wiped her mouth on the grass a couple of times! Now she seems content to stay on the ground and eat the seed that's there- which fell from previous batches that had no cayenne. Not been back up the tree so far. Anyone have experience/knowledge with this? I'm heading to the store for a fresh jar of cayenne, maybe some red pepper flakes too. We use enough of it ourselves anyway, but I'm gonna continue the experiment a while at least... "Hot Nuts!" (Doesn't take much to entertain us around here...) | ||
| Etennuly |
With a little parboiling they taste like chicken. I would never season them that way though.  | ||
| Blake |
We use squirrel-proof feeders, either by design or location. I'd be concerned that the pepper would play havoc with avian digestive systems. But if it doesn't, that's a cool tactic. LOL. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
Birds love pepper.......and that is how pepper seeds are "transplanted".  | ||
| Whatever |
Why am I not surprised that you eat bird seed ???  | ||
| 86129squids |
Yeah, IIRC I'd read that the hot pepper doesn't affect the birds- but I'd imagine that, evolutionarily speaking, a squirrel's tongue and sense of smell won't be very different at all from ours... Crap- forgot to get the fresh cayenne at the store- still got enough for another batch or 2, think I'll add some red pepper flakes next time too...   | ||
| Sifo |
Or get some of these feeders... | ||
| Road_thing |
.177 HMR... rt | ||
| Slaughter |
Sifo... you sent me right to Amazon to look and sure enough: Squirrel Proof bird feeder hanger (Message edited by slaughter on July 10, 2011) | ||
| Birdy |
Yep birds don't feel the "heat" from peppers. Having parrots I can tell it'll light YOUR fire when they have been eat dried peppers and then rub their beak on your lip!  Bet the tree rats like it even less. I hate those little SOBs let them get in your attic and they can do major damage in a very short time. BUT a 22 long is your friend!  (Message edited by Birdy on July 10, 2011) | ||
| Jramsey |
Char,here's some hot squirrel nuts for ya.   | ||
| 86129squids |
Yeah- I'd asked for a Christmas present: a handy BB gun for the critters, my GF got me one- then I noticed all the overshoot trajectories would likely land me in jail, had I started shooting... Truth be told, if this theory holds, it's more fun- although I've never tasted freshly cooked squirrel. Vern, I guess I'll have to call on you for that... | ||
| Cityxslicker |
double your pleasure, capseasien paint ball launcher..... | ||
| Whatever |
Uhhh... no comment... | ||
| Strokizator |
Dang blue jays are the seed robbers at my house. They spend all day burying sunflower seeds and promptly forgetting where they are. Now I've got sunflowers growing everywhere. Gophers are my nemesis, that is until I bought a Rondenator (check YouTube). | ||
| Hacksaw |
410 shotgun works at my place. | ||
| Brumbear |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Ya6z-NlDo&feature =related | ||
| Jramsey |
"Gophers are my nemesis, that is until I bought a Rondenator (check YouTube)." That works great if you don't have clay tile for septic,cistern,drain plumbing. (Message edited by Jramsey on July 11, 2011) | ||
| Greg_e |
That squirrel launcher is way more cruel than just killing the animals, kind of makes me sick and sad for this world and the people in it. | ||
| Ourdee |
| ||
| Gunut75 |
 | ||
| Kenm123t |
Hey who said they have never seen a flying squirrel before?  | ||
| 86129squids |
Well, heck Greg- guess I'm downright evil for training the dog to chase them- occasionally one would run up a power pole, and have nowhere to go- then the damn thing would bail all the way from the TOP of the pole, and do the Wiley Coyote thing... SPLATTT!!...when it hit the ground. I laughed all day about that... | ||
| Blake |
I've seen a squirrel trying to jump from tree to tree to cross the street via canopy end up a little short in leap and fall from forty feet up onto hard pavement. Didn't seem to faze him, just sprinted off the street. The "THWACK" sound on impact was bewilderingly loud. They must be able to tense all muscles and endure the impact. They are incredibly muscular little monsters.  Darrell and Squirrel This one was leaping for a tree but didn't quite make it, snatched mid-air by Darrell. | ||
| 86129squids |
Hey- you forgot the caption... "NOM NOM NOM NOM NOMMMM!! | ||
| Pwnzor |
 | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The sculls are crunchy. | ||
| Mtjm2 |
You SOBs must have never had TREE RAT POT PIE ! Better than CHICKEN ! and you can eat out of your own yard !  | ||
| Cityxslicker |
The word for forty in Russian is copok - it is a gunny sack that would hold 40 squirrels, the amount needed to make a decent evening pie, it also became the unit of currency when the ruble went to shiate in the 1800's.... maybe we should stock up on gunny sacks domestically... because the dollar is next. | ||
| Greg_e |
I just have a problem with that kind of abuse, I would have preferred seeing the guy whip out some kind of projectile weapon and cleanly kill the squirrel, flinging it through the air to the almost certain (and possibly slow) death is just damn cruel. How would you like it if that was happening to the birds that you were feeding? If they are pests get rid of them, but do it with some level of humanity and compassion, there are so many legal ways to do this. As far as the squirrel on a stick, or stew, or whatever... At least then they are serving a purpose though not a lot of meat on most of them so it can take more than a couple for a good meal. |
