Anyone have a squirrel proof bird feeder they like? My dad was griping to my mom about squirrels getting in to his feeders and I thought it would be a different kind of Christmas present (usually I get him tools or tech toys). He's in Houston if that helps for the types of birds.

I saw a video of a Droll Yankees Yankee Flipper that looked amusing as it flung the squirrels around, but I am completely out of my element in this department.

My dad gripes about the squirrels but I think he'd secretly be sad if they stopped trying to get into the bird feeder. Who would he shoot with his BB guns then?

There are a number of baffles on the market made specifically for this purpose.....but frankly, you could just make your own and be just as effective. Do a google image search.

Just grease the pole with crisco and watch them slide off.

Ha google Twirl a Squirrel. The videos are pretty entertaining. I don't have any first hand experience, but they seem like they'd work, if not, it would be fun watching!

I've seen one where the weight of the squirrel closes the access to the bird seeds but I think a pellet gun would be way more fun.

Boots greasing the pole!

I have one of the ones where the weight of the squirrel (or a big bird like a dove) will close the hole they access to get the seeds.

That doesn't stop seeds from falling on the ground when smaller birds eat, or when they shake the feeder by climbing on it (elsewhere than the perch that closes the holes).

I wind up with birds on the feeder and squirrels sitting on the ground underneath to get the scatterings.

What about birdseed infused with hot pepper? Does that work?

Then you just get the Mexican squirrels and it's all downhill from there.

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Boots greasing the pole!

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Wild Birds Unlimited sells a pretty good one for about $100. It is just the kind where the weight of the squirrel closes it up, which is nice because it will also close it up for big birds like doves. Greasing the pole with Crisco is fun for a while, but I have found that the Crisco becomes a sticky, hairy mess after a while.

Just buy some squirrel feeders and they will leave the bird feeders alone. Squirrels need to eat too.