Another use for WD40.

I have bird feeders hanging from a Shepards hook. I have one of those china cap things to keep the squirrels from getting at the feeders. I have a couple squirrels that take a running leap hit the pole and somehow launch themselves around the china cap and catch the bottom of the feeder. While it’s entertaining as hell to watch it’s become a them vs me situation. I took my WD40 and sprayed the pole down with it. I sprayed the top of the china cap also. First attemp one hit the pole, made it to the china cap but couldn’t get tracktion to launch himself to the feeder. Now they stand at the base leap up and grab pole but slide back to the ground in slow motion.

I can tell they are wearing the WD40 off with their bellys because they can hang longer before sliding back down. I need to go out this morning and treat the pole again. They are persistent little guys.

Some cooking spray might be a little less toxic for them, since they do use their tongues to clean themselves. Not a huge squirrel fan, but I try not to avoid anything suffering.

I have issues with possums climbing the hooks, so I use a liberal coating of bearing grease. Works great. All of my seed and suet feeders are hanging on wires from limbs in our white pine. Squirrels cannot grasp the wire and that keeps them off. The Shepards hooks have jelly and or juice feeders on them and the possums are really liking that as a treat…. until they hit the grease. Then they simply slide back to planet earth.

That must be funny to see them slide down slowly.
Has anyone tried putting a section of pvc or abs pipe over the mounting pole in the first section above the ground? I should have tried that on the wood duck house I put up this spring. I got one of the squirrel guards from Menards. I may have gotten the house up too late. There are a few woodies around but no takers so far.

Jimmy Jones wrote:

I use a liberal coating of bearing grease. Works great.

Works great to keep the ants out of the hummingbird feeders too.

-J.

Jon Jordan wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Jimmy Jones wrote:</div>
I use a liberal coating of bearing grease. Works great.

Works great to keep the ants out of the hummingbird feeders too.

-J.

I use Vaseline.

Think I am going to try the opposite, double sided auto emblem tape. Could;e be pretty good humor watching the pull that first foot off the tape.

wormdunker wrote:

Think I am going to try the opposite, double sided auto emblem tape. Could;e be pretty good humor watching the pull that first foot off the tape.

I might just try that also wormdunker, on all the feeders that attract ants..

mojo wrote:

Some cooking spray might be a little less toxic for them, since they do use their tongues to clean themselves. Not a huge squirrel fan, but I try not to avoid anything suffering.

Food grade silicone. This works are good as Reel Magic as a line conditioner also. Food grade does not have any petroleum products in it, thus it does not break down fishing line.

I use a slinky the works good on the shepherds hook. And on a wider steel post I put too sections of 8” black stove pipe.

Netguy wrote:

That must be funny to see them slide down slowly.
Has anyone tried putting a section of pvc or abs pipe over the mounting pole in the first section above the ground? I should have tried that on the wood duck house I put up this spring. I got one of the squirrel guards from Menards. I may have gotten the house up too late. There are a few woodies around but no takers so far.

I have a few bluebirds around lately but no takers yet either. Have watched some chickadee pairs checking out the bluebird boxes but they haven’t taken up residence either. They’re cleaned out and solidified. Maybe just a bit early yet.