Squirrels are fun and friendly creatures to have around. That is, till they get to your bird feeders. So, what should you do in such a situation?
I built a bird feeder for my garden a couple of months ago and was pleased to see how much the birds enjoyed it. However, every once in a while, I would notice squirrels skirting up the pole and getting to the bird feed. What's worse is that they would scatter the food around, creating a mess.
I had to find a solution but was insistent on using humane methods to get rid of them. I had a chat with my neighbor, Mr.Cross, about this. As always, he had the perfect solution.
He taught me how to attach slinky to bird feeder pole, which effectively stopped the squirrels from climbing up and getting to the feeder.
Hi! I'm Stacy. And today, I am delighted to share some tips on how to attach slinky to bird feeder.
Let's begin.
As the humorous name suggests, a slinky is a toy that is attached to the pole of a bird feeder. It can be made using various materials such as spring steel wires or plastic. Initially created to be used as a tension spring in a battleship engine horsepower meter, the slinky soon became a fun toy for children and pets.
The original slinky was created in 1943 by a marine engineer called Richard James. In fact, I was surprised to find out during my research that the slinky was created by accident.
It is said that Richard intended to use this device as a tension spring. One day, he accidentally pushed one of the springs off his desk during work. As anyone would, he expected the spring to land on the floor with a thump.
Imagine his surprise when he noticed the graceful way in which his creation "walked" from his desk to a stack of books around the corner and finally ended up neatly in its original form.
It didn't take long before he started creating prototypes of the toy and distributed them to the neighborhood children to play with. Overwhelmed with the positive response, the "Slinky" soon came into existence.
As you may know by now, the slinky is a wonderful toy that extends and springs back to its original form. Some creative minds soon realized that this toy could be attached to a bird feeder pole to keep squirrels out of it.
It has a simple concept - the slinky attaches to the bird feeder pole and stays in position. When squirrels climb up the pole, they eventually reach the slinky. The squirrel's weight and the spring action of the toy cause the squirrel to spring back down towards the ground.
Try as they may, squirrels are typically unable to circumvent the ingenious slinky to get to the bird feeder. This is an extremely safe and humane way to keep squirrels out, and it does not harm them in any way.
Once I found out about its use, I requested Mr. Cross to teach me how to attach one to my bird feeder pole. In the next section, I am going to share the process with you so you can do the same.
Typically, a standard size slinky can be anywhere between 67 feet to 87 feet. Keep in mind that this is the total length of the slinky when it is completely stretched. However, in its compressed form, it does not measure more than 5.7 cm.
When choosing the right slinky for your bird feeder pole, it is essential to consider its material. As such, a wire slinky may be an excellent option; however, keep in mind that if the wire breaks, it can be dangerous for the birds and squirrels alike.
That said, a plastic slinky can easily become brittle if it is kept in direct sunlight for too long. Consider these factors before choosing the right one for your bird feeder.
Since my bird feeder pole is wooden, I had no trouble attaching the slinky to it. I opted for a plastic slinky that attached with ease to the rough, dry surface of the wooden bird feeder pole.
However, if you have a metal bird feeding pole, you may find it slightly challenging to do this. This is primarily because of the slippery surface of the pole and the slinky causing a severe lack of friction. Although it may work for a couple of days, the squirrels' weight will eventually cause the slinky to detach from the pole.
I recommend using upholstery clips to attach the top of the slinky to the base of your bird feeder. However, keep the bottom of the slinky free.
That's about it! Attaching a slinky to my bird feeder was extremely straightforward and convenient. You don't even require any tools to do this - except maybe a couple of upholstery clips.
I kept a close watch over the bird feeder for the next few days. Watching the squirrels bob up and down with a confused expression was hilarious. Moreover, my bird feeder was safe and free from the menace.
I hope you enjoyed reading my guide and found it helpful to protect your bird feeder from squirrels.
Of course, several other methods can help keep squirrels out of bird feeders. The “Slinky method” was by far my favorite one because of how safe and hilarious the results were.
Let me know if you use any other methods to keep squirrels out of bird feeders. Don’t hesitate to share it with other readers, and stay tuned for more guides.
Until next time!
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