Chilli the not-so-secret weapon against squirrels

Top tips to stop ravenous squirrels stealing your bird food

Due to a shortage of seeds and nuts in the wild, squirrels are raiding our bird feeders and tables as they struggle to find nuts of their own.

The recent topsy-turvy weather is to blame for the reduced number of nuts and seeds in the wild. Plus, in some trees; such as the beech, nut production follows a cycle and this year marks a natural low point.

Grey squirrels, unlike many other small mammals, do not hibernate and so they will be looking for food throughout the winter. Therefore, the animals are trying their luck on our already-busy nut-filled feeders and bird tables!

It is thought that squirrel's taste receptors are like our own and so they feel the heat of the chilli and are put off by that.

If there isn't any chilli powder to hand, curry powder, Tabasco, peri-peri sauce, red pepper and cayenne pepper will all do the trick.

Below are a few tips for bird lovers concerned that there won't be enough food to go around

Bird lovers recommend coating food with chilli powder, which is disliked by squirrels but palatable to birds - To apply the spice, it is easiest to put the bird food into a plastic bag, sprinkle a generous amount of spice into it as well and shake the bag thoroughly. It is important that the seeds are well coated with the spice, but they should not be hidden or completely covered by it

Greasing poles that bird feeders are hung on with Vaseline so the squirrels can't get a grip - for this to work, the feeders must of course, also be out of jumping distance

Feeders can be covered with guards which only allow small birds access

Create a separate feeding area for squirrels - complete with tempting treats such as Fruitti Squirrel seed mix

Alternatively, for an easier option, we sell a range of products especially designed to help keep squirrels at bay such as;

	The Squirrel Resistant Fat Feast is a blend of suet calcium and chillies to provide wild birds with a high energy food source in a handy block. The added chillies help to keep squirrels at bay as it is particularly distasteful to them but has no harmful effect on wild birds. Place on a table, on the ground or ideally hang in a fat cake feeder.
	The Guardian Peanut Feeder is a purpose built caged feeder made from strong weatherproof materials specifically designed to allow birds to feed safely whilst keeping squirrels at bay. It consists of a standard wire mesh peanut feeder enclosed in a bell shaped plastic coated wire cage with spaces large enough for smaller wild birds to come and go easily but not large enough for squirrels to cause any mayhem and can be used in place of an ordinary peanut feeder.
	The Guardian Seed Feeder is a strong plastic coated wire cage surrounds a standard seed feeder to prevent squirrels from causing such damage whilst allowing garden birds to feed safely. It should be hung in a similar location to any other seed feeder, approx. 6 feet from cover and high enough to keep predators at bay. Always clean feeders regularly and wash your hands after handling.