Lubricant on pole feeder to keep squirrels off ??

[James Nipper]

Ok, I know it is a life long battle keeping squirrels off our bird feeders.
I have some feeders mounted at the top of a five foot long one inch metal
conduit pipes, attached to my deck rail. Both squirrels and chipmonks just
skinny up those pipes, and eat all of the bird seed. Someone told me to use
petroleum jelly on the pipes.. that seemed to work for two days, but I guess
the stuff dries out and doesn't last long and here come the critters again.

This question is limited to what any of you folks would recommend as a
lubricant for these mounting poles. (I know there are different methods
of mounting them and different upside down cones, etc etc etc, but my method
is chosen, and I want find a good lubricant to prevent them from running up
the poles....)

Thanks !!!

James

[Dickr]

Many years ago I had the same problem, until I installed baffles. If you
must use some lubricant, try mineral oil and never use vegetable oil.
Good luck,
Dick

[James Nipper]

thanks Dick !!

James

[Glen Labah]

In article <dennism3-ya0240800...@news.datemas.de>,
denn...@dennism3.invalid (Dennis M) wrote:

> In article <XKmdnanG1fG43mTQ...@posted.localnet>, "James
> Nipper" <james...@jamesnipper.com> wrote:
>
> >thanks Dick !!
>
> He's right, baffles are the way to go, also make the baffle hole about 1/2"
> wider than the pole. There's no way a squirrel can negotiate that because
> its own weight just drops it to the ground. I just have a cheap plastic one
> that snaps together and I've never seen a squirrel getting at my feed since
> I started using it many years ago.

I have something very similar to this metal one:
http://www.duncraft.com/18-Black-Metal-Squirrel-Baffle
only somewhat smaller in diameter. It works very well, and have never
had to use oil of any sort on the pole.

I think I bought mine from the local Audubon Society of Portland
(Oregon), but it could have been the Backyard Bird Shop.

The version shown on the web site seems a bit more expensive than what I
bought mine for, but it was a few years ago. Also, it really is a
permanent solution, has lasted for quite a few years, and is just a
matter of hosing it off when it gets dirty.

Now if I only had as easy as solution to keep the neighbors %^&*%$ cats
out of my yard....

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[Laurence F. Sheldon, Jr.]

On 7/1/2011 9:30 PM, Dennis M wrote:
> In article<gl4317-84E3AA....@news.eternal-september.org>, Glen

> Labah<gl4...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Now if I only had as easy as solution to keep the neighbors %^&*%$ cats
>> out of my yard....
>

> I wonder if those "Bell& Howell solar-powered animal repellers" you see
> advertised on TV do any good, they seem ridiculously overpriced like all
> that other junk they hawk on late night TV.

Lots more fun (and possibly lots cheaper) to learn to like squirrels.

At the late, lamented SLHOTP the only time the squrrels raided the
hanging BOSS feeders is when there was no corn and "bushytail mix" on
the platform.