ddavis:

I have a hummer feeder called the "grandmaster" or something or other. It has 6 flower-looking feeding stations. The feeding stations go on by snapping them in place and turning them 180 degrees. I had them close to the ground for the last 2 years. Last week, I looked out in the morning and found 5 of the 6 feeding stations neatly removed. The culprit unscrewed each feeding station and then popped it out of the socket--without doing any damage.

I figured it was a raccoon. The next day, I placed it on a taller shephard's hook and the culprit could not reach it. So far, so good.

It was definitely a raccoon. I caught him sipping from the feeder just after dark. So, it's out to the store today to get a taller shephard's hook.

Yes racoon do have a sweet tooth and will drain feeders at night if they can get to them.

Penny

A couple of times, I have noticed a lizard drinking from one of my feeders, hanging from a tree branch. I also found the feeder on the ground two mornings. So, for several nights I removed the feeder at night, and put it back in the morning. I have not had any problems lately.

Nanaboo

In years past we had a squirrel with a sweet tooth. We placed some of our feeders by a patio door and he would jump up on the deck seating then jump up on the feeder, hang upside down, tilt feeder and drink until his hearts content. Sometimes I would come downstairs in the daytime, and he had chewed the flowers off my feeders, or pulled down the whole feeder. I posted it a couple of years back and no one believed me. Someone said it had to be a raccoon but I saw the stinker with my own eyes. He was none too shy about his goings on. He must have died over the past winter because he hasn't been back this summer. He did that for about 3 years. All I can say is may he R.I.P.

Sometimes fruit bats will come to hummer feeders too.

Basin feeders will deter these nocturnal thieves. Only the most persistent raccoons will manage to get inside...but if a raccoon's persistent enough, I wouldn't doubt they could pick the lock on your front door; they're that smart!

Squirrels cannot get inside quality basin feeders.