I have fox squirrels and they like to dig. I cage most of my plants till they can get to a certain size, then the squirrels won't bother them. I keep baffles on the 2 feeders I have, so I don't have a problem with them raiding my feeders. I also have a squirrel feeder, just for them. It's full of peanuts, but they know they only get them once a day.

Here's my buddy Bucky.....

He's the only one who knows the sound of my voice and comes when I make a "squirrel" noise. Sometimes he takes a peanut from me, other times he goes to the feeder.

Terry:

I quite enjoyed your post and your picture. Bucky is a cute little guy. You have some good suggestions. Last year to try and keep the little darlings more satisfied I bought a squirrel feeder. This went over huge! However it also seemed to make them more aggressive to the point that they seemed to feel that where there were some good snacks there must be more!

I'm trying to be patient. Challenging at times.

Kate

I was told by a local feed store, to just put out the food once a day. If you put it out more often, and you forget, then they can be more aggressive. I have found that they know when the food comes, so they seem to be satisfied waiting for it.

He is cute, isn't he? My husband and I got home from running a few errands yesterday, and there sat Bucky on the deck at the top of the steps, like he was guarding the place. I started talking to him and he just kept looking at me. I know what he was saying, you forgot to put the food out this morning and I'm hungry!! LOL!

Thanks Terry.

My husband also had a good laugh at your picture.

Your advice of only feeding once a day makes sense. My feeder is one that it is like a little house with plexi glass in the front and a lid on the top of it that can be opened. So when they are trotting along the fence line they notice when it is has peanuts in it and just open the top to get to the goodies.

I'm trying to think how I could convey when chow time is without just leaving the food in there and having the issue of them running amok again in my yard. Do you use a feeder or just leave snacks out for them? I want to feed them but it seems that be leaving it in the feeder all the time it encourages them to be totally out of control.

Kate

My feeder is just like yours! Only my husband and I made it from a kit and the darn thing warped, so the plexi glass fell out! Ah well...lol. I usually put their food in it in the morning. If they eat it all up before noon, oh well! They have to find something else to eat. They're not tearing anything up, I think they've come to know when it's chow time and they wait. You know the large plastic to go cups you get from someplace like McDonald's? I use that to get the food and I only give them the 1 cup per day, which fills the feeder. I was using a squirrel mix, it had stripped and black oil sunflowers, corn and pieces of peanuts, then I'd mix in a bag of peanuts. But the HOSP seem to like the corn, so yesterday I just went to the feed store and picked up a 50# bag of peanuts. We have blue jays also and they love the peanuts in the shell too.

I'm glad your husband liked the shot of Bucky! He's sure a treat to have in the yard...lol.

Terry

OMG Bucky had a little too much to eat! LOL that is one content, unafraid squirrel!

Au contraire! My husband and I were sitting at Bucky's table today, waiting for some primer to dry. Bucky came up on the deck looking at me. I told him I was really sorry, I'd forgotten to bring out peanuts this morning. So my husband gets up and goes and gets a cup full. Bucky sees I have a peanut in my hand, but my husband is on the deck and he will not come and get the peanut for nothing! No amount of me talking to him will get him to come to me. My husband sighs and gets up, steps in the house, but looks thru the storm door as Bucky comes up to me and takes a peanut out of my hand! LOL! My husband says he know has a complex....lol...