Hatrack River Forum: Ah! The Uses of Human Ingenuity

This is topic Ah! The Uses of Human Ingenuity in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

quote:
True squirrel-proofing "is the holy grail of bird feeders," said Paul Coté, inventor of the Squirrel Buster Plus (www.bromebirdcare.com), which Klein has tested and rates as one of the best. It is a tubular feeder with a circular perch at its base. When a squirrel alights, its weight causes the perch to sink, closing access to the feeding portals. For a day or two, Coté says, the squirrels sit there frustrated and annoyed but then leave, deciding the contraption is for the birds.

The most amusing new-generation feeder, launched in 2000, is made by a Foster, R.I., company named Droll Yankees. Its perch is motorized and starts to spin when a squirrel uses it. The rodent goes flying. "Very humane and somewhat entertaining," said Jennifer Masiello, the company's sales manager. The battery requires recharging every two to three months. For the past two years, the company's line of squirrel-tipping feeders has been extended to models with weight-activated, collapsible perches or trays, namely the Tipper, Whipper and Dipper. (www.drollyankees.com)

The only way the spinning one could be funnier is if a cat was watching it - it's little head going around and then veering off to the right to follow the squirrel's flight.

OK, so I'm easily amused.

Dagonee

Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :

Mom had a feeder like the first one – the weight of a squirrel on the platform caused the access door to close. At least one squirrel figured out that if he lay on his tummy over the roof of the feeder he could reach down and grab the food.

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

Funny, Dagonee. [Smile]

My mom is trying to get rid of squirrels in her attic. She doesn't want to use poison because she's afraid her dogs will eat the dead squirrels, and having to dispose of a maimed squirrel in a trap squicks her out. So,she's kind of not sure what she will do. Meanwhile, the squirrels are basically eating her house. :/

Squirrels are tricksy devils.

By the way, has anyone ever heard the sound an agitated squirrel makes? I got a chance to hear it the other day. It's kind of neat. Not a chittering sound at all. More of a bird squawking kind of sound. Not at all what you would expect squirrels to sound like.

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

One of my co-workers has the squirell-flinging feeder. Apparently it is a favorite summer and fall entertainment to sit on their back porch and watch the squirles getting chucked off.
AJ

Posted by Stray (Member # 4056) on :

I think we have squirrels in between the old plaster ceiling and the newer suspended ceiling in our house. The landlord says it's probably just mice, but they sound awfully big when they're scurrying around, and at least once I've heard that chuckchuckchuckchuckchuck chattering sound that squirrels make. But we set some mousetraps up there, so I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :

Since this is turning into the catch-all squirrel thread...We have a squirrel that's found a space under the fence big enough to fit through so that he can make his way up into the solitary tree in our back yard and eat the berries on it. We also have two decently sized dogs. I think the squirrel must be suicidal, because he keeps coming back into the yard and then just barely making it out with his life.

He's either suicidal, or some sort of daredevil squirrel.

Posted by Zan (Member # 4888) on :

I used to use Super Soakers on the squirrels that would get into our bird feeders.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

You know, the easiest way to dissuade squirrels from feeding on your bird seed is to grind up a couple of really hot chilis and add them to the seed. Birds aren't sensitive to it, and squirrels are. Pretty soon your feeder will develop a reputation, and squirrels will leave it alone.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

The article mentions that squirrels are adapting to the chiles, although to the ones in suet, not seed.

I bet at least some squirrels play on the spinning ones, going for "rides" just for fun.

Dagonee

Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :

Sqiurrel Olympics?

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Really? Huh. That's...disturbing.

Posted by whiskysunrise (Member # 6819) on :

I would love to see a the spinning one. I think that it would be very entertaining.

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

I am investing in a spinning squirrel flinging feeder as soon as I'm a homeowner. [Big Grin]

Foamy is my hero.

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

I know someone who took the magnetron tube out of their microwave, put it in a parabolic dish, and then used it like a gun for squirrels.

Hobbes [Smile]

Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

*Wonders if they have anything for geese. It would be OK if it did a little damage in the process.*

Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :

I like squirrels. I put food out for all the critters. Squirrels are welcome too. I feed birds, squirrels, chipmunks, neighborhood cats, racoons, and possums. I like them all. I can't understand why people want to harsh on the poor squirrels who just are trying to make a living and get by in this world like anyone else. [Frown]

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

quote:
I know someone who took the magnetron tube out of their microwave, put it in a parabolic dish, and then used it like a gun for squirrels.

"Hey, Silly Squirrel, is it getting hot in here?"

[ December 02, 2004, 05:15 PM: Message edited by: Dagonee ]

Posted by newfoundlogic (Member # 3907) on :

Speaking of spinning cats...