Are Suet Feeders squirrel proof

People often mistake a bird feeder intended to hold different kinds of suet in the garden to be squirrel proof, but it couldn't be further from the truth.

Common misconception believing a suet feeder is squirrel proof, but in fact its how they are made that would make you believe so. Suet feeders are built in metal wiring, similarly to how a squirrel proof bird feeder is constructed. However, a squirrel proof suet feeder is usually made available to be hung.

Forget about suet cake, fat ball ring or suet block feeders, as this type of hanging bird feeder are hard to squirrel proof - or at least hard to come by in shops.

What you need to do is focus on squirrel proofing a traditional fat ball feeder only, which happens to be one of the best kinds of suet feeders you can hang up anyway.

While believing a suet feeder of any kind is squirrel proof, is due to the metal wiring that opens up to wide gaps - but its these same wide gaps that are actually used on squirrel proof feeders.

So don't be to hard on yourself, its a common mistake made by anyone.

Instead, you'd need to buy a squirrel proof suet feeder which can be quite ugly, but still effective for keeping suet fat balls for wild birds out of reach of squirrels.

Squirrel proof bird feeders are not always needed mind you, as you can avoid the issue by hanging up the suet off a bird feeder bracket, up high on a wall.

But if you intend to use a bird feeding station to hang suet fat balls or a suet block feeder, then install a squirrel baffle to the pole system of the feeding station.

Not by default

Why you might believe that is because indeed, a suet feeder can appear to be squirrel proof due to the way its built.

Its the large open gaps in the metal wiring you see, its built almost identical to the way any type of squirrel proof bird feeder is made.

Unless you buy a squirrel proof suet feeder intentionally, then its not squirrel proof.

In fact, you'd be hard pressed to see a suet bird feeder safe from squirrels by default, as those large open gaps are accessible to anyone.

So no, suet feeders are not squirrel proof, even though they appear to be.

Squirrel proof option required

Instead, you need to go out of your way to hang up a squirrel proof bird feeder in your garden, if the reason to is to deter squirrels.

Where you hang a squirrel proof suet feeder is important, but as a rule a thumb; squirrels should never be able to reach them - even though is a proof-type feeder.

Options made available to you when securing a caged suet feeder behind what is essentially a near identical cage - is buying a purpose-made bird feeder to keep the feed out of reach.

To begin, you can use a squirrel proof ground feeder cage that is simply used to cover the bowl or tray containing feed on the lawn or patio.

Other options for what is sold as a suet feeder for small birds only, is a traditional hanging bird feeder, protected in the cage surround.

Remember, not only will you be deterring squirrels, but a proof feeder can deter crows, pigeons or other large wild bird species.

Suet Fat Ball holders only

In the mind of a suet squirrel proof bird feeder intended to be put up on a bracket, the likely contender for this is a classic suet fat ball feeder.

Its a long or short length rounded cage that can hold 6 to 12 standard size fat balls.

Only in this style of squirrel proof fat ball feeders can it truly be made for the purpose of surrounding the fat balls in a cage - not attractive by all means, but it can be very effective.

However, that is by no means a guaranteed deterrent, as suet fat ball feeders can still be accessed by smaller squirrels - or if the feeder in question is poorly designed.

To hang a suet fat ball feeder off a bird feeding station with use of a squirrel baffle, can certainly stop them ever having a go.

Larger birds excluded

In an effort to deter squirrels from accessing suet fat balls, and remember they really do love nibbling at the seeds or nuts in suet, it can have an unintended consequence.

If you don't intend to stop any size common garden bird feeding at your suet surrounded in a squirrel proof cage - it will actually stop larger birds.

You might be fine with pigeons or crows not being able to reach the suet, set in the centre of the cage, but it could also stop the much loved dunnocks or blackbirds - that's assuming you don't want to prevent them from feeding.

If any suet feeder is made to be squirrel proof, then know its large bird proof too.

Solution to that is using a regular suet feeder, but make an effort to stop squirrels ever coming close to the feed by other means available to you.

To summarise

Common mistake, and a reasonable one I might add, it believing a suet feeder is indeed squirrel proof, but in fact its not.

Appearances are everything, so while a suet feeder built in its wide open gap metal wiring can appear to be squirrel proof, its only a regular feeder.

Oddly, you need to buy a suet feeder with this metal wiring that sits inside another cage surround that is constructed, near identically.

Hard as it is to buy a squirrel proof suet block or cake feeder, but to squirrel proof a regular fat ball feeder are widely available to buy.

Remember, in deterring squirrels to feed at your suet feeder, so to would you be stopping larger garden birds in the process.

So, while suet feeders are squirrel proof in appearance only, they can be accessed by any bird or squirrel by default.

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