What can you put in bird seed to keep squirrels away?

Use seed laced with hot peppers.
You can purchase capsaicin-coated bird feed products, suets, and sauces on the market (such as Cole's Hot Meats, available on Amazon) or just mix some cayenne pepper into seed you already have. One whiff or taste is enough to drive out any squirrels in bird feeders.
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How much cayenne pepper do you put in bird seed to keep squirrels away?

Most online recipes for pepper in bird seed suggest about 3 tablespoons of cayenne pepper per pound of seed. You can use more, if you like.
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Whats a natural smells that keeps squirrels away from bird feeder?

Squirrels hate the smell of certain spices, such as garlic, onions, peppermint, cinnamon, lemongrass, and clove. You can use these to make sprays by mixing the ground spice with water, allowing it to cool, and putting the blend into a spray bottle. You can also use essential oils with these scents.
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What bird food do squirrels not like?

Using the right foods. Buy foods that squirrels do not like. Nyjer seed, millet, safflower, canary seed and canola seed all are ingredients that squirrels avoid.
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Can you put cayenne pepper in birdseed to keep squirrels away?

Guess what can? Sprinkle some cayenne pepper or a similar spice onto your birdseed before you put it out. Birds will eat the seed just fine, but squirrels will smell the heat and stay well clear. You'll have to re-apply the spice frequently, however, or it'll wash off or blow away.
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5 Ways To Keep Squirrels Off Bird Feeders



How do you make cayenne pepper stick to bird seed?

Scoop out three tablespoons of cayenne powder and put it in your birdseed mix. Mix them all together, making sure that the cayenne pepper is distributed evenly through each birdseed.
...
How To Make Spicy Bird Seeds With Cayenne Pepper
  1. bird seed.
  2. black-oil sunflower seed.
  3. cracked corn.
  4. cayenne pepper.
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Will red pepper flakes keep squirrels away?

A squirrel's strong sense of taste and smell are irritated by the capsaicin in hot pepper. Placing hot pepper flakes or spray in an area where squirrels frequent will keep them away.
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What do squirrels hate?

Squirrels have a strong sense of smell, which they use food sources and shelter. You can repel squirrels using scents they hate such as, capsaicin, white vinegar, peppermint oil, coffee grounds, cinnamon, predator urine, garlic, dryer sheets, Irish Spring Soap, and rosemary.
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Does aluminum foil keep squirrels away from bird feeders?

Squirrels are notorious for robbing bird feeders at will. With their nimble footwork and ability to spring and fly great distances, they can often foil even the best efforts to keep them away.
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Does Irish Spring soap keep squirrels away?

Squirrels can be one of the trickiest garden pests to deal with. They chomp on flower bulbs and other leaves, dig up your favorite plants, and otherwise love to wreck your garden. Protect it by grating some Irish Spring soap around your plants. Squirrels can't stand the smell of it and will stay away.
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What smell do squirrels hate the most?

Strong smells are a great way to repel squirrels – certain odors make squirrels wrinkle their noses. They're said to dislike the scent of coffee grounds and peppermint, or you could make up your own recipe with vinegar, garlic and onions or peppermint oil to spray in the garden.
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What is the most effective squirrel repellent?

Top 5 Best Squirrel Repellents
  • Hoont Solar Powered Motion Activated, Ultrasonic Pest Repeller (our #1 pick for your yard)
  • Hoont Motion Activated Jet Blaster (Great solution depending on your yard setup)
  • MaxMoxie Repeller.
  • All Natural Rodent Defense Spray (a non-chemical repellent spray)
  • I Must Garden Squirrel Repellent.
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Is vinegar a good squirrel repellent?

Squirrels have an extremely strong sense of smell which is what allows them to thrive during the fall and winter. Due to it's pungent aroma, squirrels are sensitive to vinegar and stay away. You can spray a diluted solution of white vinegar near areas where squirrels frequent to repel them.
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Can I add hot pepper to bird seed?

Hot stuff: The active ingredient in hot peppers, capsaicin, can be found as an additive in some birdseed. Birds don't react to capsaicin the way mammals do so it does them no harm.
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How do you make bird seed hot pepper spray?

  1. Pour a small bottle of hot pepper sauce into a gallon jug of plain water. Add 1 tsp. ...
  2. Place the lid back on the water jug and shake it to incorporate all the ingredients. ...
  3. Spray the solution onto all surfaces of your bird feeder, including the pole that holds it, the top and outer casing and the perch.
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How do you make homemade squirrel repellent?

Instructions
  1. Pour 4 cups water into the spray bottle.
  2. Add ½ bottle (1 oz) hot sauce into the water.
  3. Add 3 drops dish soap.
  4. Close spray bottle and gently shake.
  5. Spray liberally on any garden vegetables or flowers. ...
  6. This won't harm the squirrels and chipmunks, it will just deter them from eating your stuff.
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Will Vaseline keep squirrels off bird feeder?

The Center for Wildlife says there are many ways to deter squirrels from climbing feeders, however, Vaseline and other lubricants can harm the animals. “Please do not coat your bird feeders in Vaseline, oil, butter, or anything like that.
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How does a slinky stop squirrels?

Gravity should pull the spring down, and that's all you need to do. When squirrels try to venture up your Slinky-adorned feeder pole, they will weigh down the spring and end up back on the ground!
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Will red pepper keep squirrels out of bird feeders?

You can use red pepper flakes to deter squirrels from eating your bird seed because birds can't taste hot peppers, but squirrels do. Therefore it is harmless to birds while affecting squirrels enough to stop eating and remember not to eat from that feeder in the future.
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How do I get rid of squirrels permanently?

16 Ways to Get Rid of Squirrels
  1. Sprinkle Cayenne Pepper. ...
  2. Don't Feed Them. ...
  3. Set Up a Buffet. ...
  4. Mulch It. ...
  5. Use Netting or Fencing. ...
  6. Netting in Action. ...
  7. Be Dedicated. ...
  8. Spray Them.
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Does cinnamon keep squirrels away?

Cinnamon can be used to help repel squirrels from key target areas around your property. Since squirrels have a strong sense of smell, you can use that to your advantage by sprinkling strong cinnamon powder in frequently visited areas to irritate their nose and repel them.
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What smells discourage squirrels?

Spicy Smells

Tangy and sweet smells can help deter squirrels, as they aren't fond of these. Scents of white pepper and garlic powder are also used to repel squirrels. Rodents are also repulsed by the scent of pepper.
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Does chili powder stop squirrels?

Chili powder is one of the most surefire ways to deter squirrels from your garden. Squirrels tend to bury their noses into the ground when digging around in a garden. If they get a snout full of hot chili pepper they will run the other way and think twice before coming back around.
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How do I stop squirrels from climbing my bird feeder pole?

Use a slinky

One of the things you can do to stop squirrels from climbing your bird feeder pole is using a slinky. This is a very common solution, as it's cheap and easy. You can buy a slinky in any store near you. Then, insert that in the bird feeder pole, attach it at the very top, and then just let it fall.
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How do you make cayenne pepper spray for squirrels?

Directions
  1. Mix 1 quart of water with 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika, and 2 chopped jalapeño peppers. ...
  2. Let the mixture simmer for approximately 30 minutes, remove from the heat, and let cool.
  3. Once cool, strain it into a spray bottle and spray the hot pepper spray on and around your garden.
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