Can You Squirrel Proof? Test Your Wild Squirrels IQ

So how hard is it going to be for you to squirrel proof your bird feeders? This little activity might give you a general idea on what you’re up against. We know squirrels have a brain the size of a walnut but this hardly seems true for some of the more resourceful specimens. If you’re curious about your wild squirrels IQ, here’s a fun way to test squirrel intelligence and will power. This should give you an idea when looking for squirrel proof bird feeders, how effective or tough it will need to be.

Fill an empty 20-ounce plastic soda bottle with peanuts in shells. Hang the bottle upside down with the cap removed. It’s probably easiest to secure it with wire to a post or fence railing.

Have a coffee, sit down and watch. Get the kids involved in this activity. It’s an amusing and educational experience children will enjoy.

Observe how your wild squirrels try getting peanuts. The determined rodents will carefully position the peanuts so that they can be slipped out the cap opening. The especially determined squirrels will tire of being tested and just resort to chewing through the bottle to get at the peanuts. If your squirrel does this, you have an especially problematic fella and you might need to use every trick in the book (or this website) to win. Hopefully it’s not going to be too big a challenge to have squirrel proof bird feeders in your yard. Good Luck.

(This little tidbit is thanks to the Backyard Bird Feeder’s Bible by Sally Roth.)