Prevent Squirrels From Being Food-Stealing Pests With A DIY Picnic Table Feeder

Squirrels are classified as pests due to their potential to cause damage around your home. As absurd as this may sound to anyone who loves watching adorable squirrels running around their yard, birds and bird-watching enthusiasts have an easier time understanding that the rodents can be annoying. Stealing food from bird feeders is a common activity for squirrels. If you are experiencing this, it is helpful to learn about the best ways to keep squirrels out of your bird feeder. One method to try to prevent thieving squirrels is to give them a feeder of their own that is more accessible. Plus, there are designs for squirrel feeders that enhance how cute your yard's silly little squirrels are. One idea is to create a miniature picnic table. When the squirrels stop by for a meal, they can perch on the tiny seats and, as they eat, provide you with endless entertainment while giving your birds less competition for food. 

If you want to create a little picnic table feeder for your squirrels, you can easily DIY it with only a few materials. All you need is wood, wood glue, a saw, a nail gun, brad nails, a power drill, and screws. You can use any type of wood for this project, but wood that is resistant to decay would be a viable choice. Native wood options include redwood, cedar, juniper, chestnut, and black walnut. The small scale of the feeder also helps you use up any scrap wood you have around.

Once you have your materials, decide what size you want the feeder's table to be. Consider making the tabletop piece 6 inches long and 4.5 inches wide. One way to customize the table to your preferences is to add a small frame around the tabletop to turn it into a trough that can hold food better than a flat table surface. To do this, make your tabletop larger so it can accommodate the trough frame. Then, cut the piece that will mount the feeder to your fence. For a 6-inch-long table, an 8-inch-long back piece should work. The width of this piece is less important, but you can aim for around 2.5 inches. The benches should be the same length as the table, their width can vary, but about 1-inch should look proportional. The four legs of the table can be 1-inch wide and should be cut at an angle to give the classic picnic table look. Finally, cut the stretchers. These can be about .5 inches wide and span across the legs to support the bench. 

Once you have your pieces, assemble them using wood glue and small brad nails. Lay down two legs to form an upside-down V shape, then glue and nail the stretcher across them. Repeat this for the other two legs. Next, glue and nail the benches so they sit evenly on the ends of the stretcher pieces. Secure the tabletop to the legs and finally, connect the mounting piece to the back of the tabletop. A screw through the mounting piece will attach it to the fence.

Now that you have an adorable squirrel feeder, you need to know what to fill it with. Foods like apples, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts, and watermelon are some of the best options. You should vary the foods you put in the feeder and avoid using dried fruits and vegetables to keep the squirrels healthy. If you decide against the trough and are having trouble with food falling off the table, you can insert a screw up through the bottom of the table and stick a corn cob on it. If you try this, do not use an entire ear of corn. Instead, break it into smaller pieces so the squirrels do not overeat the corn, which can be dangerous for them.

Just because you want to watch cute squirrels on your fence, does not mean you want them in your home or garden. When you place your feeder, you want it to be easily accessible to squirrels, so mounting it on something climbable like a fence or tree is a clever idea. Be careful, however, to place it away from your house, especially any windows, as squirrels can chew through the screens and enter. If they are terrorizing your garden in the spring, learn the crucial gardening step that keeps squirrels away from bulbs. In cold weather, make sure you know the best ways to keep squirrels out of your home all winter long to avoid the damage squirrels can cause.