Squirrel proof bird feeder - I found one!

I found a truly squirrel proof bird feeder on amazon.com. Squirrel Buster Plus by Broome company. The weight of the squirrel closes the seed hatches. (A few comments said red squirrels don't weigh enough to close it.) The comments for the most part were glowing, and numerous. I think over 50 comments on the PLUS version. However, it was $70 and I saw others with the same concept for a lot less.

I found one locally made by I think it was Pet Perks (?) that is also for sale on amazon. So I bought it for about $20 on sale. Opened the box and took out a flimsily constructed thing that had a lot of instructions on how to set the spring weights. Just handling it sent up flags that it wouldn't hold up for long. I returned it and sprang for the $70 on amazon.

This thing is so solidly constructed I can see why it has a lifetime guarantee. The spring is heavy duty and inside, so it doesn't have to be (but can be) adjusted and won't be prone to rusting since it will be dry. I'm not going to repeat what you can read on amazon.com in the comments if you are interested in a squirrel proof feeder, but I do agree with all the positive comments. Now that I have it, I don't even think the price is excessive considering the construction. It's a money saver in the price of feed alone - food is getting to the birds, not the squirrels. (I do put feed on the ground for them separately.) I have a whole bunch of birds too - will have to find out what they are - that I didn't know were around here. I believe so many more kinds now because there is no competition with squirrels on the feeder. All sizes of birds are feeding now, sort of taking tuns according to size.

I may get another but... even though I think the price is reasonable now that I have one...it is pricey. On the other hand, if I had kept the cheapo that works on the same principle - if it had worked - I don't think it would have held up so I would have needed to buy another and another.

Anyway, I just wanted to let others know that the the promotional statements and comments on amazon.com about this feeder are indeed accurate in my opinion. If you can spring for the $70, I think you will be satisfied.

I have one of these also, and soooo worth the money in seed savings. It is very sturdy and even holds up to raccoons. It is the only feeder we can leave out at night.
A person can feed squirrels at another location and leave this feed for the birds. It is a great buy.
I too find that the comments on Amazon are really useful. It is a good to ck and see what others have said about a product before buying.

I have one from Heritage Farms. It's Model 7536 - Absolute II® Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder. My parents have had this brand for years and love them, so I finally sprung for one. I use baffles on all my poles, but I like the idea of EUST not being able to eat if I set the weight right on this type. Now to figure out a feeder that keeps HOSP out..........

A place here in town does mail order stuff and is WAY cheaper on its seed and feeders... this feeder is around $50 there... All their feeders are a lot cheaper than anywhere else I've found.
It's a mom and pop business (their history is on the site), so you can feel good about that, too!
here's their Web site:
cooperseeds.com

this will work better
http://www.cooperseeds.com/

Why, thank you!

Hi notgrnjean, I have had the Squirrel Buster Plus for over a year and absolutely love it! The squirrels have not beat it yet and I truly doubt they ever will. I hang mine in a tree.

Thanks for the website. Lots of neat stuff there. Prices aren't bad either. : )
~Lucy

heyitsmejudy, do you happen to have the woodpecker feeder called the clinger? It looks interesting and I'd love to know more about it. Last one at the link.
http://www.cooperseeds.com/birdfeeder.php3?cat=woodpecker

No, Terry, that's not the one I have... the one I got there looks kind of like a paddle. But that one looks like it'd be a nice one.
This company is right down the street from where I work. Their bird seed blend is the best I've found and very inexpensive considering the quality it is.

Just down the street, ey? Would you mind going and looking at it, up close and personal for me? Tell me what you like and what you don't like about it. Ask them how big a seller it is and what they feel are the pros and cons too? Would you be so kind and do that for me? I'd sure appreciate it!! ;D

I'd be glad to, Terry ... I'll try and go today at lunch and post this afternoon.
Edited to say:

Here's my assessment... I'd pass.
There is nothing for the birds to cling to other than three "V" shaped grooves carved into the paddle part. I don't know that they're deep enough for the birds to cling to.
It also looks like it wouldn't hold much food (maybe three cups at most) and there is just one hole with chicken wire grid shaped holes for them to get the food out of. Most feeders with that kind of material are the tube ones so the birds can peck away until they get SOME food out. This opening is about an inch square so if the food can't be broken up and taken out of the few holes in that square, the birds I think would give up awfully fast.
It would need to be weatherproofed because it's just rough wood.
Honestly, love this company as I do, I think your money would be better spent somewhere else.
They told me they just started carrying them so they haven't sold many.

This message was edited Sep 18, 2007 2:32 PM

Well thank you!! I wondered about the opening for the woodpeckers. Darn it. I heard somebody somewhere talking a feeder for woodpeckers that had a paddle type thing on it. And drats, I put my peanut feeder out and wouldn't you know it. I had a EUST today. I was so hoping that that feeder would work because a EUST can't cling like a woodpecker can.

Again, thank you so much for taking the time out of your day for me, I appreciate it very much!

I like that 'Clinger'!
But........how do ya keep the squirrels out of it?
I've got WPs...but even more dreaded squirrels! Ack!
Not that I dislike them...I jes don't have any interest in feeding them...they get enough to eat here in my yard what with all the seeds and nuts.

Lellie, if heyitsmejudy didn't already go look at it and tell me it wasn't worth the money....lol....I'd probably put it on a pole with a squirrel baffle. I'd really like to find one that the WP's can cling onto, but not the HOSP. Did you see Konrad and Kenn's pictures over at GW? Beautiful!

Pictures???
No...where............ :o

In Birdwatching at GW.........

I posted something on the bird watching board about my woodpecker tail prop feeder that the woodpeckers absolutely love. Here's a pic
It's a suet feeder, though, Terry... are you looking for one that you can put seed in?
Lellie... I don't know that squirrels could get anything out of that Clinger thing either... but I know they'd tear the snot out of the thing tryin'.

This message was edited Sep 19, 2007 10:43 AM

Judy, I have EXACTLY that suet feeder! HA great minds think alike...lol. Yup, I'm looking for an actual feeder to hold peanuts and suet nuggets that only a woodpecker would be able to get at. To cling onto that EUST cannot cling on. The EUST do fine and dandy on the peanut feeder I have and that's frustrating to me.

I gotta ask... and will feel STUPID here in a second, what's a EUST? I know HOSPS and WASPS but EUST has me scratchin my noggin.
I hate to lead you away from that feeder, Terry, but would feel bad if you got it and it didn't work. I just know as available as food is in my backyard, if a bird comes to a new feeder and has difficulty getting grub out of it, they'll go somewhere else and not return to the 'trouble' feeder.
I suppose you COULD nail a perch to that Clinger thing IF the grooves do indeed proove too shallow for them to cling to. I just think, especially downies and redbellieds and red headeds don't have the claws it'd take to cling to such shallow grooves and that paddle part of that feeder is smooth except for those three grooves that are supposed to serve as perches.

Oh, I'm sorry Judy, a EUST is a European Starling. Another non-native aggressive bird here in North America.

Don't feel bad at all! I don't want a feeder that's going to make them not want to eat out of it. If it's too difficult, then really, what's the point of the feeder? I've had so many new native birds in my yard since I've been trapping and dispatching the HOSP, it's amazing. It's just a matter of time before the Woodpeckers find me too. I know that Red Bellied one is out there, I just don't ever happen to see him. Darn. You never know, there's probably a better feeder out there that I just haven't found yet. My search continues...lol.

It's so fun, I think, to hear what birders from around the country are trying to attract to their yards. While you're in search of red bellieds, I have a family of 'em that live in the woods near my house. You can hear them coming to the feeders from the woods, the momma and daddy screeching a couple octaves lower than the babies... I looked out the window yesterday to find a female on the suet cake and, just a foot away, a male on the woodpecker seed cake. So cute!
Now, me... I'm jealous of the people who have the pileated woodpeckers at their feeders all the time!

I've only seen Pileated down in AR. I've never seen one here. Just tell the Red Bellied to come up to IL, fatten 'em up good first and send them on their way...lol....

I have pileated and others in my trees on occassion.
I don't dare put out suet or feeders because I really have no space open enough & far away from trees to keep out the squirrels.
Drat!

A blurry shot...sorry...

I have so many trees, Lellie, I had to get what's called a Mandarin squirrel baffler to hang over each and every one of my feeders. I have all my feeders hanging from trees.
I had a pileated in my backyard for a couple days last year... about this time of year... it's a sight I'll never forget. I couldn't get over how HUGE the thing was!

My gosh!! You guys are such braggers. Umph.

Better to be a braggart than a laggard I always say! LMBO

We have the pilated here too. Seen them at work and it put on a loud show for us.

What was it that Elaine on Sienfeld always said?? Oh I know....Shut UP....LOL!!

I read in a magazine once that the pileated woodpecker is quiet except for springtime. LOL, I quit reading the article because the writer sure hadn't spent any time around those woodpeckers. They always seem to anounce themselves, all year round!
(sorry terryr)

You guys are KILLING me here!! This is so not nice and you all should just be ashamed or yourselves for taunting me!!! ROFL!!!

Us ashamed? NAH!!!!!