Topic: chilli powder coating for peanuts to deter squirrels?

[Hyacinth]

Ages ago, our friend Colin (now dec'd :'() posted here something about coating peanuts etc. with chilli powder to deter squirrels from bird nuts (apparently the birds are unaffected).  Colin kept a pet shop for years & used to sell prepared nuts. Now....am I remembering correctly, please?

I've just watched a squirrel jump up onto the seed tray on my station and from there get to the nut feeders.  >:(  Years past, I stopped feeding birds in the garden because the squirrels always wrecked the feeders.....and now, having bought 2 stations, I'm not going to be beaten on this one. :o My local Asian shop sells large bags of chilli powder & I can buy today and treat the bird food, but obviously I'd like some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing for the birds before doing so.

Thanks.

[Carol]

Oh NOooooo  I wouldn't put chilli powder on peanuts.  I am sure the birds will suffer some sort of bother if they did eat them.  I googled the RSPB and nothing there about coating peanuts with chilli powder but its just a gut instinct that its wrong.    :o :o

[Barnowl]

Try here..

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-202877

The RSPB actually suggest it.  I think because birds have very high acid digestive systems (think what their droppings do to your car's paintwork) chilli is water off a duck's back to them.

I'll get me coat ........

[Hyacinth]

"gut instinct"...ROFL

While waiting for replies (& ducking heavy showers here in Brum today) I went out and bought 100g of Rajah Chili powder...

Off to toss me peanuts with it, then 8)

Thanks Barnowl.....hope yer coat was waterproofed ;D

[Carol]

OH Wrong again.......  I just feel sorry for the bonny little blue tits with a hot hot taste in their mouths.  Go ahead then, let them eat chilli.   Maybe its cos I don't put it into my mouth - chilli I mean !!!
You had better have a bowl of water out for them tho. Hycanth   ;D ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Apparently birds can't taste chili, but squirrels don't like it!

[Hyacinth]

hm....good news/bad news...

I treated the peanut feeders on both stations with powder. The second station had a pedestal bird bath by it... :-\ and yesterday I found the peanut feeder on the ground, the bottom of it torn off & the peanuts scattered. So that's the Bad News.

But the peanuts haven't been touched at all by all the squirrels there are around.. and that's the Good News. :D

Today, then....repair/replace the quite expensive feeder, put the peanuts back in it :-\....and move the bird bath.

Or leave the peanuts for the pigeons...might decoy them away from my PSB!