I have a four-branch metal feeder pole (Gardman) protected by a plastic squirrel baffle (also Gardman) fixed about 3 feet off the ground.
The numerous squirrels can climb the pole but have never reached the feeders - they can only pole-dance.
It saves having to buy feeders in cages which are often bulky and can be expensive.
Mark
The squirrels in my garden don`t bother too much about the nuts and seeds in feeders as they can`t seem to get into them.
Our regular visitor comes straight to our back door for me to put a few peanuts down . He / she eats them then wanders off until the next morning.
I think lots of people feed them so they are well fed and don`t bother us much.
I know we are not supposed to feed them as they are classed as vermin but I have to admit they are cute.
If you really want to stop them A Holland and Holland Royal is very effective !!!
Graham
Hello Sarah, Having a garden which has had 22 grey squirrels in one go I think I can answer this question for you lol !!!!
My advice is feeder pole mounted with a Gardman 40cm universal baffle fixed as high as you can get it on the feeder pole as the squirrels can jump on it if it is too low. This works a treat and they cannot get past it to the feeders.
The other way to keep the squirrels out is by using a ground guardian cage but be careful which one you buy as the flat roof types DO NOT keep squirrels out even the 4cm x 6cm narrow mesh. Only buy the pitched roof type guardian and set the gauge to the narrowest setting; this allows anything smaller than a blackbird inside the cage but not the squirrel. It has been the most successful way to keep them out.
I will leave you with photos of the two suggestions, first the feeder pole with baffle dome and then the pitched roof guardian.
To keep the food dry during wet weather, I use a piece of thick rubber pond liner, cut to roof size, to drape over the roof; I added metal rods to each end (by creating a sort of hem with rod fed through which is stapled closed) to weight it down so it doesn't blow off in windy weather.
Our squirrels have not been able to ascend the pole now the baffle is in place and they have not gained access to the cage although they did get into the flat roof type.
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Regards, Hazel
Thanks so much everyone, especially Hazel - I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. 22 squirrels, wow! I regularly have four or five at a time and they work together almost like a tag team; sometimes one climbs on the feeder and will shake it to make the seeds fall out, the others wait below to catch them. They're ingenious and very tenacious creatures, I'd quite enjoy watching them if they weren't so destructive! I'm off to buy a baffle now, wish me luck!