A No-Mess Cylinder is an ideal food to feed in order to keep food off the ground and away from rodents.
Rodent Remedies
No one likes it if mice or rats show up near a bird feeder, however bird feeders themselves are rarely the primary cause for attracting rodents into an area. Rats are more likely to be attracted by the odors from pet waste, outdoor pet food bowls, inadequate waste and garbage containers, compost bins, BBQ grills, vegetable garden waste or un-harvested fruits and nuts from trees. Once attracted by these other items, rats may take advantage of bird foods they are able to reach.
To discourage rodents, deny them access to shelter. It is important to remove potential hiding and nesting sites from around your home, such as firewood stacks, brush and debris piles, dense shrubbery, ground covers and ivy. Repair and/or seal openings in buildings using durable materials, such as concrete, metal flashing, steel wool or heavy welded wire. Good sanitation practices will effectively control the ability of rodents to survive. Eliminating access to garbage, pet waste, spilled bird seed, open compost bins and unharvested fruits and vegetables is crucial to rodent control. Encouraging neighbors to do that same is also beneficial.
Do NOT use poisons to control rodents. Rodents who consume rodenticides and then get eaten by owls, hawks, or pets can then cause secondary poisoning and death to those animals.
At your bird feeders, here are tips for avoiding problems with rodents:
• Use squirrel baffles to keep rodents from accessing the feeders themselves. (See steps 1 & 2 of our linked article.)
• No ground feeding. Bird food scatted directly on the ground can be attractive to rodents.
• Select the proper foods and feeders:
1. A cylinder (seed log) feeder filled with a No-Mess Seed Cylinder is a top choice as birds have to chip away bites of food and can't scatter it to the ground. A SuperSuet cake is also a good choice. Use the traditional version, not the no-melt version, as the no-melt version may drop crumbs.
2. A tray-style feeder with deep sides, such as any of our trays made of eco-friendly recycled plastic, is also a good option as seed is less likely to get kicked overboard. Fill only about a third of the way full or less, rather than piling seed high, as this also reduces kickout.
3. Consider feeding Sunflower Chips (shell-free sunflower) to reduce the amount of scattered seed that reaches the ground. This will work best in trays or feeders with trays, but can still have some impact in many feeder styles.
4. Hot pepper foods of many types (Fiery Feast Blend, suet cakes, cylinders, and more) are less likely to be eaten by rodents.
5. Add catch trays to tube-style feeders or under hopper feeders to make sure crumbs stay off the ground.
• Don’t overfill feeders. If serving loose foods, offer only as much food as the birds will eat each day. Make sure the birds clean their plate every day.
• Store seed properly. Store seed in a metal, rodent-proof container in an area where rodents cannot reach.
• Keep feeding areas tidy. Sweep, rake or clean up spilled seed and seed husks frequently. If possible, place your feeders over a hard surface so your clean-up will be faster and easier. Using inexpensive patio blocks under the feeders is an easy solution.
• Use the proper feeders and trays. It’s important to select the proper feeder to attract the birds you want. Proper trays and screens placed below feeders will eliminate ground spillage.
As with any bird feeding challenge, stop by Wild Birds Unlimited and let the expert staff help you find ways to solve it.
Classic Hopper with Catch-a-Seed Tray
A catch a tray can be added to many hopper or seed tube stye feeders. The tray shown can be height-adjusted on our Advanced Pole System. The closer to the feeder, the more effective it will be.
Sunflower Chips - a Tidy Solution
Shell-free sunflower chips are a low-mess option for serving in traditional feeders. A single, shell-free food is less likely to get sorted through and kicked out than a blend.