Wildlife expert top methods to stop squirrels visiting your garden

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Squirrels might be cute and fluffy to look at, but they can be a nuisance when it comes to the ecosystem in your garden. Over the next couple of months, birds will start to breed, and squirrels are notorious for stealing bird food. Express.co.uk spoke to Eric Michels, Head of Vivara Pro and CJ Wildlife Pro about the most humane and effective methods to deter squirrels and restore harmony in the garden. 

Eric shared the most obvious signs squirrels are at home in your garden. 

He said: “Squirrels are confident creatures, so if you have squirrels visiting your garden you will most likely spot them running along fences, hopping from branch to branch, or trying to find food!

“Other key signs to look out for include holes in flower beds and lawns where they dig in search of food, bulbs themselves going missing from borders, and the feed in bird feeders diminishing more quickly than usual. 

“They can also cause quite a bit of damage to features in your garden, so you may even find gnaw marks on feeders and bird tables as they attempt to reach a food source.” 

Food and shelter 

As for what entices squirrels into a garden, the expert revealed: “Food is usually the biggest factor, so having any food source in your garden is likely to encourage squirrels to visit, whether it’s a fruit from a shrub, a bird feeder, or nuts and seeds. 

“Shelter is also a key factor, so gardens with mature trees where squirrels can nest and jump from branch to branch tend to attract more squirrels than those without.” 

Eric continued: “One of the best ways to deter them from pilfering your bulbs and bird seed, is to provide a plentiful supply of alternative food so that they aren’t tempted to go digging in your beds and border, or to destroy your feeders. 

“If they have their own food in an easily accessible squirrel feeder, they are much less likely to steal from elsewhere in your garden!” 

Scents and smells 

Like foxes and cats, there are some scents and smells squirrels are not fond of and these can be used in small doses as deterrents. 

Eric shared: “There are several smells that squirrels don’t like, including cayenne pepper, pepper, peppermint, and garlic.

“While these smells are unappealing to squirrels, birds can’t actually taste them, so sprinkling a little cayenne pepper in bird feeders, for example, will act as an additional deterrent.” 

Eric also shared a few clever devices you can install in your garden to deter squirrels. 

Squirrel-proof bird feeders 

“Luckily there are lots of cleverly designed options out there!” He remarked. 

“Many bird feeders now come with an exterior cage surrounding the feeder itself, allowing small birds to perch safely inside the cage to feed without being driven away by larger birds, while restricting access to squirrels at the same time. 

“CJ Wildlife offers a range of models and sizes, including the popular Guardian with 4 port Seed Feeder, which provides protection for both birds and their food.

“If you’d prefer a sleeker bird feeder, weighted perches offer an innovative way of protecting access points to food.” 

Several smart feeders have “built-in technology allowing birds below 70g to perch and feed, but if any creature above 70g sits on the perch, it is weighed down and triggers the opening to be”. 

“Adding special squirrel feeding stations to your garden will also discourage squirrels from stealing from bird feeders,” he said. 

“But don’t forget, during bird breeding season whole peanuts should not be fed loose, as this can choke baby birds, so make sure you use a squirrel feeder.” 

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