Protecting Your Bird Feeder From Rodents: Stockton Pest Control Experts Share 5 Tips to help you keep rodents at bay while welcoming our little friends. Bird feeders are designed to invite cute, charming, chirping birds to your garden. But do bird feeders attract rodents as well?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes.

These popular outdoor features can entice other animals that you don’t want to have on your lawn: rodents. Stockton pest control experts say that if you are not careful with your bird feeder’s placement and with maintaining it, you may find your outdoor space overrun by different types of rodents soon.
To prevent mice, rats, squirrels, and other types of rodents from sharing the food you leave out for the birds on your feeder, follow these tips below:

Choose your bird feeder’s location wisely

Place the bird feeder in an area where access will be difficult for small mammals. Put it at least 4 feet off the ground and 8 feet away from fences, tables, branches, and other objects the rodent could jump from to get to the feeder.

Use the right rodent deterrents

Use metal poles to discourage rodents from accessing the feeder with their claws. If you don’t want to use metal poles, attach baffles to prevent rodents from climbing all the way to the feeder.

You can also sprinkle cayenne pepper into the mix of seed or bird food to make it undesirable or unappetizing to various types of rodents.

Store birdseed properly

Keep birdseed and other bird food products in tightly sealed metal containers. You can also store them in a recycled metal garbage can. Metal is the best option since rats can chew through plastic cans and containers.

Control spills that may attract rodents

Choose a feeder that has a tray which can catch the seeds and provide a landing platform for birds.
Additionally, choose no-waste bird seed mixes that do not have filler seeds and hulls that birds hastily discard. Put the seeds in the feeder in the morning and empty it before evening falls. By doing so, you ensure your feeder won’t attract rodents at night when they are most active.

Keep the area around the feeder clean

Always sweep up fallen seeds and keep the area free of clutter. Rodents, especially the small ones, like to sneak and take shelter under piles of grass, leaves, and other natural and man-made debris. As such, avoid keeping rubbish on your lawn.

Mow your lawn regularly as well since rodents love to hide in tall grasses as well. If you still see rodents outdoors regularly even if you have taken the above-mentioned precautionary measures, get help from pest control experts immediately.