Gardener Swears by the ‘Cone of Shame’ Trick That Protects Bird Feeders From Rodents: ‘I’ve Had...’

Every time you hear a chittering or squealing around your bird feeder, it’s your sign that a pestering squirrel is hanging around, planning to steal bird food. With their insatiable appetite and high metabolism, they gobble up enormous quantities of bird food, all the while leaving trails of smooth, brown barrel-shaped poop droppings around the feeder. Birdkeepers have been pegging away for decades to invent new techniques to shoo away these vexing creatures. A Reddit gardener, u/PalPubPull, shared an unlikely item they used to deter squirrels from their feeder.

Squirrels are everywhere

“We got a little bird feeder to watch from our kitchen on a tree we planted, but squirrels depleted it every day. I started looking at squirrel guards and different bird feeders, and instead used my dog’s cone of shame,” they wrote in the post title. Although squirrels, they said, are not a nuisance, they are everywhere around their feeder. “They're hilarious and adorable and we have an abundance of them, but they are everywhere.” With large number of cardinals and blue jays visiting their backyard, they desired to give the feathered guests an incentive to stick around. The solution materialized in the form of their dog’s “cone of shame.” They claimed that the trick is a “frugal win.”

What is a 'Cone of Shame?'

Also known by names like “Elizabethan collar” or “e-collar,” a dog’s “cone of shame” is a plastic cone that dogs are made to wear to prevent them from licking or chewing surgical sites, hot spots, or injuries, according to PetMD. When a cone is placed around a dog’s head, they may look sad or ashamed, and even though the pet may not enjoy wearing it, it is necessary for wound healing and protection against infections. The picture shared by the Reddit birder shows a “cone of shame” strapped around the tree bark just below the mounting spot of the feeder.

What are birders saying?

“I've had it up for a year, and no squirrels have conquered it yet! I would imagine it wouldn't work as well if there are trees close by, they can jump from above, but this guy is still little and isolated,” the birdkeeper shared in an update. Their post invited dozens of comments, suggestions, and laughter emojis from fellow birders. u/lovelybroom suggested checking in with hospitals to get free cones. “When I worked at a vet hospital, we could give away old cones for the promise of some fruit! It's worth checking with local clinics to see if anyone is willing to give ones meant for the trash away,” they wrote.

Another suggestion came from u/plantfollower, “A metal slinky also works. Connect it up top and it falls straight down with the pole going through it.” u/Grjaryau shared, “I have one squirrel who comes to my feeders. I have a peanut ring out there, and he seems to feast on that and leaves the birdseed alone. I get peanuts in the shell pretty cheap, so I don’t mind.” One user suggested the viral scientist Mark Rober's Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course to teach a lesson to the vile squirrels. u/rvachris added, “You can fill your feeder with safflower seeds or a 'hot and spicy' bird seed mix. Squirrels will avoid both, and birds either don't mind or don't taste the heat!”