{"id":77,"date":"2016-01-21T16:12:13","date_gmt":"2016-01-21T21:12:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vampstampnews.com\/wpbirdseed\/wordpress\/?p=77"},"modified":"2021-06-09T09:52:13","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T13:52:13","slug":"deterring-squirrels-with-hot-pepper-suet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birdseedandbinoculars.com\/wordpress\/deterring-squirrels-with-hot-pepper-suet\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Hot Pepper Suet Deter Squirrels?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Hot
Hot Pepper Suet<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Does hot pepper suet really keep squirrels away? The idea of suet flavored with hot peppers has always sounded pretty nasty to me. But when squirrels start driving you crazy, your views can change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Trying Hot Pepper Suet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before I finally put all my suet up on poles, I had seven suet cage feeders up around my house, most within squirrel reach. During warmer months and even into the cool days of fall, squirrels left them mostly alone, only occasionally taking a nibble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when temperatures dropped into the teens and twenties, squirrels started getting more desperate. Suet feeders suddenly got attractive to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Suet
Suet Feeders<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

So I decided to give Hot Pepper Suet<\/a> a try, gradually shifting blocks of this flavor in place of the almond flavored suet I had been using. Supposedly birds have a weaker sense of taste than squirrels and don’t mind the added spicy flavor, while squirrels do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Squirrel
Squirrel Eating Hot Pepper Suet<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

So Does Hot Pepper Suet Deter Squirrels?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My findings? So-so. Squirrels do seem to much prefer more usual suet flavorings. But a really hungry squirrel will still eat the spicy suet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first day I had this suet on offer, I saw a squirrel take a bite, turn up its nose and leave. But fairly soon, I saw squirrels munching on the spicy suet for long periods of time. So this solution didn’t work for me during cold winter months when squirrels were very hungry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But over time, I found that hot pepper suet DOES seem to deter squirrels the rest of the year. Most of the time, they won’t eat it. It seems to be only when they are REALLY hungry that they will bother it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Better Solution to Squirrels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Personally, I have found that hanging suet out of a squirrel’s reach is a more sure-fire way to keep them away from suet. Then you can offer whatever type of suet you like. Check my post on the Best Way to Hang a Suet Feeder<\/a> for more on that. Also see Keep Squirrels Out of Feeders<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nancie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n