Squirrel Free Hot Pepper Blends
Currently out of stock
Are squirrels depriving your birds of much needed nutrition? You’ve found the solution! Keep the furry felons away from your feeders with these specially blended squirrel free seeds. It’s a very simple and organic solution to the problem of feeder-robbing mammals. Scientists at Cornell University learned that mammals have receptors that send intense heat and sweat "messages" to their brain when they eat chili peppers. Birds do not have those same chili receptors. This natural, completely safe solution ensures that only the birds are eating from your feeders. Choose from a wide variety of seed blends treated with a special blend of red hot chili pepper extract or if you have seed already choose the liquid hot pepper extract and save more of your favorite seed for the birds!
Read more about the 1999 Cornell Feeding Study below
1999 Cornell Feeding Study
The efficacy of capsaicin-treated sunflower seed as a repellent to birdseed
consumption by free-ranging Gray squirrels.
Dr. Paul D. Curtis
Ms. Elizabeth Rowland
Dr. Joseph A. Dunn
Cornell Cooperative Extension, Department of Natural Resources
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
Abstract
Eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) are considered to be a pest by
many bird-lovers because they can steal significant quantities of seed from
birdfeeders. None of the available methods of protecting birdseed against squirrels
is completely effective. We assessed the efficacy of treating birdseed with
capsaicin oleoresin as a means of deterring squirrels. Consumption of treated
and untreated whole black-oil sunflower seed was compared by carrying out one-choice
feeding trials at three sites near Ithaca, New York from 11 May to 24 June 1999.
Untreated seed was provided in weeks 1, 2 and 4 and capsaicin-treated seed was
offered in weeks 3, 5 and 6.
It was concluded that treating the sunflower hearts with capsaicin while keeping
the shell intact does effectively deter squirrels from eating the seed. The
use of this seed provides a solution to the problem of squirrels stealing seed
from bird feeders, making this a commercially viable product. We also showed
that this treatment of seed has no noticeable effect on the frequency of bird
visits where bird populations are low, and may increase visit frequency where
bird populations are high. This would further enhance the marketability of this
seed.
|
|
