Suet feeders are a safe bet for bird lovers as they can attract different birds with a suet placed. Suet is also known to be always nutritious and protein rich that keeps birds healthy. But there is often a problem that is seen with suet feeders. You can see rodent infestation around your house after the installation of suet feeder. In this article, I will discuss the strange and unending relationship between suet feeders and rodents, different aspects of it and how to solve the problem.
Do suet feeders attract rodents?
Suet feeders attract rodents as rodents can smell the bird feed from a long distance, climb different types of bird feeders easily and relatively high population of rodents is present in every region.
Let’s check out a few reasons why suet feeders attract rodents.
Rodents can smell the scent of bird feeds from a long distance
The problem here is that the smell of the food is very distinct, and the rodents can smell this scent from a long distance. This could be a reason why you are having problems with rodents in some areas but not others.
They love to eat bird feeds
This is another important reason why do suet feeders attract rodents. As soon as the birds are done eating, the rodents come running to get their share. When they check the Suet feeders, they realize it is laced with food, and they start to crave it. This is the cycle that continues until you see rodent infestation.
It is not just about the food in feeder. Particularly if the food has fallen on ground, the fallen food attracts the rats easily and slowly rodents will grow all across the place. And eventually, they start attacking every food source including the bird feeders.
Rodents can easily open the suet feeders
Although birds often struggle to open the suet feeder, rodents don’t. They can crawl, grip and open doors or closets more easily than birds themselves. Some rats are more intelligent and do the stealing job more easily.
Low height of the Suet Feeder can attract rodents
It is advised not to install the suet feeder too close to the ground. When you install a suet feeder too close to the ground, it becomes easily accessible to rodents. As a result, more and more rodents will come to your house to get food. Believe it or not, the low height of the suet feeder increases the infestation problem subsequently.
Low build quality of feeders
Many people also wonder if rodents increase in bird feeders due to their their build quality? Well, rodents have become smart these days. They can easily open flimsy suet feeders. For this reason, you need to ensure the build quality of the suet feeder is good. Otherwise, rodents will easily access the food inside and make an infestation in your house. Poorly built suet feeders often increase rodents’ infestation.
If you install a suet feeder, then rodents are not the only problem. Along with rodents, it can attract many other species. Let’s learn how suet feeders can attract many unwanted species to your house.
Species other than rodents that suet feeders attract
Now when it has been established why, you need to find out what other species can be attracted by the suet feeder. Along with rodents and rats, ants also love the food inside the suet feeder. Ants can easily reach any food place, and the suet feeder becomes a big food basket for ants.
For this reason, you may see more ant infestation around your house after installing a suet feeder. In fact, this is also why you need to find the right suet feeder that does not attract unwanted species to your house.
Strategies to repel rodents from suet feeders
First of all, you need to buy a strong suet feeder that is rodent-proof. You will easily find these types of suet feeders online that are rodent-proof.
It would help if you also changed the bird’s feed inside the suet feeder. Avoid giving high-caloric scented food. Instead, you can place grains that are not scented. Although birds love these types of feed, fewer rodents come to eat these types of feed.
At the same time, the placement of the suet feeder is very important. Make sure it is placed at a high place with a very thin wire. Rodents and rats will have a tough time when they try to access the feed through a thin wire. This way, rodents will become uninterested in the feed.
Using a squirrel baffle helps the bird feeders prevent rodents too. This when placed on the wire or connecting pole of bird feeders would avoid rodents from reaching the bird feeder, hence the bird feed just like they avoid squirrels.
A weather guard is a type of roof on top of bird feeders often made of metal. Using a weather guard helps keeping the feed away from rain and weather, keeps it fresh and hence can avoid any smells that can attract rodents.
Use of squirrel-proof feeders can help making the feeders rat-proof up to some extent based on the situation. Check out this article that covers if squirrel-proof feeders can be rat-proof too and what can be done in addition.
Conclusion
Suet feeders are a great way to help birds, but at same time be aware of all the above aspects about rodents. Hope, with this, you are equipped about all the know-how about rodents and how to keep them away from your suet feeder.
