# Slinky outwits squirrels raiding a bird feeder.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slinky-outwits-squirrels-raiding-a-bird-feeder/780350>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 20, 2017, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slinky-outwits-squirrels-raiding-a-bird-feeder/780350 "2017-02-20T21:29:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slinky-outwits-squirrels-raiding-a-bird-feeder/780350/1 "2017-02-20T21:29:28Z")

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Very clever idea. The video of the squirrel trying to climb a slinky is quite funny.

Wish I’d thought of this. It never occurred to me to cover the support pole in a big spring. I’m planning to buy a slinky for my bird feeder this week.

> **[Slinky solution devised to keep squirrels from bird feeder](https://abc7.com/squirrel-slinky-bird-feeder-kentucky/1667973/)**
>
> A woman in Kentucky is using a Slinky to keep squirrels from the bird feeder in her yard.

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**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slinky-outwits-squirrels-raiding-a-bird-feeder/780350/2 "2017-02-20T21:43:29Z")

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Very nice idea, but it won’t last. One squirrel will pull down the slinky and hold it, the next will climb the tight spring. They do cooperate for such stuff, it might take awhile. Or do like this one, he has several approaches so far. I have faith in squirrels.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/t-voGcqQ8Tg/hqdefault.jpg "Squirrel vs Slinky") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-voGcqQ8Tg)

Dennis

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slinky-outwits-squirrels-raiding-a-bird-feeder/780350/3 "2017-02-20T21:58:34Z")

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Squirrels are very smart.

The slinky stops some of them. But your video shows they can eventually defeat just about any defense.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slinky-outwits-squirrels-raiding-a-bird-feeder/780350/4 "2017-02-21T05:17:55Z")

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> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> Squirrels are very smart.

\*“That’s an awful nice bird-feeder you got there, Colonel. Shame if somethin’ **happened** to it. Things do catch fire now and then, Colonel.”  
\*