So, we filled a lid with peanut butter, set a cage trap on the deck near the feeders, and were awakened in the night by a terrible scraping sound followed by a deck-shaking rumble. I sat straight up in bed. Moe said, “ Caught him,” and went to investigate. Our thief had somehow dragged the cage across the deck to his entry point, and fallen all the way down the stairs to the patio below.
Next morning:
We learned they have good memories for unpleasant experiences and avoid repeats. How pleasant could it be to fall down the steps and spend the night in a cage? Thought we’d seen the last of our thief.
Night 2:
Maybe he/she liked the thrill.
Online advice said cayenne pepper is an effective deterrent. I bought a tub of it and spread a thick layer on banister under feeders.
Days 3, 4, & 5: Feeders emptied again.
He even tried to unhook it.
And, for the record, I saw a squirrel sniff the cayenne, bat his nose with his front paw a few times, and climb right onto the feeder. So much for that theory.
Don’t want to take the feeders down and deprive the birds during mating/nesting season, but our seed bill is out of control, as in $150/month. Don’t want to relocate caged raccoon in case she's feeding young.
Next best option: Bring all four feeders inside at bedtime. Wonder how long I’ll have patience for that?
Whole thing reminds me of an old New Yorker cartoon with a picture of a woman standing on a chair in her plant room and the husband saying, “If you’re going to live in a jungle, you’ve got to expect snakes.”
~dkm 4/15/2022
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