Date: 5/15/25 6:56 am From: Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> Subject: Re: [birders] Time for Thinking Caps
It’s likely to keep ME away too! Seriously, I’ll save that for later if my chain/cable and psychology don’t do the trick. I don’t know about the ammonia but the peppermint oil might be nice. A can full of dog or cat kibbles that’s been baking in the summer sun has kind of a funky aroma when you open it. Must be the fish-oil or some “byproducts” they use in their recipes. I know it’s absolutely horrible stuff for obligate carnivores but I figure the grains and such are not going to be bad for Crows.
________________________________
From: 'Kathy McDonald' via Birders <birders...>
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 05:35
To: Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...>; Birders <birders...>
Subject: Re: [birders] Time for Thinking Caps
Peppermint oil, vinegar or ammonia keep them away.
Kathy McDonald
> On May 10, 2025, at 10:01 PM, Patricia Burden <tallerpat526...> wrote:
>
> Fred, I had the same problem. I have been using the galvanized trash
> can for my seed and after probably 10 years, the raccoons got the lid
> off! I went to the hardware store and bought what was sold as a lock
> for a tree stand - it is a metal cable, coated in some kind of plastic
> with a lock at the ends so you just push it together to lock. It just
> fit and I don't mind that it is tight to lock on. It keeps them out!
> They had previously chewed through rope, bungee cords and tiedowns.
> They gnawed at the coated cable - got a bit of the coating off, but
> couldn't get through that cable. It isn't a hassle to unlock it - I
> leave the key right above the can. +-
> Pat Burden
> Melvin & Yale, MI
>
>> On Fri, May 9, 2025 at 6:04 AM Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>>
>> That’s along the lines of what I’ll probably go with Su. I’ll probably have to custom make them so they are just barely long enough to work without slack. The other day, one of the lids was partially off leaving a gap too small for raccoons and squirrels. Still… I found the world’s happiest Chipmunk inside. Now (for whatever reason), they’ve taken to peeing and pooping all over the lids! Some of these critters seem severely dehydrated. Kind of gross and I’m always happier after a heavy rain! Now that I’ve mentioned it, some of you are going to start noticing that your lids have wet spots when nothing else around them does. Knowledge of one kind of animal leads to knowledge of others…and so it goes.
>> ________________________________
>> From: Su Clift <coffeebeansu...>
>> Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 10:46:49 AM
>> To: Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...>
>> Cc: Birders <birders...>
>> Subject: Re: [birders] Time for Thinking Caps
>>
>> I’ve been curious about these myself:
>>
>> https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/workwear-and-safety-gear/fall-protection/2029982?x429=true&<gclsrc...>&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20155433732&gbraid=0AAAAADtqLJFfNH7e8v_Lo6R5_tLE6xN9V&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgrCYpo6UjQMVq07_AR0RZALxEAQYAiABEgKmrPD_BwE >>
>> —Su
>>
>>
>>
>> On May 8, 2025, at 10:33 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>>
>> Any ideas here? For years I’ve been a proponent of storing seeds and nuts and “Crow-Kibbles” in galvanized trash cans outside. Put a little silicone caulk around the places where the lids and sides are pierced for handles and they make nice solid (if not attractive) storage bins. They don’t rust for a long time and can’t be chewed-through but…I accidentally left the lid off of one of them last week and about a dozen squirrels exploded out of there when I approached in the morning. The worst part was that a Raccoon had learned that this is where I keep “his” food. Since then it’s been a battle to keep him from standing on his hind legs and pushing the lids off at night. He’s gotten to the point where he can force cinder-blocks off! I don’t want him to get hurt so I need a better idea. I can’t believe no one sells metal trash cans with locking lids. I’ve used bungee cords in the past only to find them chewed-through. For the last week I’ve lined-up the cans (6 of them) side by side and rotated the lids so I can slide 10’ sections of concrete reinforcement rods through all the handles at once but it takes about six of them, is a real pain and will eventually scrape off the Zinc and they’ll start rusting. Maybe I have to bring them all into the garage or…build some huge bin with a hinged lid? I could probably scrounge enough pallet-wood and go with that idea. Might be a good project to do with the grand-kids this summer. What do I do in the meantime?
>>
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