My neighbor swore by safflower seed for keeping squirrels away

I thought it was just another old wives' tale, but after a month of them cleaning out my black oil sunflower, I tried it. The squirrels left the safflower feeder alone completely after two days. Has anyone else had luck with a specific seed that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas.piper1mo ago

Went with just plain white safflower from a local feed store and it worked great here. Interesting that your local stuff got ignored though, maybe it depends on what the squirrels are used to eating in your area. Ive seen that happen with different birdseed blends too where what works in one yard totally fails in another. Hot pepper suet is a solid backup plan but my neighbors complained about the smell so I had to switch.

lilyallen3mo ago

Tried that once and the squirrels just looked offended, like I'd served them a salad. My yard became a squirrel buffet until I caved and bought the expensive hot pepper suet. Works a treat, but now my dog sneezes constantly near the feeder.

oscarh163mo ago

My uncle in Ohio swears by safflower too, but only the white kind from a specific feed store. Did you use the plain safflower seeds or was there a specific brand that seemed to work better for you? I'm wondering if the quality or where it's from makes a difference, because my local stuff got totally ignored.