r/AnimalsBeingStrange • u/FierceBadRabbits • 2d ago

Clumsy animal Weird bird

I spotted a fledging Mourning Dove sitting in the left lane of a busy street this morning. I pulled over to rescue it, and moments before I could get it, a speeding SUV ran it over. I drove home crying and went to my backyard to feed the birds. And I found this. After unsuccessfully attempting to free her big fat head from my “squirrel-proof” feeder, I drove her to my vet as she CONTINUED TO EAT MY BIRDSEED THE ENTIRE TIME. Shout out to my local vet who knocked her out, got her out of the feeder, gave her fluids, and released her far from my backyard. How was your morning? Any rat-proof feeder recommendations?

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u/Coffin_Dodging 2d ago

Chilli powder coating the seeds before putting them out really helps

Birds are immune to the effects of capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers spicy, because they lack the receptors that mammals use to sense the "heat".

This allows birds to eat chili peppers and disperse their seeds, which is beneficial for the plants

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u/dudeman_joe 1d ago

Does this work for squirrels, asking for my mom who has a bird feeder.

3

u/Coffin_Dodging 1d ago

It does for any mammal, the squirrels I have actively avoid my seeds now.

I find it best to do half the amount of seeds at a time because as soon as it rains, the potency wears off.

3

u/dudeman_joe 1d ago

Oh good too know about the rain its going to be wet here for like a week. Thanks mate I'll work on getting that set up for my mum.

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u/Coffin_Dodging 1d ago

No worries, as a side note (if you are in EU), if you have hedgehogs and like them coming, it will put them off too)