[SouthOfTheBorder]

Originally Posted by John_W

Besides the Cardinals, Mockingbirds and Finchs, we also get doves late in the evening. Usually very light colored, not quite white, but an off white. We get another bird regularly and I don't know what it is, there is 4 of them living in our hedge. They are bigger than the mockingbirds and cardinals, but smaller than a dove and are brownish color.

Brown Thrasher, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Don

[graciegirl]

I love nature too. We always fed birds up north which of course means you feed squirrels too.

Here without feeders we see all sorts of birds, little ones and some four feet tall. We have seen turtles and snakes and bunnies and squirrels and all kinds of creatures feasting off the ample stuff nature has here.

So you can feed them or watch them without feeding them. It is so lovely. Almost like a Disney movie.

[Toymeister]

My wife loves feeding the birds, wonderful wildlife! When a pointed out the feeder was the direct cause of the seven roof rats I killed in the attic, the feeder was GONE. Less birds yes, zero rats. I'll make that deal.

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

We gave up after a few months as the feeders attracted rats, raccoons, squirrels and other critters.

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Listen to Bogie Shooter. Always listen to Bogie Shooter. He is rarely wrong.

Originally Posted by Jdmiata

Have had one in the back of my house for ten years now. Plenty of birds , squirrels , rabbits and even a few ducks . Nice to watch them feed. Never any trouble.

We've never had a problem either. Love watching the variety of birds come and go. We take the feeder in when it rains so it doesn't gunk up.

Bring all your bird supplies and don't listen to the nay sayers.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I love nature too. We always fed birds up north which of course means you feed squirrels too.

We had quit feeding birds two years ago because of the squirrels and black birds then one weekend we stopped in the shop 'Wild Bird Seed' in the Kohls/Best Buy Shopping Center. The owners live here in TV and told us about Safflower Seeds, it is not liked by either.

We've now have 3 feeders up and have been feeding Safflower Seeds for about six months and no squirrels, no black birds. We have Mockingbirds, Brown Thrashers, Finches, Doves and Cardinals. My wife also sets out some grapes and nuts for a variety. As a test we purchased a small bag of the generic bird seed at Walmart last month and put it in one of the feeders. We soon had a squirrels and loads of black birds, we switched it out and now they are gone again.

[Retiring]

Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages

They are allowed in your back yard. But keep in mind that the seed attracts rats, snakes, and other animals. And seed goes bad quickly in our damp heat. Think carefully before you put it up. It is easy to observe birds and wildlife in our many beautiful natural locations and golf courses.

[Biancarose]

I had a bird feeder and saw rats eating the seeds on the ground, i removed the feeder quickly. I am seeing rat droppings on my front porch my neighbors are seeing rats on their property too. I contacted the Villages and was told to notify the Health Dept.

[Wiotte]

Originally Posted by Biancarose

I had a bird feeder and saw rats eating the seeds on the ground, i removed the feeder quickly. I am seeing rat droppings on my front porch my neighbors are seeing rats on their property too. I contacted the Villages and was told to notify the Health Dept.

Just set out rat traps. They look like mouse traps, just bigger. [emoji193]


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[John_W]

We have 3 bird feeders in our CYV backyard for the past 4 months. We only see birds and one squirrel, and he's not there for the bird seed but for nuts and grapes that we also put out. The secret is Safflower Seeds.

We've had a bird feeder about 3 years ago and it was a mess, that's when we used the regular black seeds sold in 40 lb bags at Walmart and the like. We stopped feeding them until we stopped by the Wild Bird Center of The Villages in the Crossroads Shopping Center between Best Buy and Kohls.

We didn't want a bunch of squirrels, mice or black birds. That's when they introduced us to Safflower Seeds. It's a little more expensive, about $35 for a 16 pound bag. However, black birds don't like it, squirrels don't like it, but the Mockingbirds love it, the Cardinals love it, the Trashers love it, the Doves love it and the Finch love it.

Don't see any mice or rats, I did see mice at one time, but that was because of the grill. With every grill having some food dropping it's impossible to clean perfectly with a steel brush. However, I started putting a D-Con mice bait inside the grill by the tank and no more mice.

[HimandMe]

We also use safflower seeds in our cat genie...less tracking than the stuff you get from catgenie. We save a little for the birds. I learned a long time ago that with so many planting 'decorator' plants to add a few bushes for butterflies and birds especially in areas scalped for building houses. No problem with mice or rats but we are not near water.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by Biancarose

I had a bird feeder and saw rats eating the seeds on the ground, i removed the feeder quickly. I am seeing rat droppings on my front porch my neighbors are seeing rats on their property too. I contacted the Villages and was told to notify the Health Dept.

If some are not aware of it The Villages has a real rat problem.

Bird feeders, pet food on the lanai, etc only attracts them. Rats forage within 100 square yards of a home. There have been many complaints.

I make certain my trees are not accessible to my roof. I have french drains and the only gutter open was one on my driveway. it as been fitted with screening to prevent rodents climbing up onto my roof.

I view my yard as a pest's playground and work toward reducing its attractiveness as respects pests

I had a long conversation with my pest control manager and it was an eye opener..Notice the number of areas in TV and homes with bait stations

Overcrowding of people also leads to overcrowding of pests..... it a natural equation.

[vj1213]

We are having problems with palm rats in our area. One recently got into our garage. I kept seeing little black particles around where my car was parked and didn't know what it was. first I got a live trap from a neighbor....didn't work. Next, called Massey and they put sticky traps out....well he just chewed off his tail. Then we had small traps....then larger ones. In the meantime my check engine light comes on in my car. Took it into the dealer and discovered that the rat had chewed all my wires and hoses on my vehicle to the tune of almost $3000 dollars. Also chewed the padding around battery in husbands truck. We did catch the rat and Massey has left bait traps around outside of home. Apparently another neighbor is having problems with the rats chewing thru their screens and getting in their lanai. I've seen them running up the palms in the middle of the cul de sac, and while walking seen them by the rec centers.