Squirrel Munch Box
Squirrel feeders are also known as diversion feeders. They divert the squirrels away from your bird feeders which contain expensive seed and focus their attention on feeders that are easy to get to, and contain cheaper feed.
The munch box is a very popular type of squirrel feeder. It is simply a box with a flip-top lid. It usually has a plastic side so you can easily see when it is time to restock. Fill it with cracked corn, peanuts, and even stale crackers and cereal.
There are many different variations of the squirrel munch box, some wood, some metal. Whatever kind you get, make sure the plastic side slides out so that the box is easier to clean.
Here are a couple of tips:
When you first put it out, fill it to overflowing so that the lid is propped up a little. This makes it easier for the squirrels to find the food. Once they get used to it, they’ll remember how to get the seed.
Squirrels tend to shell their food right there and eat the insides, rather than scuttling away with their prize the way chipmunks do. Keep this in mind when buying your munch box food. We started out with peanuts, but we were left with a pile of shells. We switched to official squirrel food which you can get at any supermarket, and consists mostly of corn.
Even after our squirrels figured out how to flip the lid up, sometimes a lazy squirrel would pry up the plastic instead. We often found the plexiglass piece lying on the other side of the fence. One way around this is to buy an inexpensive hook and secure the plexiglass from the inside. Then to clean, slide the hook free of the plexiglass and slide it out. Ace Hardware has the perfect hook because it is flat on one side. It’s part #5300215 “Hook and Staple.”
Here’s where you can find the feeder (not the hook) online:
Duncraft
