Can rats climb up a bird feeder

First off, to have a rat problem you should forget about feeding backyard birds for now until the rodent issue has died down, as it only serves to make things worse.

Rats can climb up a bird feeder if the feeders in question are hanging off a bird feeding station, likewise a platform feeder on a stand. If suspending feeders off an object or natural growth, so too can rats use this as a land bridge to reach feeders. Where it makes sense, apply a squirrel baffle to stop rats climbing.

Its a difficult time to deal with rats when you only want to feed small common garden bird, but to feed them can only worsen the rodent issue.

Bird feeders do attract rats because they offer a supply of suet in fat ball or block form, or perhaps its the peanuts they want to get at.

And to stop them ever trying, the removal of all wild bird feed would be a good idea.

It may still be possible to feed backyard birds if only hanging a peanut, seed and a suet feeder of any kind, or all of the above - up high off a bracket fixed to a brick wall.

Now you can't feed ground birds with rats present, nor would you be able to keep any food spillage on the ground, so a quick tidy up once in a while would be needed.

Rats only want access to the contents of the bird feeders, and may very well keep coming back until they do. In the meantime observe their behavior as to anticipate their next move.

I don't believe a bird bath can attract rats, but rats can drink out of it, so in case of the disease rats carry - remove the bird bath if need be.

Rats climb feeding station

Rats are perfectly capable of climbing up the pole of a bird feeding station, thus able to access a series of backyard bird feeders.

To not have a rat problem in your area wouldn't matter so much, but to be in a rat infested area - rats will come to your feeders if they haven't already.

It can depend largely on where you do have your bird feeders suspended.

If its a tree branch than you can be 100% certain rats would be able to access it with no restrictions - so its vital to have limitations in place.

While a rat can climb up the bird feeding station pole, you can certainly help put an end to it with use of a squirrel baffle.

As a rule of thumb, how to keep squirrels off your bird feeders can in many respects prevent rats accessing it.

Although squirrels are a little more cunning and capable, it should in theory by easier to stop rats.

No trouble climbing platform feeders

To be in a rat problem area then the use of a wooden platform bird feeder on a stand, would not be a good idea at all.

Rats would have no trouble scampering up the rugged stem of a wooden post, so would have no trouble climbing up it.

Having said that, the large bird feeding platform sitting on top of the tall stand would be so wide, it just might stop rats in their tracks. That is unless rats learn how to crawl upside down to reach the ledge, to climb over and on top.

No need to go for a pole mounted platform feeder mind as the hanging platform feeder would for sure be the best course of action.

But to use a hanging platform feeder would only bring the issue of climbing rats again as they would simply use the object the hanging bird table is hanging off, as a land bridge.

So use safeguards in place such as squirrel baffle or the like to prevent rats accessing the top of the platform.

Use a platform feeder on a stand or one that mounts to a wall only, but avoid hanging platform feeders if you are unable to apply basic squirrel proof devices.

Baffle will stop climbing

Following on with my advice on how to keep squirrels off a bird feeder, you can then use what is called a squirrel baffle.

Its a sort of disk or funnel that fixes around the pole of a bird feeding station only, as to stop squirrels climbing up past the baffle mark.

Having said that, specialty squirrel baffles are made available for square wooden posts.

Its fixed tight but fans out wide in a downward direction, so squirrels or rats are unable to get on top of it to climb the rest of the way up.

Compatible with most bird feeding stations on a pole, but you'd need to look further for a squirrel baffle for use on a platform feeder on a pole.

It is vital to give it a go as squirrel baffles do work if installed properly, but only if located high up the pole - which should be enough to stop rats simply jumping over on top of it.

Hang off wrought bracket

I can only recommend you feed garden birds with use of a hanging bird feeder that is suspended off a bird feeder bracket, or one that is used too hang flower pots.

While rats and other rodents can use a fence, tree or other backyard objects as a land bridge to shimmy up and over - they would eventually end up on any bird feeder via a route on top.

Instead, to hang any type of wild bird feeders off a wall bracket, it would make it harder for rats to access.

Now, rats are known to climb bare brick walls, but for them to reach the wrought bracket fixed to the wall - this could be where their adventure ends.

Higher up the better but make sure the wall bracket location is nowhere near an object or bean or ledge of any kind where rats can simply walk up and across.

Use a wall bracket then for feeding backyard birds while evading cunning rodents.

Rats are cunning

If a rat wants to climb up to reach a bird feeder, partially one which contains suet cakes, they would certainly give it a go until their last breath.

However, rats are smart so given more time, they just might find a way to.

Poles of bird feeding stations are difficult to climb, but with a little practice, a rat would climb up all the way - and once they are on top they can climb back down on to any given bird feeder hanging off any one bracket.

Same with wooden bird platform feeders, the timber surface offers better grip so rats would have no problem climbing up it.

And while rats may get stuck under the feeding platforms, just watch as they turn into upside down spiders as they climb beneath it.

Rats only want feeding so if there is bird food over the lawn or patio, they would eat it up; that is not to say they won't still want to eat off your bird feeders.

Conclusion

Rats are perfectly capable of climbing up all kinds of bird feeders, be it those hanging off a bird feeding station, or accessing bird food laid out on top of a platform feeder.

The trouble is access is made easy as the bird feeders suspend off an object that is climbable - such as a tree branch or a nearby fence.

And while rats could be stopped as they attempt to climb a bird feeding station on a pole, it might be worth investing in a squirrel baffle to cut them off.

Squirrel baffles are easy to install and are universal, so are compatible with most feeding station poles.

I believe the only way to keep rats off your bird feeder is by hanging just the one feeder or more off a bracket fixed to the wall only.

Rats can climb brick walls but would find it difficult getting over to the metal bracket.

Clever as they are cunning, so rather than continue to feed birds; in the meantime it may be a better solution to remove all food sources as to deter rats with lack of food about.

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