How to keep Squirrels out of bird bath

Squirrels use a bird bath intended for wild birds only because they are thirsty; with that in mind be sure to at least offer squirrels a water source to hydrate when they need to.

How to keep squirrels out of bird baths that sit on top of a stand only 3 feet off the ground, is to situate the squirrels own bird bath into their habitat. If not you must get rid of this style of bird bath while using a bird bath dish that can be hung, thus you can use squirrel deterrents commonly applied to bird feeders.

How to stop squirrels accessing water in a bird bath couldn't be any more difficult, as no bird bath design which is open to the elements is designed to keep wildlife away.

With that to consider, we must think outside the box in an effort to keep squirrels busy with a new bird bath placement - the location of which would be setup exclusively for squirrels, and not for birds - which I'm sure they'd use anyway.

How it goes is you use a bird bath which is pushed into or near their habitat, which squirrels will run into on the way to your yard.

What this does is divert squirrels to their own feeding area, all while the squirrels will hopefully forget about your bird bath.

To guarantee success, you must also offer accessible peanuts with sugary water setup near the bird bath location - tucked away within trees or on the edge of woodlands.

You can keep squirrels out of a bird bath much like you can do with success seen on bird feeder, if only the water source is made to be hung on a pole or tree branch.

Often its incredibly difficult to stop squirrels climbing up a bird feeder pole, thus the idea of preventing squirrels climbing up a bird bath is made impossible.

What you do is install an effective squirrel baffle not so much on the bird feeder pole, but to hang the bird bath dish beneath the baffle which can prevent squirrels descending down on it from above.

Move water into squirrel habitat

If we are talking about the kind of bird bath sitting on top of a stand, then I can assure you there is no way you can keep squirrels off it this bird bath style.

Bird baths on a stand have no possible way of keeping unwanted animals off, or birds for that matter - as its only 3 or so feet off the ground - of which most wildlife can jump or climb up to access this high up water source.

Where you'd squirrel proof a bird feeder on a pole to prevent them climbing past a squirrel baffle, unfortunately there isn't such a thing as a bird bath squirrel baffle.

And if there was, it would certainly be difficult to find a compatible bird bath squirrel baffle that would fit onto any style of bird bath on a stand. Which is unlike a universal bird feeder pole where its made to fit 99% of squirrel baffles.

What you can do then rather than try to deter squirrels on a ground bird bath, is to offer the squirrels their own bird bath location.

It can be a replica bird bath or a brand new bird bath style in which you can situate in their natural habitat - if the squirrels habitat is outside your property boundary.

If not at all possible, then simply position a dish of water, plus sugar water with a pile of peanuts to be sure squirrels can be pre-occupied at their own feeding station.

Change to hanging bird bath type

In an effort to keep squirrels out of a bird bath you may in fact need to re-consider the type of bird bath you have in use.

Now I have said a traditional bird bath on a stand - be it made in stone, metal or plastic - is difficult to keep squirrels off with it only being 3 or so feet off the ground. And with that there is no commercially available anti-squirrel devices to install on a bird bath.

What to do then is switch out an always accessible bird bath on a stand with a bird bath that must hang only.

Best way to keep squirrels off a bird feeder is if feeders are kept out of reach below a squirrel baffle, to prevent squirrels descending on it.

Well, who's to say we can't hang any kind of hanging bird bath dish beneath a squirrel baffle, of which the bird bath is hung directly below the baffle.

Consider making use of a simple cheap plastic or decorated bird bath, of which can hung on a tree branch or on a metal bird feeder pole.

Hang the bird bath dish off a bird feeder pole to take advantage of how you'd squirrel proof a Shepherd's Hook; which involves installing a squirrel baffle high up on the pole to prevent squirrels even getting on top of an hanging bird bath.

Similarly, you can also make use of a water dispenser which can hang among all your favorite bird feeders - in which the water isn't exposed to the elements although birds can only hydrate while unable to bathe.

Situate squirrel feeder

It sure can be difficult to attract birds to a bird bath wherever you place a bird bath in your yard, thus its vital you don't deter birds on a bird bath in an effort to keep squirrels off.

What you can do is to make up a squirrels own bird bath area which they can use rather than the bird bath intended for your common backyard birds.

Squirrels won't come to a water source specifically setup for them, thus its vital you get their attention another way. What you do is situate a specialty squirrel baffle alongside your new squirrel water source, to be sure everything a squirrel wants, is within reach.

Where you put a squirrel feeder which will be filled up with peanuts, is preferably as high as 6 feet off the ground - where the squirrel feeder would be mounted to a tree trunk.

And only then can you place a saucer or dish of fresh tap water on top of the squirrel feeder without risk of the bowl falling while in use.

Now all squirrels can come and go as they please with unlimited access to water and food, providing you continue to replenish it.

Result of this is, squirrels have no reason to come to your original bird bath setup, as there's hopefully a more accessible water source along with a food setup within an area they occupy in their own habitat or outside your yard.

Clear away bird bath

I will say the best solution for how to keep squirrels out of a bird bath would be to remove your bird bath setup until the squirrel issue as gone away.

Obviously, that isn't quite the case as squirrels will soon come back out of the woods once a water source is made available again.

If you are lucky the squirrels could have made the most of this week or more of no bird bath by raiding a new bird bath placement. And with that they just may of found a new food source which can keep squirrels out of your yard.

Let's assume you are not so lucky then, well, you are going to need to pack away your bird bath for longer until fewer squirrels are seen.

Squirrels really do like a bird bath thus are going to use it more in times of drought or in warmer months. With that in mind, its vital you can allow squirrels to hydrate which can be achieved with their own feeder, plus water source setup with each other.

When packing away your bird bath to avoid squirrels taking over it, its also vital the birds have access to fresh water daily still, with an option to suspend a water source on a bird feeder pole.

Provide squirrels their own peanuts, plus fresh water with sugary water in a dish near by but still far away from your yard; as to divert squirrels to their own food and water rather than needing to come to your yard all together.

Conclusion

What is essentially a made in stone, metal or plastic bird bath sitting on top of a stand, this type of bird bath cannot be upgraded in a way to deter squirrels.

In fact this open to all bird bath is only three feet or so off the ground with no possibility of installing anti-squirrel devices you'd normally use to keep squirrels out off bird feeders.

First and foremost would be to situate a brand new but cheap bird bath into the squirrels habitat. OK, so its impossible for many of you, however if there is adjacent woodlands or trees squirrels occupy near your yard, then situate a bird bath into it.

Hopefully this will lead to squirrels using their own exclusive bird bath setup rather than making a nuisance of themselves on the bird bath intended for use by wild birds only.

If I am being realistic, many squirrels are unlikely to go to a water source setup just for them, so we need to improve it. Alongside the fresh water, situate the bird bath near a tree which would have a peanut-filled squirrel feeder mounted to the trunk.

And if that isn't enough, be sure to offer a one-part sugar to four-part water nectar mix - which is just how you would make it for an hummingbird feeder - as squirrels can indeed be attracted to nectar.

What else you can do is forget about the bird bath on a stand, when use of a hanging bird bath can be used just as you would when applying successful squirrel deterrents to a bird feeder which is made to hang.

Its possible to hang a bird bath bowl off a bird feeder pole which can allow you to install a squirrel baffle - or why not hang the water dish below a squirrel baffle to stop descending squirrels.

In the end, the squirrel issue over your bird bath may be out of control, thus to keep squirrels out of a bird bath you can take the bird bath indoors until the issue clears up.

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