Build your own squirrel feeder: Instructions & Tips

Squirrels don't have it easy, especially in autumn and winter. We show you how to build a squirrel house to help the little rodents.

Hot summer, not enough rain: Especially this autumn, the cute squirrels have a hard time finding food. Because many trees have not developed any or only very few nuts. With a bit of additional food, you can help the fluffy little animals to collect enough supplies for the winter. But how do you ensure that the nuts also reach the squirrels? Instead of simply throwing them on the ground, where they might not be eaten by squirrels but by mice, rats and the like, a feeding box is a great idea for preparing a feast for the cute animals. We'll show you how you can build your own feeding box with a little manual skill.

You will need the following materials if you want to help your local squirrels forage for the coming winter.

• Jigsaw, possibly circular saw
• Drill and Cordless Screwdriver
• screwdriver
• Sandpaper
• Smooth edge board (200 x 17 x 1.8 cm)
• Plexiglas (approx. 18 x 18.5 cm; 2 mm thick)
• Plastic plate (approx. 19 x 23 x 3 cm)
• Wooden strip (approx. 10 x 15 mm)
• Two hinges
• Four cylinder head bolts with matching nuts
• Countersunk Wood Screws (also known as Drywall or Spax Screws)

How to build a squirrel feeder

In the following we will explain step by step how you can build a feeding box for your nut-loving garden dwellers with just a few materials.

Squirrel House Base Frame

First, the dimensions of the different parts are transferred to the wooden board. Both the floor and the rear wall should measure 17 x 14 cm. The two side parts each have a height of 28 cm on one side, but on the other sideonly of 22 cm. This creates a roof pitch later, so that rainwater can drain off reliably. To make both side pieces have the same pitch, trace the two pieces right next to each other so you only have to saw one bevel.

Now the individual parts can be carefully cut out with the jigsaw. You should round off the corners of the floor and rear wall so that there are no sharp edges that rodents can injure themselves on. Carefully sand down all saw edges with the sandpaper. This also minimizes the risk of injury to humans and squirrels.

Now saw a groove (notch) on the inside of both side walls, which is 1 cm from the edge of the shorter side. This later serves as a fixation for the viewing pane, through which one can see whether there is still enough food in the house. The groove works best with a circular saw set to a cutting depth of 8 mm. Note: If you don't have a circular saw, you can alternatively build a guide made of two square strips for the pane. So that you can hang up the bird feeder later, you should drill two large holes in the back wall at the top, because this is often difficult after assembly.

Assemble the squirrel feeder

The side panels will later be attached to the outer edge of the base panel and the back panel. Try to see if the individual parts fit together and mark the places where they should be connected with screws. Now you can pre-drill the holes to minimize the risk of the wood tearing when screwing. Then you can finally screw: First attach both side parts to the base plate and finally screw on the rear wall.

Since the dimensions of the finished house can vary slightly, you should measure the values for the plexiglass pane again. This should fit snugly in the groove (or guide) and leave an approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) gap between the top of the pane and the lid. If the plexiglass pane does not fit, it should be corrected with a saw blade for plastic. You can then insert the plexiglass pane into the groove (or the guide rails) from above.

To stabilize the viewing window, a square bar is placed behind the pane and screwed on from the outside. Alternatively, the square strip can also be screwed to the pane, so you can easily remove the pane later tobox to clean

Attach Squirrel Feeder Roof

Now the lid is missing: The edges should protrude by 1 cm on each side and even 2 cm on the front in order to provide adequate rain protection. Saw the plastic sheet to size and round off the corners with sandpaper. The finished lid can be attached to the back wall with two hinges.

Finally, you can attach a lid stopper that prevents the lid from opening all the way up or rainwater running down the back wall into the box. To do this, simply screw a wooden strip a few centimeters above the lid to the rear wall. The squirrels can then use the lid on the top of the bird feeder to get the nuts out.

If you want to get creative, you can give the bird feeder a nice coat of paint. But make sure that the paints are environmentally friendly and non-toxic so as not to endanger the squirrels. But even without a protective coating, the bird feeders often last for years.

Quick guide to building a squirrel feeder

1. Mark and saw out parts. The bottom and back are 17 cm long, the two side parts are 28 cm on one side and 22 cm on the other, creating a slant.
2. Round off the corners of the bottom and back and sand the saw edges smooth.
3. Saw the groove for the window into the shorter sides of the side panels.
4. Drill holes in the back panel for hanging.
5. Mark and drill holes for screws; Screw individual parts together.
6. Cut the Plexiglas window and insert it into the groove. 2.5 cm should remain free between the upper edge of the pane and the lid.
7. To strengthen the pane, place a square strip behind it and screw it on.
8. Saw the cover out of the plastic sheet (1 cm overhang on the sides, 2 cm at the front).
9. Sand edges and attach lid with hinges to back.
10. Mount the wooden strip as rain protection and lid stopper a few centimeters above the lid on the rear panel.
11. Voluntary: Treat feed box with environmentally friendly and non-toxic paint/varnish.

If you are also interested in how you can easily build a bird feeder yourself, we have a special article for you on the subject.