Are red pepper flakes good for squirrels? If you are one of the many people asking the same question, keep reading because this article was made for you. Squirrels are a real nuisance, especially at bird feeders and spilling seeds.
They also scare away birds and eat a lot. So, what are you able to do to keep them away? Will hot pepper flakes work, or are red pepper flakes good for squirrels?
Are Red pepper flakes good for squirrels?
Squirrels are curious and fun- and I found them annoying in my backyard/garden. I have found some things to help prevent them from becoming a problem. Squirrels don’t like red pepper flakes.
A squirrel’s strong sense of smell and taste is irritated by the capsaicin in red pepper flakes. Putting pepper flakes in a place where squirrels frequent will deter them.
Squirrels can be a relative nuisance when they have found an easy and abundant supply of food. One food source is the bird feeder or your backyard/garden.
Hot pepper flakes have capsaicin, a chemical responsible for “hot” in “hot pepper.” The capsaicin annoys this animal’s strong sense of smell and taste. Putting hot pepper flakes or spraying in a place like a garden or bird feeder where this animal is frequent will stop them from returning.
Even if relatively innocent looking, this animal is not one we want to be friends with within our property. They will take advantage. Here I will show you some ways to utilize red hot pepper to deter squirrels.
Where Do Squirrels Live?
Squirrels are almost everywhere. Therefore, we’re bound to run into them one day.
You don’t have to worry; we will learn how to deter them in a second.
I have gray squirrels, meaning they make their nests in bushes and do not hibernate, and I am lucky. You can find this animal in almost every state in the US. So, research your particular state to see what kinds of squirrels may be in your place.
Eastern gray squirrels are considered the most popular spices in the US. Some other types include red squirrels, fox squirrels, and flying squirrels. If you are familiar with the specie of squirrel you’re dealing with, we will know the effective method to repel them.
Why Do Red Hot Peppers Deter Squirrels?
I love pungent or spicy food, but not everyone does. Hot pepper has a chemical called capsaicin which makes it so hot. When taken by mammals, it is a chemical that causes an uncomfortable and hot sensation. Like other mammals, squirrels have a low tolerance to capsaicin; therefore, you can use it to repel these animals from your garden or bird feeders.
Now, how can you use red hot peppers to deter them? Let’s check it out!
How To Use Red Hot Pepper To Deter Squirrels?
As we know, red hot pepper has an active chemical that makes our mouth hot once we eat it. We can utilize this to our benefit when trying to deter squirrels.
In a study posted in the NWRCPR or National Wildlife Research Center Repellents Conference journal, experts discovered that these animals noticed a disparity between hot and non-hot food. They preferred food without hot peppers instead of hot pepper food if given the option.
Experts also noticed during the research that when these animals consumed the food with red hot peppers, they showed irritation like face rubbing, like when I put lots of hot sauce on my pizza.
Here are some ways to utilize hot pepper flakes to deter these nuisance squirrels. I have already tried this before, and they are very effective. You can also try any of the methods below if you are also experiencing problems with squirrels in your area.
Use Cayenne Powder or Hot Pepper Flakes to Repel Squirrels
If you are on a tight budget, you can go to your panty for a cost-efficient way of deterring squirrels. Cayenne pepper powder is a prevalent
Is it possible for Red Pepper Flakes to Squirrels Effectively from Bird Feeders
Yes. For these annoying animals invading the bird feeder, just mix the red pepper flake in the seed. It can take a few bites to make the squirrel think twice before climbing the pole to the bird feeder.
And for many of you worried about the bird, you don’t have to worry as birds don’t react to this chemical as mammals do. This only means that birds don’t have the receptors in their mouths that bind with the chemicals or that their receptors are only insensitive to this chemical. Therefore, your homemade repellent will be effective on squirrels and will not affect your birds.
After a couple of days, reapply the flakes, and after a rainfall. This will encourage the squirrels to look for another food source.
Keeping Them From Burying Food In the Garden
Also, you can sprinkle hot pepper flakes on disturbed ground where these animals love to bury their food for later use. The place around the bird feeders on the ground is a common feeding place for these animals, and it would not hurt to sprinkle hot pepper flakes there too. Make sure to reapply, as I’ve mentioned above, after rainfall or every couple of days.
Combine water, Tabasco sauce, pepper flakes, and liquid dish soap in a bottle. The water dilutes the pepper slightly, so it is less concentrated. The hot pepper irritates the mouth of the squirrels, and the dish soap helps the pepper to stick to the plant the squirrels may want.
Before spraying the whole garden, see to it that you conduct detailed research if the plants in your garden or backyard can withstand the spray. Of course, you don’t want your plants to wilt.
What Type of Red Pepper Flakes Does Keep Squirrels Away?
Cayenne pepper, usually used as a deterrent for squirrels, is ground from a combination of some of the spiciest varieties. Mammals like squirrels and us have brain receptors, which respond to the capsaicin in hot peppers by burning.
What do cayenne hot pepper flakes do to squirrels?
Squirrels don’t want the taste and smell of pepper as they come with sensitive taste and noise. So, spicier-smelling hot peppers like cayenne are very effective because the scent will be more pungent and will work well at deterring them.
Will red pepper flakes keep them away?
The strong taste and smell of the red pepper are highly irritating, and most members of the wild kingdom keep away from it.
Deer, cats, dogs, rodents, squirrels, rabbits, and a lot of insects can be efficiently deterred by chili pepper products, according to Clemson Cooperative Extension’s report.
Do Planting Hot Pepper Plants Can Repel Squirrels
Another way to deter squirrels is by planting pepper plants in the garden. Not only will you deter these animals once they eat it, but you can also make remarkable sauces for meat, barbecue, and chicken.
