How to make your own seed logs for feeding backyard birds.
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The gelatin will get softer in warmer temps so a bit of trial and error would be needed to test them. We don't feed during the summer so I don't know about very warm temps but during our fall through spring the temps are typically under 15C (under 60F) and they seem fine. This summer I will try a few when it is hot - but there may not be as many seed eaters around looking for food then. If someone tries these in very warm situations please let me know how they work for you - and for the birds!
You need to keep them dry - rain will also certainly soften the gelatin and might contribute to mold if they are not consumed readily. We keep ours under the eaves or under plastic "domes" (you can see some domes over other feeders in the background).
To keep the squirrels at bay I use a few strategies: we hang the seed log (under a dome) from a long line (like a thin clothesline) - they don't seem willing or able to walk along it; secondly, for all the feeders we have on a pole we use a squirrel exclusion device (see the large black tube in the background) which prevents squirrels (and raccoons) from climbing the pole. I tried adding LOTS of chili and cayenne powder to the recipe but the squirrels didn't seem phased and it would have been wasteful and expensive to add any more. Lastly - as we all know, squirrels can jump so we had to make sure these were at least 8 feet or so away from any "launch pads" for the squirrels :-)
