What name can you come up with for a squirrel house. Do-it-yourself house for squirrels. Log construction

If from the dacha to the forest is within easy reach, be sure to install a squirrel house on the site. Curious beauties will quickly accept suitable housing and get used to the new territory. And you enjoy country life with red-haired neighbors: watch their games, feed them - over time, squirrels will tame and become good friends.

Video idea: original house-feeder for squirrels

Why do squirrels need shelter?

Furry animals live alone, each needs its own shelter. In the forest, they equip hollows or build their own nests on trees, most often spruces. Their home is:

  • protection from snowfalls and cold weather (in severe winter, fluffy animals do not show their noses from the nest for several days);
  • a pantry with a variety of food supplies (nuts, mushrooms, seeds, berries are harvested by hardworking animals all summer, if there are no supplies, even in frosts, squirrels set off in search of food and often die);
  • a place for the birth and hatching of cubs (squirrels are born twice a year: in spring and summer; bald, blind, helpless creatures - there are from 3 to 10 of them in a litter - live in home up to 3 months; until they grow up, a caring mother almost never leaves the shelter).

We fix the squirrel house on a tree

In a fierce cold, animals help each other, several of them settle in one nest. But in spring, each squirrel needs a separate dwelling to breed. In this case, the strongest survives, often the animals drive the lawful tenants out of the birdhouses and settle there. Therefore, the installation of a “birdhouse” for squirrels will not only please you and your loved ones, but will significantly help cute animals and birds.

In stores you will find ready-made squirrel: from simple structure to the multi-storey palace. When choosing, do not get carried away by brightness and catchiness. For animals, it is much more important how and from what housing is made.

Requirements for a squirrel

  1. The material is only natural wood. Proteins live in natural conditions. Plastic and other artificial "non-breathing" structures will not work for them.
  2. The inner walls must not be processed. Notice traces of varnish, paint and other chemical substances- do not buy. Animals will be afraid of non-native odors and will not settle in such living space.
  3. Dimensions must be respected. Squirrels love cozy small nests, so a compact squirrel cage is preferable. Best Options are as follows: height - no more than 55 cm, width - 40 cm, depth - 45 cm. The manhole hole should be round, with a diameter of 6-7 cm. In huge buildings - and there are few chances that tenants will appear there - squirrels will freeze.

Installation rules

Create "native" living conditions for nice new settlers. When installing a squirrel cage, observe the following rules:

  • fasten it to a tree;
  • height - at least 5 meters from the ground, then the squirrels will feel safe;
  • it is better to turn the window to the south or east;
  • consider the direction of the winds in your area - the hollow cannot be directed towards constant winds;
  • put some moss or tow on the bottom - they will be useful to residents for sealing cracks;
  • build a feeder next to the tree - so nimble friends will quickly get used to the new place.

Housing for squirrels can be created independently. The construction of the house will delight you and the children, and there will be a noticeable increase in enthusiasm when communicating with dear neighbors.

Tricks of making squirrels

  1. Use any boards, even slabs.
  2. The material must be dry.
  3. With a board thickness of 2-2.5 cm, the design will last longer.
  4. Boards for internal walls do not plan.
  5. Strictly observe the dimensions: the width of the side panels is 30 cm, the front and back panels are 25 cm. The rest of the parameters are indicated above.
  6. Do not pin the bottom outside, but insert it inside - it will not fall off for a long time.

There are two common ways to build a do-it-yourself squirrel house: from a board in the shape of a birdhouse and from a whole log.

How easy it is to build a house from a board

Building a home with tips experienced builders will be simple and fast. Build a squirrel cage on two floors - the animals love to settle in families, and you will have more fun from a pleasant invasion.

Prepare materials for work. Get three meters of board 30 cm wide, 18 mm thick. Take a hacksaw and a square for cutting.


The house is built!

How to build a one-piece squirrel

Animals settle in log houses with pleasure: it is cozy there and, thanks to thick walls, very warm. Such squirrels will naturally fit into any design and merge with your garden. When purchasing a log, keep in mind that most of all squirrels love coniferous and oak hollows, they are reluctant to settle in birch and aspen hollows, and poplar ones completely bypass them. Use a log with a diameter of at least 40 cm.

Step-by-step construction of a house from a single log

  1. build a roof - saw off a circle 4 cm thick;
  2. cut a piece 40 cm long - this is a blank of a squirrel;
  3. hollow out a cavity in the hemp of the sizes necessary for the living of animals, not forgetting to leave the thickness of the side walls and bottom about 3 cm;
  4. saw out from the side round hole- manhole;
  5. nail the previously made cover on top;
  6. if desired, arrange a porch - pin a snag or a thick branch.

A wonderful squirrel is ready! In the same way it is created two-story house from a log.

Two-story apartment from a single piece of wood

  1. saw off two circles 4 cm thick - the bottom of the first floor and the roof of the second;
  2. prepare a piece of log 75 cm long;
  3. hollow out holes 35 cm deep in it from the ends, not forgetting the wall thickness;
  4. attach the bottom and roof;
  5. cut two entry holes at the correct height.

You have built a luxurious apartment for a family of nimble animals!

How to take care of a house

Over time, all dwellings are inhabited by bacteria, appears bad smell animals can get sick. So, caring for the squirrel is a thorough cleaning at the end of summer. Contact with harmful microorganisms is not worth it, put on before work rubber gloves.

Remove all debris, dirt and insulation materials, if applicable. You can wipe the bottom and walls with a damp cloth. Then lay down fresh bedding.

Summer with a house for charming squirrels will definitely be warm - your hearts will be warmed by the thought that you helped wildlife.

If your summer cottage is located near the forest, be sure to make a house for the squirrel with your own hands. Its benefit lies in the fact that every day you will admire how the squirrels are visiting your garden area. We will tell you below how to build a squirrel cage and what requirements must be followed when building it!

Why build a house for squirrels?

Since squirrels live alone, they need to have their own housing. The forest version of their housing is most often a hollow tree (mostly spruce) or a nest on the branches. The squirrel house performs the following functions:

  • Storage for food (squirrels use houses as a pantry for berries, nuts, mushrooms, seeds, etc., even in winter time they go out in search of food, as a result of which they very often die).
  • Place for the birth of squirrels (basically, squirrels are hatched 2 times a year: in spring and summer, newborns live in the house for at least 3 months).
  • Protection in winter (during frosts, squirrels may not leave the squirrel cage for several days)

Although in winter squirrels gather in groups in squirrels, with the advent of spring the time comes to breed and each animal tries to build its own house. It is during this period that natural selection is carried out, because. the fittest survive by driving legitimate tenants out of their nests.

That is why building a house for squirrels with your own hands will help them in difficult times. At the same time, you can build and, which will brightly complement the overall composition.

In specialized stores, a wide range of squirrel cages is available, starting from a simple house and ending with two-story apartments. When choosing a house for squirrels, it is better to pay attention to the material of manufacture than to its luxury!

Requirements for a squirrel

There are several requirements that should be followed when building a house for squirrels with your own hands:

  1. The squirrel house must be built entirely of wood. Animals will not be in a building made of plastic or other artificial material.
  2. In no case do not treat the walls of the squirrel house with paint or varnish and do not buy finished goods with this treatment, because the squirrels will be afraid of the artificial smell and will not settle in this house.
  3. Observe required dimensions squirrel cage, animals love compact and cozy houses. The ideal housing parameters are: height up to 55 cm, width up to 40 cm, depth 45 cm, manhole opening up to 7 cm in diameter.

How to set up a squirrel house?

In order for the squirrel cage to remind the animals of the “native” living conditions, it must be installed adhering to the following requirements:

  • Fastening must be carried out to the tree
  • To make the squirrels feel protected, install the house at a height of at least 5 meters from the ground
  • Turn the hole for the manhole towards the south or east
  • Do not point the muzzle of the squirrel in the windy direction
  • To help the squirrels close up the gaps in the house, put some moss or tow on the bottom
  • Build a feeder for squirrels next to the squirrel so that the animals quickly settle in a new place.

Squirrel house care

Since over time, the squirrel acquires an unpleasant odor and is saturated with bacteria, there is a possibility of the animals getting sick. To prevent this, it is necessary to carry out a thorough cleaning of the squirrel house at the end of the summer season.

Be sure to wear rubber gloves when caring for the squirrel's house. First you need to remove all debris, dirt and insulation (if used), then wipe the surface of the squirrel with a damp cloth and lay fresh bedding. As a result, the unpleasant smell should disappear, and with the advent of autumn, squirrels will gladly settle in your useful garden building!

How to make a house for squirrels with your own hands?

To make a house for squirrels with your own hands, you need to have a little experience in carpentry, as well as have a desire and quite a bit of free time! All you need is to find a board 3 meters long, 30 cm wide and no more than 2 cm thick.

First you need to cut the board on the necessary part, namely:

  • The back side is 55 cm long.
  • 2 boards 5 cm long (for attaching the birdhouse to the tree)
  • 2 side walls, dimensions 45*25 cm
  • 1 internal partition 25*20 cm

Do not throw away the remaining pieces, they will serve as porches.

We cut a hole in the back wall with a jigsaw - it will serve as a door. Sand the inner contours of the hole sandpaper so that the squirrel does not get hurt when it climbs.

We glue all structural elements and connect them with self-tapping screws so that the structure is more durable.

The building of the house is completed finished construction should look like this:

Building a one-piece squirrel

A solid squirrel cage is made from a log with a diameter of at least 40 cm. You should choose a log from coniferous tree or oak, because these tree varieties are acceptable for squirrels. If you choose a birch or aspen log, there is a chance that the animal will not want to settle in, there is no question of poplar. The advantage of a one-piece squirrel cage is as follows:

  • The thickness of the walls will make the housing warmer
  • The design of such a squirrel will brightly complement any garden decor.
  • The time to build such a house is much less

Instructions for building a solid squirrel:
First, saw off a 4 cm thick circle from the log. After that, saw off another 40 cm blank, it will serve as the basis of the squirrel cage.

Next, we proceed to cutting out a cavity in the main blank for a comfortable stay of squirrels. The wall thickness, in the end result, should be at least 3 cm. We cut out a hole for the manhole from the side and, in the end, we nail the previously cut cover to the top of the base. If you wish, arrange a porch for a house for a squirrel, you can do this by attaching a branch to front side squirrel.

That's all the work! You can also build a two-story squirrel from a log, for this you will need the same log, only 85 cm thick.

First, we saw off 2 circles from a log 4 cm thick (the first will serve as the bottom of the first floor, the second - the roof of the second floor). Next, we hollow out cavities from the ends of the log, 35 cm deep, observing the minimum allowable thickness walls. After that, we attach the bottom with the roof and cut out 2 holes for the manhole at the required height. A two-story solid squirrel is ready!

Here, in fact, is the entire instruction for creating a house for a squirrel with your own hands! We also recommend that you read the article on how to do it on your own!

Squirrels are funny small and curious rodent animals that love to wander into the nearest suburban area and enjoy something tasty. It also happens that a squirrel decides to firmly settle in a chosen summer cottage. In this case, you will need to install a house, called a squirrel, for a restless resident. Unless, of course, there is a desire to feed and watch the funny habits of a cute rodent.

house for squirrels

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Building a house for a squirrel with your own hands is pleasant and an exciting activity. In addition, children can be involved in the process, who will be delighted with such an idea. The process of creating a squirrel house is practically the same as creating a traditional bird feeder or birdhouse, and therefore you can pick up old blueprints lying around and start implementing the project, improving it a little. If there are no drawings available, you can find a photo on the Internet and take it as the basis for the future squirrel house.


Stages of building a squirrel house

How to make a house for a squirrel?

Before starting work, it is necessary to take into account a number of important details and nuances that will help track the appearance of proteins on personal plot and will allow you to determine the most beloved places of the red animal. The selection of a location for the future home of a funny rodent is important. And, perhaps, it is necessary to start building a house for a squirrel with it.

In the territories of parks and forests, squirrels are practically tame, because vacationers and tourists feed cute red creatures. But near forests, far from entertainment and tourist areas, squirrels, protected by the instinct of self-preservation, are wary of people. Therefore, to settle a cautious, wild squirrel in your summer cottage is not an easy task.

The best place for the future squirrel's house will be a place on a personal plot on the border dacha territory with woodland.

In order to lure a squirrel, it is necessary to resort to cunning in choosing the future habitat of a restless resident. You should focus on the natural habitat of the rodent, in other words, the choice should fall on trees that are as similar as possible to forest plantations, on which the squirrel's house can be easily disguised from prying eyes.

It is worth watching the squirrel for some time, finding out from which side it comes and in the branches of which tree on the site it hides. This will be the place for the house. You can go for a little trick and regularly leave fruits, nuts and cookies for the red touchy under this tree. Over time, she will get used to the fact that in the established place she is always waiting for a treat, and she will often look at the summer cottage. He will begin to get used to a new place and spend more time studying a new environment, in search of something tasty. When the squirrel gets used to it, you can try to reduce the distance and give the usual treats from your hands.


The choice of material for building a house

relation to proteins different countries different and depends on the size of the population. For example, in some regions of the United States, squirrels are exterminated because they cause great damage to crops and crops. In some American cities, there are so many squirrels that, without any fear of people, they settle in the attics of residential buildings and roam freely on farmlands. As houses, red-haired violators of the borders choose old carton boxes, abandoned wooden and sometimes even metal constructions such as old buckets and mailboxes.

Unfortunately, the population of squirrels in our area is not so large. This is due to the fact that proteins long time exterminated for valuable fur and just for fun. Therefore, you should not expect that the cautious red animal, having thrown back the instinct of self-preservation, will settle in an old leaky bucket at their summer cottage.

The choice of material for the construction of a house for squirrels

When choosing material for a future squirrel house, you should not focus on the housing preferences of American squirrels, they have overpopulation there. There are few squirrels in our latitudes, so they deserve decent apartments.

For the squirrel's house, you can choose natural wooden raw materials. At their summer cottage there will always be in large numbers various boards, bars, plywood. Usage natural materials It has great advantage in luring squirrels, because they resemble a native tree and will not scare away a red-haired creature.

We decided on the place and material, it's time to determine the size of the future house for the squirrel.

House dimensions. The size and shape of the house is important for the squirrel, because it will not fit into a too cramped house, and a too spacious one will frighten it. Experts recommend focusing on the following parameters:

  • 25 cm wide,
  • 25 cm deep,
  • 40 cm in height.

For a better idea of ​​the dimensions, please refer to the corresponding photos.

Before the direct construction of a house for a squirrel, you must first sketch out a project, then make a drawing based on the project. This drawing will become a guideline in the construction of a future home for a red rodent. The drawing should include the following: necessary components squirrel house:

  • back wall;
  • bottom and roof of the dwelling;
  • facade;
  • side walls;
  • small shelves inside the house;
  • entrance for a squirrel and a shelf on the front of the house;
  • inner shelf;
  • fastener-base, which will serve as an attachment to the tree.

Everything must be included in the drawing. the slightest nuance, otherwise, forgetfulness threatens to delay the process of building a house for a squirrel indefinitely.

Necessary tools for building a squirrel with your own hands:

  • wood saw;
  • a hammer;
  • electric or manual drill;
  • drill attachment, called "ballerina";
  • nails of different sizes;
  • self-tapping screws;
  • screwdriver;
  • construction roulette;
  • simple pencil;
  • source materials;
  • wooden beam or mounting plate.

This is a non-exhaustive list necessary materials and tools, as it varies from the complexity of the intended design.

When preparatory work on designing a house for a squirrel is completed, you can begin to implement the planned project. To do this, you need to use a simple pencil and construction tape measure transfer all measurements from the drawing to the source material.

Then, using a hacksaw for wood, carefully and accurately cut the working material. All working blocks must be processed so as not to leave sharp surfaces on which the squirrel can be injured or cut. When the working blocks for assembly are ready, it is necessary to carefully refine each of them.

On the facade working block, in accordance with the prepared drawing, you should mark the inlet to the squirrel and cut it with the help of a “ballerina”, as a rule, 10 cm in diameter is enough, but you can focus on your own preferences.


How to build a house for a squirrel

The main thing is not less than 10 cm. When the main entrance is ready, you need to attach the so-called balcony-shelf. To better understand what it is, you need to look at the photo. For a balcony-shelf you will need a wooden beam in the form of a step. Everything is fastened with nails and self-tapping screws, whichever is more convenient for you. The next in line is the inner shelf, which must be fixed on the inside of the side wall, so that it is located under the entrance to the squirrel with reverse side and did not block the inlet. This inner shelf is a kind of step, with the help of which the red-haired inhabitant will easily get into and out of the dwelling.

When all the working blocks are prepared, you can proceed directly to the assembly and installation of the squirrel house. On the rear and front working blocks must be carefully stuffed mounting strips on both sides, while maintaining the distance for attaching the side panels. The rear work unit must be placed on a firm flat surface and using a screwdriver and self-tapping screws, first attach the side working blocks, then the front block. When working structure secured properly, it's time to attach the roof and bottom of the shack.

The squirrel house is attached to the selected tree, like a regular birdhouse, using wire or special clamps. In order not to injure the bark of a tree, you can select a dead area and install a squirrel there. The house for the squirrel should be fixed at a level of 3-6 meters, this height will be enough for the red animal to honor itself in safety and have the opportunity to observe what is happening from a safe distance.

The final stages of building a squirrel house

For some craftsmen, the fantasy is not limited to designing a house for a squirrel like a birdhouse. They create with their own hands from improvised materials unique and original squirrel cages that organically fit into the picturesque landscape. suburban area. Lot original photos can be found on the internet. Interesting and unusual, and at the same time striking in its simplicity and uncomplicatedness, the creation of a squirrel in the hollow of an old large tree. Making a hollow in a tree is quite simple. To do this, you need to find an old large tree with a dead section, you will also need a chainsaw and a couple of hours of free time. The imagination of the masters is not limited to this, they make feeders for squirrels and birds from old bird cages, decorate squirrels decorative moss, which makes it almost invisible in the canopy of trees. Old ceramic garden flowerpots and wooden stumps are used to build a squirrel house.

Do not use toxic materials to create a do-it-yourself squirrel, so try to refrain from using paint, varnishes and stains. Indeed, the plans include the creation of a beautiful and cozy house for the squirrel, and not its poisoning. Squirrel house made with my own hands, must be safe and non-toxic for a small rodent.

A little skill, diligence, imagination and improvised materials - and original, cozy house ready for a red-haired fidget. The only thing left to do is feed the squirrel and settle it in a new and comfortable home.

A beautiful house for a little red-haired resident will become not only an organic element of the picturesque landscape design, but will also give a lot of pleasant and unforgettable impressions from communicating with a forest creature, which will certainly become a favorite of the whole family and the center of attention of a vacationing company.

It is so common that forest animals settle near human habitation areas. Of course, in such "crowded" places it is difficult to find any food, because the presence of people negates the natural feeding range of animals. In such difficult cases, there is only one way out - to show mercy and start feeding the poor animals.

What kind of animal

Not so long ago, this species began to conquer residential areas. Everything is subject to them: the earth, and heights, and trees. They surprise with their kindness. So what are these animals? And we're talking about proteins.

These red hairballs are moving to the city. Yes, small rodents are increasingly found in parks than in forests. This trend is easily explained. Neighborhood with a person can bring some advantages. For example, additional source stern. Watching a squirrel eat is a real pleasure. This entertainment is not only for children, but for all adults. That is why many caring people begin to care for the animals. But how and how can you help the above rodents? The answer is not far off.

What is needed for happiness

The only thing for squirrels is food and shelter. The rest is little things that the rodent itself can take care of. That is why many "green" volunteers are building a kind of house.

Squirrel feeder? Why not? We must help nature. In addition, a well-equipped place for feeding will help not only the squirrels themselves, the feeder can serve as a wonderful decoration and a living corner in any yard or park.

Relevance

A permanent place of obtaining food is the key to the survival of the population of any animals, including squirrels. Indeed, in urban conditions it is impossible to make large reserves. The presence of food and a roof, especially in winter, can significantly change the life of an animal for the better.

Therefore, the placement of feeders is always relevant. But in this case, do not overdo it. Squirrels should not be lazy. It is worth remembering that top dressing is just an emergency exit.

Buy or make

A squirrel feeder is a fairly widespread product. Homes can be found anywhere. Any pet store sells a product of this type. A question of price. Of course, original feeders made from natural materials are correspondingly expensive. But if you already have a desire to help, you can not retreat.

With a small budget, there are few options and you don’t have to choose. But still, there should be at least some way to make a good copy. It's pretty simple. The main thing is patience and accuracy.

Material requirement

First of all, you need to choose the materials from which the squirrel feeder will be built in the near future. Raw materials should not be picked up offhand. Otherwise, the structure may not benefit the animal, but rather harm it. It is important that the materials for the manufacture of the feeder do not have any toxicity. For example, wood should be used in its pure form.

Without paint and varnish - a prerequisite. It is advisable to select natural basis A: wood, clay, straw, resin, cardboard and so on. On the contrary, it is worth avoiding harmful and Correct selection material will ensure the continued success of the feeder. After all, pungent odors or toxins can frighten the animal and forever discourage the desire to come to human buildings.

Feeder drawing

Any makeshift buildings it is better to start with an image of a drawing. Original feeders, requiring skillful finishing, are generally not built without a plan. So, first you need to prepare the materials. For this feeder you will need: wooden planks thirty centimeters thick, nails or screws, a glass jar, a ruler and a saw.

As you can see, all this can be found in any garage, so high costs You can't plan for a project. First, consider the issue of size and shape. The squirrel feeder will have almost standard view. Four walls, floor, ceiling and a small addition in front. It will turn out like a box with an elongated bottom, on which the bank will be located. Why is she needed? The point is that feeders open type have the property of being readily available. Birds can easily steal food, insects will settle in it. Glass jar somewhat complicates the process of theft, so top dressing can take place as intended.

DIY squirrel feeder

Theory first, now practice. Where to start? Probably from cutting boards. A kind of house should have the following dimensions: forty-five centimeters long, twenty-five centimeters wide, and twenty centimeters high. The resulting bars must be collected together. But don't rush. This design has a feature: a ledge-veranda.

Its length will correspond to the length of the jar. So let's take this important point into account. It turned out a small "deaf" box with a ledge. Now you need to make small holes, which, in fact, will serve as an entrance. There will be two in total. The first exit can be cut in any place you like, but not from the "veranda" side. The stroke diameter should not exceed ten centimeters. The second hole must exactly match the opening of the jar. When the passages are made, there is only one thing left: to fix the glass element.

So, without spending a lot of effort and money, you can do a wonderful thing that will save many squirrels from hunger.

Second way

Feeder for squirrels from plastic bottle common in many parks. It is often hung by children. The advantages are simple: low cost, ease of manufacture and mass production. That's why plastic version chosen by many novice craftsmen. But this model also has its drawbacks. This is relatively small durability. Feeding troughs made of plastic do not even survive the winter. Weather ruin them a lot. Well, be that as it may, such products have a place to be. To make a plastic feeder, you will need a five-liter bottle, a rope, and the scheme of actions is impossibly simple. First you need to build a small entrance. They will serve as an outstandingly carved square. It is important that this hole is located low from the bottom of the bottle. Otherwise, the squirrels will not be able to get food and will simply fall into the feeder. And this is not very good. So, the entrance should be approximately at a distance of five to nine centimeters from the bottom of the structure. On the reverse side, it is worth making four holes so that their arrangement resembles a square. What are they for? These holes will serve as fasteners. Two coils of rope will pass through them, which, in turn, will wrap around the tree trunk. That's almost all done. There was one small detail left, namely, to process the cut out sides. To do this, you need to make small cuts in the corners and bend the resulting parts. So it will be easier for squirrels to stand on the feeder, and besides, sharp plastic will not be able to scratch their paws.

Design approach

You always need to approach solving problems with a soul. Especially when it comes to any products made by one's own hands. And if they are going to decorate a park or a public garden, then good design becomes a matter of honor. Many photos of feeders can suggest attractive ideas. For example, in the same design. The feeder can be represented in in kind. That is, overlay its surface with pieces of bark. Such a modified house will look much more interesting than boring wooden blocks. Any children's toy or image of a squirrel can become a feeder logo. To make it clear to everyone who lives here and who eats here. It is also worth considering the "infrastructure". Near the feeder, you can build all sorts of wheels for running, carousels, swings and ladders. They will amuse any little animal. Find really useful photo feeders on the Internet is not so difficult. And the selected ideas can significantly change appearance house feeders.

pressing question

How to make a feeder is one question. We dealt with him. What to feed squirrels in winter? In the feeder, firstly, there should always be food. It will help squirrels survive cold and hungry winters. The house should have fruits and vegetables. This is one of the main types of food for feeding. Apples, carrots, cabbage, bananas - all this can be easily obtained in any store, and small rodents also like it. What else to feed squirrels in winter? The feeder should also contain solid food. These can be attributed various kinds nuts and grains. For example, squirrels can be fed walnuts, split peas, beans, peanuts, sunflower seeds and others. It is not recommended to give proteins any bakery products. Especially white bread. It is also forbidden to use any sweets and, as it turned out, mushrooms. In general, when feeding squirrels, one main rule should be followed: that everything be fresh. Then the animals will be healthy and full, and the feeder will be a success.

The feeder-house is not such a complicated building. This does not require much effort and money. But the benefit brought by such a noble act will not go unnoticed.

A dacha near a park area is always characterized by the appearance on its territory of small animals that come to us to feast on something tasty. These are often squirrels that are a lot of fun to watch. And, in order to be able to do this more often, you can build a house for a fluffy guest in your country house.

Indeed, there is no problem to lure a small rodent to your place, settle it on the nearest tree and constantly observe its interesting behavior, feeding it with nuts. It is only necessary to build a small housing for the squirrel so that the animal feels not only full, but also comfortable.

Building a house for a squirrel with your own hands is very simple. It is not much different from a standard feeder or birdhouse, and therefore, you can even pick up old drawings, if any, and work on them. If not, then the whole process will have to start over.

How to make a hut for a squirrel

Before you start tinkering, you need to foresee a lot important little things, which will regulate the appearance of the squirrel in the country and its survival in the territory. The list of requirements will include the location of the dwelling, its arrangement, and the most natural look. But about all this strictly in order.

Location

The squirrel is a practically tame creature only in parks where red babies are often fed. In dachas near forests, in view of the instinct of self-preservation, little thieves are very prudent and cautious, and therefore it will not be easy to invite them to settle at home. by the most the right option will be the correct location of the house that we are going to build.

Try to place the teremok closer to the border of the territory, away from buildings and crowded places, away from loudly working machines and tools that are used in the country. Also, it is imperative to provide for the height of the house, the similarity of trees with the main plantations in natural area near the dacha, the maximum disguise of the house and so on. Such a move will make it possible to outwit the squirrel a little, which will help to lure her to her dacha and leave her to live there. Naturally, over time, the animal will understand your good intentions and get used to it a little, allowing itself to come closer and closer and take food even from your hands, but this requires not only time, but also the right course in which your acquaintance will take place.

Creation material

Squirrels of different breeds and habitats can behave too differently, and therefore, to link together their behavior is simply unrealistic. In the States, squirrels pose some danger to crops and their bins, and therefore can even be destroyed. But it is there that one notices how cunning violators of borders freely roam the lands of farmers and settle in attics, sheds and other places, choosing for themselves not only wooden or cardboard boxes for life, but even tin structures, buckets and so on.

Considering our regions, there are some doubts that a squirrel will so easily come and live in a bucket with a hole, and therefore, in view of this thought and our predisposition to work with wood, we will create a squirrel house from natural elements.

Next, we'll talk about how to make a wooden hut, separate parts boards or plywood, but most importantly, what we will use in production is natural materials, which not only will not scare away squirrels, but will also attract them.

Building drawing

Blueprints correct dimensions are more important for you, for the convenience of creating a design, than for the animal itself, for which only certain parameters must be exactly observed. Therefore, you need to take a piece of paper and a pencil, sketch light project, and further, during construction, try to follow it as strictly as possible.

Making a drawing is very easy. This is the back wall, bottom and roof of the house, front part, side walls, several shelves. You can choose the dimensions yourself, but remember that the house should be approximately the following parameters - 25x25x40 cm, in width, depth and height. These are approximate dimensions, and the dwelling may be somewhat larger, but it is advisable not to make it smaller. Also, be sure to provide an entrance and a shelf on the front part, inner shelf and strengthening the base of the squirrel, on which it will be attached to the tree.

Tools and materials

The following tools and materials may come in handy: a hacksaw, a hammer, a drill, a ballerina nozzle, nails, self-tapping screws, a screwdriver, a tape measure, a pencil, wood (edged or unedged board), wooden beam or mounting plate, approximately 40x40 cm.

Naturally, in the process of work, some more necessary items or consumables, but their obligation depends only on the complexity of the design.

Building a squirrel

initial stage work will be the transfer of all sizes from the drawing to the working material, that is, to the board. Next, the material is precisely cut with a hacksaw for wood.

Now that all the elements are ready, we begin to work with each of them separately.

In the facade element of the squirrel we make holes for entering the house, a small round hole with the help of a “ballerina”. About 10 centimeters in diameter will be enough, but options are also possible at your own discretion.

Now, next to the hole, we need to attach a small shelf to the facade, the so-called balcony. It can be made from wooden beam, in the form of a step, or apply part of the board to the same beam to make a larger ledge. You can fix everything with nails or screws, whichever is more convenient for you.

Further, a shelf is applied to one of the side parts, which should be located inside, directly under the entry hole, but not overlap the entire structure inside, so that the squirrel can descend to the depth of its house. Such a shelf adapts to the side wall by fixing it to nails or self-tapping screws that come with outer side wooden element.

When building a squirrel hut, try not to use toxic materials with strong odors, which can scare away the creature, and also, work very carefully with the structure so that there are no sharp elements that can injure the animal.

Now that we have everything ready for assembly, we can put the squirrel together. This is done in the following way. On the back of the squirrel's house, with inside along the edges, two mounting strips are stuffed from top to bottom, which is also done with the front part. It is also required to provide a gap for the installation of side walls.

After fixing them, the back wall is laid flat on a hard surface and the side walls are strengthened on it, or rather on the stuffed planks. Everything happens with the participation of a screwdriver and self-tapping screws, which is very simple and fast. When you get a U-shaped structure (top view), that is, the back with side walls, it remains to fix the front part. Everything happens in the same way as in the previous step.

When the house is almost ready, it is necessary to install its roof and bottom, and then install it.

Product installation

As in the case of a birdhouse in the country, a squirrel house can be fixed on a tree with special clamps or wire. Also, it can be stuffed on the dead part of the tree so as not to injure it. It is advisable to do this in more or less dense vegetation, without turning the facade to noisy places, so that the animals feel some kind of security.

It is better to install a squirrel house higher, at a level of 3-6 meters, but do not forget that working at height can be dangerous, and therefore, be sure to use insurance.

Squirrel house from a stump or tree

From a high stump, a house for a squirrel can be organized very simply, for example, by cutting a hollow inside. This is done as follows - an even cut is made on top of the stump to level the site for installing the future roof, then, again, from above, a cavity is cut out in the stump, a hollow is cut on the side, and everything is covered with a roof from above. Naturally, this will take time and effort, but believe me, it's worth it, since you will organize not only a truly natural and natural house, but also an excellent decorative element for decoration. suburban area.

Squirrel house and feeder: video

In a tree, a squirrel cage is arranged in a similar way, but without an upper cut and installation of a roof, but a hollow is simply sawn in the place where the tree is already inanimate, for example, on a large dead branch. The hollow is cut with special tool- chainsaws, drills with nozzles, and so on, then it is cleaned a little from the inside, protected at the entrance - and that's it. The squirrel house, as natural as the previous one, is completely ready.

As you can see, there are practically no difficulties in building a squirrel house with your own hands. Sometimes, of course, such a question rests on a tool, practical knowledge or free time, but if you bypass all this, tune in and quickly create your first masterpiece, then you only have to do one thing - to lure the squirrel to her new house and settle her in the new building for a long time .