Feeding wild animals in the snow

MaeveD

We're extremely lucky to have lots of wild animals around our school, so I'm trying to help them out in this nasty weather.

I have seed, peanuts, apple and suet balls out for the birds.... whats the best thing I feed the wild rabbits and hares... hay? help!

Paul91

MaeveD wrote: »

We're extremely lucky to have lots of wild animals around our school, so I'm trying to help them out in this nasty weather.

I have seed, peanuts, apple and suet balls out for the birds.... whats the best thing I feed the wild rabbits and hares... hay? help!

hay, raw carrots, spinach not lettuce

Discodog

Well done. Great to inspire Kids to value wildlife.

baubl

Discodog wrote: »

Well done. Great to inspire Kids to value wildlife.

any tips on keeping cats from catching the birds,I have 3 bells on each, still they are catching the poor birds, i have been angry with them for this and they will not come near me now, what next, as the blackbird the trush and others are only ground feeders, i keep feeding always have, do not throw anything in bin, every last thing the birds need

EGAR

The cold seems to slow the birds down, I think, I noticed it on the roads, they are not nearly as fast anymore when flying out of the ditches. Since I can only drive in first or second gear on the roads around here I haven't managed to kill one, fortunately.

I feed them too but do not put feed on the ground, they get it on the birdtable, no risk to them as cats can't get up on it.

Discodog

The desperation is also making them take risks. I was working in a garden today & a Redwing was staying right by my side.

A cat bib (google catbib) will stop your cat getting birds but he will look ridiculous & will probably hate you for life.

However this is supposed to work:

http://www.willana-lifesciences.co.uk/catalert/

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/new-cat-collar-could-save-lives-of-30-million-birds-737939.html

Graces7

Paul91 wrote: »

hay, raw carrots, spinach not lettuce

Please? why not lettuce? They love to steal it from gardens...

baubl

Discodog wrote: »

The desperation is also making them take risks. I was working in a garden today & a Redwing was staying right by my side.

A cat bib (google catbib) will stop your cat getting birds but he will look ridiculous & will probably hate you for life.

However this is supposed to work:

http://www.willana-lifesciences.co.uk/catalert/

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/new-cat-collar-could-save-lives-of-30-million-birds-737939.html

weather preventing me from obtaining cat bib,I did clip his nails now hope this helps along with the bells,

The Sweeper

Keep the cat indoors. It 100% guarantees he won't kill birds.

baubl

The Sweeper wrote: »

Keep the cat indoors. It 100% guarantees he won't kill birds.

as a matter of interest, is it their claws or mouth they kill birds with, what next, they are locked up at the moment, i have clipped nails, put on extra bells so that they hang down a bit to make a bit of more jingle, what can be done next, can one have the cats big teeth pulled

convert

baubl wrote: »

as a matter of interest, is it their claws or mouth they kill birds with, what next, they are locked up at the moment, i have clipped nails, put on extra bells so that they hang down a bit to make a bit of more jingle, what can be done next, can one have the cats big teeth pulled

Cats use paws and mouth to catch their prey. Clipping their nails won't really help too much, as they'll still be able to catch the prey, and I think it would be just cruel to pull their teeth. They wouldn't be able to eat properly if you did that.

Keeping your cat in early in the morning and last thing at night is the best way of minimising them killing birds, and putting a bell on their collar is also the best you can do. You could also try watching them when they're out and chastising them if they go to chase birds. However, you've got to remember it's in their nature to chase and kill. Clipping their nails or pulling their teeth won't help to stop them.

lrushe

Graces7 wrote: »

Please? why not lettuce? They love to steal it from gardens...

Lettuce is mostly made up of water, with v.little nutriential value, as least thats the reason it is not advised as a main food for pet tortoises.

baubl

convert wrote: »

Cats use paws and mouth to catch their prey. Clipping their nails won't really help too much, as they'll still be able to catch the prey, and I think it would be just cruel to pull their teeth. They wouldn't be able to eat properly if you did that.

Keeping your cat in early in the morning and last thing at night is the best way of minimising them killing birds, and putting a bell on their collar is also the best you can do. You could also try watching them when they're out and chastising them if they go to chase birds. However, you've got to remember it's in their nature to chase and kill. Clipping their nails or pulling their teeth won't help to stop them.

I do keep them in as often as possible, my place is full of birds, i feed all the time these days, I have plenty trees here so they live close also, i thought by clipping the nails i was stopping the climbing the trees to get to the birds, the birds are so hungry these days, they are totaly dependant of us to keep them alive, there is no other source of food te ground is hard no hope for them if we do not pull out the stops and give all we can and more

votejohn

wouldnt the lettuce be good now since the animals are finding it hard to get access to water?

lrushe

votejohn wrote: »

wouldnt the lettuce be good now since the animals are finding it hard to get access to water?

Good Point!

convert

You could always try building a bird table that's off the ground and has a platform on top of the pole that it's resting on - kind of like a T shape. That makes it more difficult for the cats to climb up on as they find the T shape hard to manage. It proves problematic for rats, too.

Graces7

I once made a bird feeding table from a plank, 4 cup hooks and bailer twine, suspended from a tree branch so that if anything bigger than a thrush landed on it it would tip over.

One of the cats I had then was an avid hunter; he tried it once and got unceremoniously dumped.... Also magpies could not land there safely.

Cats are hunters period. And we can get too of touch with the reality of nature.

baubl

Graces7 wrote: »

I once made a bird feeding table from a plank, 4 cup hooks and bailer twine, suspended from a tree branch so that if anything bigger than a thrush landed on it it would tip over.

One of the cats I had then was an avid hunter; he tried it once and got unceremoniously dumped.... Also magpies could not land there safely.

Cats are hunters period. And we can get too of touch with the reality of nature.

thank you for this great advice, I will be doing exactily as you have said, I love great ideas, this is one of them

firesidechat

Trimming your cats claws is not recommended, You may have good intentions but you leave the cat with no defense system.
Your cat will be vulnerable to other cats or dogs, They need good sharp claws for defending themselves.