Greedy squirrel stuck in bird feeder
A squirrel had to be rescued in County Durham after becoming stuck in a bird feeder
Last updated 14th Dec 2021
A greedy squirrel needed a helping hand after getting his chunky body stuck in a bird feeder in the garden of a house in Hartlepool, County Durham.
RSPCA animal rescuer officer Ruth Thomas-Coxon was called to the property in Blakelock Gardens on Saturday 4th December - when the home-owner spotted the stricken squirrel at about 12 noon.
The woman had gone to replenish nuts in the squirrel-proof bird feeder then found the mammal well and truly stuck inside.
A tight squeeze...
Sadly it seems the squirrel bit off more than he could chew - quite literally - and was unable to get back out. So the concerned resident called the RSPCA for help.
RSPCA worker Ruth was sent to the scene and she could see the frightened mammal was in need of help so she carefully used wire cutters to cut the bars and safely released the squirrel.
The feeder is designed to encourage small birds to feed from the outside, while stopping squirrels from getting inside, but on this occasion the hungry animal had managed to squeeze through the small gaps.
Ruth said: “This greedy boy must have gone in - even though this is a squirrel proof feeder - and obviously he had such a good feed he got wedged and was unable to exit. Luckily his predicament was spotted or he could have endured prolonged suffering.
“He was obviously frightened but otherwise appeared unscathed from his ordeal - however he probably needs to lay off the nuts for a while!
“I freed him in situ, as we’re legally allowed to do, and as soon as he was free he made a quick getaway - which was good to see.”
The RSPCA is urging people to keep an eye on all wildlife feeders in their garden to make sure animals do not get stuck or injured.
Ruth added: “There are many types of ‘squirrel-proof’ feeders available but it seems that a few could still trap wildlife.
“I would urge people who have them to check their feeders regularly to look out for any trapped wildlife and if you are going on holiday take them down.
“In this instance the resident did exactly the right thing - she was checking the feeder regularly to feed the birds and then when she found the squirrel stuck she called the RSPCA for help.”
If you encounter a squirrel caught in a bird feeder, do not try to free the animal yourself as you may risk hurting the animal or yourself. Instead monitor the situation and call the RSPCA emergency line on 0300 1234 999.
Ruth added: “The RSPCA is the only charity with teams out rescuing animals across England and Wales this Christmas. We have to be there for all kinds of animals who need help, including wildlife. It will cost us £3,750 to feed the animals at one of our wildlife centres this December. We rely entirely on donations to keep our wildlife centres open so we’re calling on animal lovers to Join the Christmas Rescue to help keep our teams doing whatever it takes to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife.”
To Join the Christmas Rescue and help our rescuers be there for the animals in need, please visit www.rspca.org.uk/rescuexmas
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