Rats (again)!

For a long time this is where the suet feeder for the birds hung. 

Then I realised Ratty had discovered and was using it. So, I moved it to here, where it’s been for a couple of years.

Yesterday I looked out the window and wondered what the large bird was that was at the feeder. Before realising the large bird had a long tail. Rats! When I opened the door to shoo him away, he leapt to the ground and shot under the deck. Grr.

I thought it was safe there, that a rat wouldn’t be able to climb the pole. And up until now that has proven to be the case. But no more. Rats.

Quickly moved the feeder here, but this is unsatisfactory. 

The birds themselves don’t seem to mind being this close to the house, but they’re getting a lot of suet crumbs (and bird shit) on the hummingbird feeder. This cannot be the permanent solution. I need to think of something else. Winter is coming and I want them to have some sustenance.

After dreaming about rats last night (and not just the four legged ones – another type of rat also, annoyingly, popped up in one of my dreams), I woke up with a thought. What about a greasy pole? Could a rat manage to find his way up to the clothes line if I greased the pole? Worth a try, but what to use? Suspect cooking oil would need to be applied weekly and I’d probably forget after a while. But what kind? Olive oil? Sunflower oil? Not sesame oil – it’s too expensive to be lathering on clothesline poles.) Is this a job for motor oil? Do I need to buy some?

Seriously, that’s a question, folks. What kind of oil would be too slippery for a rat, but not so smelly that it will put off the birds for which the feeder is meant? 

Answers, please.

And, as a reward for helping me out, here’s an adorable kitten pic.