Written by Oliver Freedman, Roamwild USA. Published September 16, 2026. Based on the setup photos customers send to info@roam-wild.com.
Short answer: when a PestOff feeder is still being raided, the cause is almost always where it hangs, not the feeder. Work through the seven checks below in order. If the feeder passes all of them and squirrels still get seed, email a photo of the setup and the PestOff Promise applies.
1. Is it 18 inches from every vertical surface?
Measure from the feeder to the nearest wall, fence, post, deck rail or tree trunk. A squirrel clinging to any of these can lean across and take seed from a port without putting weight on the perch, which is the only thing that closes the port. If it is under 18 inches, move it: use a shepherd's hook, a bracket extended to its full 17.7 inch reach, or the PestOff Bird Feeding Station, whose arms hold feeders 18 inches from the pole.
2. Are the ports at least 5 feet off the ground?
An eastern gray squirrel can jump about 4 to 5 feet straight up. A feeder at 4 feet is reachable from the ground without touching the perch first. Raise it so the ports are 5 feet up or higher.
3. What can it jump from?
Look for anything within 8 to 10 feet horizontally: fence tops, branches, a roof edge, a grill, a deck railing, a second feeder. Squirrels leap 8 to 10 feet from a launch point and land on the feeder body, above the baffle. Move the feeder or remove the launch point.
4. Does it hang freely?
The perches must be able to move. If the feeder rests against a branch, a pole or another feeder, or the hanging cable is twisted so the body leans, a perch can sit on the anti-squirrel ring or a baffle and never pivot. Hang it from the steel cable on a hook so it swings freely, and make sure nothing touches the tube.
5. Is the anti-squirrel ring seated?
The clear ring around the lower tube must be fully clipped on so there is no lip to grip. If it has popped off or sits crooked, reseat it (there is a 15-second video on the Help page). A missing ring is a $5.99 replacement part.
6. Is it a squirrel at all?
Raccoons are heavy enough to break a perch rather than trigger it, and they work at night; if seed vanishes overnight or a perch is bent, that is a raccoon, and the fix is bringing the feeder in at dusk or a raccoon baffle on the pole, not a different feeder. Very small juvenile squirrels in late spring can occasionally weigh little enough to feed; they grow out of it within weeks. Chipmunks, at 2 to 5 oz, are also light enough to sit on a perch; a pole baffle stops them.
7. Is seed reaching the ground?
A squirrel under the feeder eating spilled seed is not defeating the feeder, but it is being fed. Switch from mixed seed to sunflower hearts, which birds do not shovel through, or add the PestOff Bird Seed Catcher under the feeder.
Still failing? The PestOff Promise
If you have followed the instructions (18 inches from any vertical surface, 5 feet up, hanging freely) and squirrels still get to the seed, email info@roam-wild.com with a photo of the setup and your order number. A real person replies within one business day and we will make it right.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the port close for cardinals but not squirrels?
It should be the reverse. A cardinal weighs about 1.5 to 1.7 oz and should never close a port; if it does, the perch is resting on something (check 4). A squirrel that is not closing the port is not on the perch at all (checks 1 to 3).
Can I adjust the springs?
No, and that is by design: the PestOff springs are factory-set so there is nothing to calibrate. If you want an adjustable trigger weight, a single-spring feeder offers it.
Does the feeder need the baffles and ring to work?
Yes. The ports are the last line; the upper and lower baffles and the anti-squirrel ring are what force a squirrel onto the perch in the first place. Reassemble any part you removed for cleaning.
Sources
- Squirrel jumping distances: National Wildlife Federation, "Thwarting Backyard Squirrels"; The Wood Thrush Shop, "Squirrel-Proof Basics".
- Eastern gray squirrel and chipmunk weights: published mammalogy references.
- Roamwild customer setup photos and support cases, 2024 to 2026.
