Inside the Mammal Feeder

This is a view inside the night time mammal feeder in my garden in Sheffield. It is used 3-4 times a week and currently a few badgers turn up and enjoy the spoils within. I normally place a handful of peanuts, cheese, fruit and sometimes a biscuity treat in there for them.

The feeder is an adapted poultry feeder which is constructed in galvanised steel with rolled edges. The mechanism it uses is called a treadle whereby weight on a step lifts the lid. The mammals can also lift the lid with their heads if they wish, and sometimes do! This feeder is being used in the quieter months while mammal visits are less frequent, to avoid attracting or feeding rodents. It is also used generally if rodents have been spotted at all, to prevent there ever being a growing population because of the feeding. I have nothing against mice and rats personally (they’re rather cute!) but I have to consider the potential disruption to where I live in order to continue doing the feeding and streaming.

Unfortunately the foxes have yet to figure the feeder out or dare to use it, which is a shame. However I do leave eggs in their shells for them when it’s a feeding night, and they take them gladly.

I try to keep a balance and take several nights off a week so the animals continue to forage naturally, and when I do feed, the quantity of food (especially while few animals are turning up) is suitably low.

On a feeding night, the light (which is a wifi controlled dimmable led 'neon' strip!) comes on in the evening and goes off again in the morning so you can see the glorious colour tones of our black and white friends!

There are many other views, including of outside of the feeder on the multi-stream feed, which shows birds and squirrels feeding in the daytime too! There’s also a chat room with friendly folks and a more fleshed out description! You can find that here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJYcgL18FGQ

Enjoy!