How to Take Apart and Clean Your Squirrel Buster Bird Feeder

While most of our summer species will remain here in our area for another month or two, this is also a great time to “check-in” and give your backyard feeders a quick mid-season clean-up to ensure they are in tip-top condition for the upcoming fall season.
While each feeder is truly unique, this week we wanted to pay particular attention to our Squirrel Buster models. As one of our best-selling feeders of all time (thank you!), there’s no doubt in our mind that many of us often require a quick lesson or refresher in Squirrel Buster care and maintenance. With that in mind, let’s walk through the steps of how to dismantle a Squirrel Buster to allow for the best cleaning possible!
- Squirrel Buster Standard: gilligalloubird.com/products/...
- Squirrel Buster Plus: gilligalloubird.com/products/...
- Squirrel Buster Classic: gilligalloubird.com/products/...
For more information, be sure to visit us at www.gilligalloubird.com

[@kashmunnee1]

One of the simplest and best instructions videos related to the squirrel buster

[@gilligallou]

Thank you very much, BV

[@jumpingeneral]

Thanks Bob for all your knowledge and info! Squirrel busters are #1

[@gilligallou]

jumpingeneral thank you very much. 👍

[@melissalove7828]

Very informative as I am working in a store that sells these feeders and we repair them as well.

[@icouldjustscream]

Love my SB+! Putting it up for fall/winter but forgot how to take apart for cleaning, so thanks!

[@gilligallou]

Perfect, thank you 😊👍

[@chrisverhulst6992]

Thank you so much!

[@gilligallou]

Thank you, happy to help anytime, Bob

[@kooale]

Wow, 12 minutes & not one word about cleaning solutions. BUMMER. BIG.

[@eve2278]

soap & water easy peasy

[@melissalove7828]

Warm soapy water and bottle brush. ☺️

[@kayjones6147]

That's all good and fine but the top is stuck on mine which you showed as the classic and I cannot remove it. Can you suggest how to get a stuck top off?

[@gilligallou]

Hi Kay, sometimes those lids get cross threaded. If you notice on the side of the lid looking at the outside there are 3 hole around the lid. These tab’s secure the lid, when it’s put on incorrectly they can bind . You may have to pry it off from the under side of the lid. It’s hard for me to say what’s wrong with out seeing your feeder. If you wanted to email me a few pictures I may be able to make a better suggestion. [e-mail] thanks , Bob

[@SporeSwaps]

But I did need to see how to get the spring back in. That's the only reason I'm desperately searching for the information

[@gilligallou]

Hi Sheri, no need for desperation 😊 I can help, we can talk tomorrow, email me gilligalloubird.com, we’ll get you fixed up. Have a great evening, Bob

[@therealchickentender]

Ain't no buster like a squirrel-buster. Our jumbo is going on its 4th season like gangbusters, and our finch-feeder version is in its 3rd.

[@gilligallou]

therealchickentender 👌👌awesome product for sure, enjoy! 😊

[@jimdenny7660]

I have a Buster Plus on a pole in my yard. I pull it off the pole to fill it and ALOT of seed runs out of the feed holes onto the ground. Even when the feeder is up on the pole and filled, the feeder emptied in about 3 days with the seed laying in the tray below. Three days ago I was filling and put my foot on the cardinal ring to pull up on the tube hoping to close the round feed ports when the tube came loose in my hand. I saw an indent and a yellow sticker, lined them up and the tube fit back on the base. And the seed DID'T spill out the feed holes! BUT, is the seed making its way down to the feed holes? Any insight into what I was either doing wrong before, (seed flowing out), or have done now, (seed staying in the tube)? Perhaps a week or so will tell, if the seed is going down in the tube. Your video is very helpful, thanks. Here in Virginia I have a plague of grekels, cardinals, Caolina finch, blue jays, mocking birds and a few others as regulars. Have seen a couple Baltimore Orioles and Red Wing Blackbirds! I have a suet feeder that draws a couple read headed woodpeckers. And crows are discovering the peanuts I put out on a bald spot in the lawn and on top od a burn barrel. So, having lived in NYC for the past 43 years, I'm pretty excited! And new. Thanks for your help.

[@gilligallou]

Fantastic, glad you got it fixed, sounds like the seed tube wasn’t in properly? Hard to say, anytime you have problems feel free to email me pictures, [e-mail] . Enjoy, thanks , Bob

[@bmorebhoy]

Thank you

[@tommeade6349]

Great, thorough video. The birds are happy again.

[@gilligallou]

Thank you 😊👍

[@marigracelarke141]

Verry helpful. The wing nut at the bottom of my Sqirrel Buster Plus resists turning. It feels like it is spring loaded . I turn it to the right to loosen and it springs back to left. This feeder is very dirty.

[@gilligallou]

They can get stripped, once it’s apart examine the treads , if they are the main piece can be replaced, let me know if I can help, 😊. Bob

[@JohnSnow-jt4lm]

How ofen do you neen to clean

[@gilligallou]

We suggest to inspect each time you fill, tip it upside down make sure there is no problems at the bottom of the seed tube, it is vented to keep air flow going, then 3-4 times a year give it a complete clean

[@rogerlove7904]

Can I replace the cardinal ring. It was in storage for some time and something chewed the ring.

[@gilligallou]

Sure can, the wing nut on the bottom will allow the support posts to turn in a little then back out again to support the new ring, remember to retighten the wing nut after. Where are you located? Bromebirdcare.com or I have them in stock at the store if you are near ? , thanks , Bob

[@herbsu4330]

What do you recommend for lubricating the plunger assembly on the smallest feeder?

[@gilligallou]

A very small amount of food grade oil, olive , vegetable

[@herbsu4330]

@@gilligallou Thanks

[@dellerwin1]

Where did your get the weather guard?

[@gilligallou]

We sell them here in our shop, we have full Ecom at gilligalloubird.com , unfortunately due to supply chain problems I’m out of stock atm , Bob

[@photozen8398]

did you take the photo or it is a stock photo?

[@gilligallou]

that photo was inside of the birding app I use, Audubon guides.

[@robinred1946]

Bob: I'm not sure where location. I live in Port Charlotte Florida and was woundering if do birds in Southwest Florida. My next question how clean the wooden bird feeders. They stationary another word word they don't come apart OK and we two them. My bird feeder in the back yardand alot sun OK. We did have another bird feeder and the glass it so get brittle when touch it I'm it our sun did it. Do make any glass stronger so get brittle when touch it what do sugjest we me buy? We buy Wild Bird food. I'm mixing the seeds toghter and get bird food on the group by Squirrel and bird plus we get raccoon tha climps up the pole. We llike catch the bird seeds before goes on the ground. We do the Robin certain time year. We blue Jay and Cardinals and Doves and black bird I'm not where call red headed wood pecker. Robin

[@gilligallou]

Robin Aiken we’re in Eastern Ontario, Canada, a light bleach and hot water with a good scrub brush and then rise well normally does the trip, go easy on the bleach. We just did a video a week or so about cleaning wooden feeders, check that out. Thanks for your inquiry, please subscribe if you haven’t already, 😎👍🙏🙏 , Bob

[@maryalyceharpster2647]

Video not helpful for how to disassemble the classic model. Finally found my manual and its pictures, so this is what to do: Remove cover (push down and turn CCW), PULL yellow center post cap off the green post and then disconnect the hanger cable from center post by pulling the metal tip through its slot. Remove the nut at the bottom, and pull out the green tube assembly and the plexiglass tube. All 4 pieces now easily washed.

[@islandquilter805]

Thanks for your comment. This is the info I was looking for.

[@anonliquid4853]

Thank you so much

[@laura2842]

thank you so the weather guard keeps away the black birds and grackles?????? OOOOOh I must purchase one!!!! please confirm

[@gilligallou]

We will have some weather guards soon, supply problems with covid shut downs, keep an eye on our website, gilligalloubird.com

[@gilligallou]

I clean it a few times a year,

[@dellerwin1]

I found a weather guard, but reading the reviews makes me decide not to get one. Can deter larger birds. Plus, some smart squirrels figure out a way to hang on it and eat the seed. All my squirrels have PhDs in seed theft so am sure they would find a way. I even had one eat all the way through the metal top of this feeder and the sides of that heavy metal lid. Had to glue a thick metal washer on the metal lid. My squirrels loves safflower and nyger seed, which they are supposed to avoid. And now all eat the hot pepper suet and hot pepper seed mixes, like it’s candy. For years, the hot pepper kept them away. Must be evolution.Too bad the seeds in this feeder get wet after rain. The only squirrel proof feeder I’ve found that is most rainproof is the Roller Feeder, sold only online. Totally squirrel proof and lasts. My first one is 7 years old and show no wear. Seed never gets wet unless a really hard rain with horizontal wind gusts.

[@laura2842]

OMG the same for the squirrels here in Md.... they used to hate the hot pepper suet now they go for it. And forget paying extra for the hot pepper infused seed they eat that too!!! Yes thing I've found is this squirrel feeder and Im looking for a hanger to use on the pole I have set up with a feeder far away from trees with two baffles lol. OOOOh what we do for our birds!!!

[@haleemamoin7868]

PhD ? 😂😂😂😂

[@bethlapp392]

title says tells you how to disassemble and clean. doesn't talk about that at all. i have a classic.

[@gilligallou]

So as I showed in the video you take the bottom nut off and slide the tube of the classics out , wash it up , let it dry and put it back in service. Thanks , Bob

[@kirwinbecker]

Approaching the 10 minute mark in your video is the action I was hoping you to talk about. You screwed off the top, correct? You do it without even talking about it! And, you even hold the feeder so I can barely see what you are doing.... you are assuming we know how to take the feeder tube out of the cage...

[@JerryOtteman]

Go to BromeBirdCare.com, then click on helpful videos, then select Squirrel Buster Plus.

[@stevec9102]

This video was a waste. I was hoping to see how to take apart to really clean the nyger feeder. All he did was rant about the damned nut on the bottom. Yea pal, we know what that is for, show us how to dismantle the rest of it. And turn your bird sound down at the beginning. Have a great day.

[@gilligallou]

hey Steve, thank you for your comment , take the bottom nut off of your finch feeder , remove the tube from the cage , wash , rinse and replace it back in the cage. have a nice day. Bob