While its effects can be highly irritating, they are temporary. Capsaicin is non-toxic and has been used for many years in a wide variety of products to include arthritis medicines, as well as pepper sprays used by police. This patent protected technology is applied to wild birdseed under stringent controls in manufacturing. Many animal behavior studies were performed at Cornell University by the Department of Natural Sciences to determine the exact amount needed to discourage most squirrels from eating. Squirrels are very smart and will very quickly begin to look elsewhere for food.
Chile peppers are rich in vitamins A and E, as well as contain carotene.
There is even a pepper know as the Bird Pepper because they are eaten so often by birds. We also conducted toxicological tests at Covance Laboratories in Madison, Wisconsin and found no permanent damage to animals as a result of capsaicin exposure. Normally it will take at least two weeks before your feeder will be for the birds only. Many different pesky squirrels may be visiting your bird feeders. Squirrels usually live in colonies of up to twenty.