Frequently Asked Questions

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If you have a question please email me at chirp@treebirdfeeders.com

1. How long is the flat rate shipping for bird feeders going to be?  We always plan to have flat rate shipping on our feeders.  I will keep it as low as possible into the future.  I hate it when I see a good price for something online only to find out it cost me an arm and a leg for shipping and handling.  I like my customers to know what they are going to pay for shipping of their new feeder up front before they even place it in their shopping cart. 
2. Does theft rate shipping apply to items I purchase with a bird feeder or do I have to pay extra shipping on the additional items I purchase with a feeder?  The  flat shipping is for a feeder only.  The reason I offer the flat shipping on feeders is so my customers know up front what there total cost will be for one of my feeders before they place the order.  All too often on the web today you might see a well built handcrafted product for $20 and think wow thats a great deal.  Then put it in your cart to find out they charge you $50 for shipping and handling that only cost them $15.  I do not want to do my customers that way.  However, the extra products you purchase with a feeder will be added for shipping to the $10 flat rate.  I have things set up to try to make the shipping as affordable as possible but the size and weights vary so much it is hard to get it real accurate.  When setting up the items for shipping I err to the side of the customer and often ship things for a little more than I charge for shipping.  If you place items in your cart with a feeder and you feel the additional shipping is too much please contact me and I will check it out for you and get it taken care of for the order.  I can be reached at chirp@treebirdfeeders.com or by phone at (660) 973-6349, if possible call me after 5 PM. 
3. I like the look of my feeder, so I exchange it as part of the lifetime replacement can I request it be refurbished and returned to me?  Yes, just pay the fee for a refurbished feeder and let us know you want yours back. We have added a place on the order form to indicate that you want yours back after being refurbished. 

1. Can I hang my Tree Bird Feeder instead of mounting it on a pole?  The Tree Bird Feeder is made to sit on a 1" diameter pole.  You could hang it but you would have to modify it to do so. 

1. Will the Tree Bird Limb attract as many birds as the Tree Bird Feeder? The Limb Feeder will not attract as wide a variety of birds as the Tree Bird Feeder.  The Limb feeder only offers 3 methods of feeding while the TBF offers those three as well as 4 additional methods.  The Limb Feeder is for the novice and the Tree Bird Feeder is for the more serious bird feeding enthusiast. 

1. How tight does the wing nut on the bottom plug have to be?  Just tighten it as snug as you can with your fingers.  If it leaks around the plug you will know it is not tight enough.  Once you fill it a few times you will get a feel of how snug it needs to be.
2. Can I wash the exterior of the feeder?  Yes, wash it with warm water.  It is treated with exterior epoxy so it will clean very easily.  We do not recommend immersing it in water.  If using a brush make sure it is soft bristled as too much pressure with stiff bristles could remove the epoxy exterior.
3. The wing nut on the plug has seemed to have gotten harder to turn, how do I fix this?  First of all, make sure you are cleaning the plug well when cleaning the feeder.  The nut can be loosened off to where it is fairly loose and treated with vegetable oil or non stick cooking spray.  Once you put the oil or spray on the threads tighten and loosen the nut several times and it will loosen up and be much easier to turn.  Be sure and keep the oil on the nut side of the plug and wash the plug with warm water after treating it. Use only vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray.  Do not use any petroleum based lubricant on the plug.
4. When I push the tops into the nectar ports they are sometimes very difficult to remove?  You do not need to push the tops all the way down into the nectar tube.  Just push it in about 3/4 of the way.  This will leave a little gap between the tube and the top, which will be fine and make it much easier to remove when cleaning the feeder. 
5. The orioles are prying off the tops of my nectar ports?  If the tops are loose you can tighten the tabs by spreading them out with a pair of pliers, needle nose works best.  If you prefer let me know and I can send you different nectar tops that will fight tighter.
6. I put out my new Hummingbird Nectar Trunk with my existing feeders and the hummingbirds are not using the nectar trunk, what should I do?   Anytime a new feeder is introduced to an area with existing feeders it may take some time for the Hummingbirds to get comfortable with the new feeder.  Give it some time.  You can go to our Feeder Instructions Page and download the Hummingbird Training Document that will give you some very good tips that are usually successful at getting the hummingbirds to use a new feeder both stand alone or with well established feeders.  Go to the Feeder Instructions Page by clicking here.
7. What is the best way to check how full my hummingbird feeder is.   Pull one of the nectar ports off and look inside the tube.  You can also tilt the feeder to see if it runs out the nectar tube.  Over time you good a pretty good feel of how long it is lasting and when it needs more nectar.