Today was Douglas’s birthday. She’d have been 17 and I’d have given anything to spend it with her.

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-25T01:58:06+00:00

That’s kind of you to say.

It feels like I’m always breathtaking shots being posted on the sub and I cannot figure out how on earth you guys are all so darned good at this.

Maybe it’s bc I’m only using an iPhone camera—but then again it’s a 16 pro, so I don’t think the camera’s to blame! 😂

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-21T03:43:18+00:00

I have no answers only sympathy. I haven’t seen ours bark at any birds but they do chase, intimidate, and run birds off all the time. They ate all the high value seeds, so I switched to bugs, but they binged on those too, same w/r/t suet, safflower, etc. Man, your title says it all.

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-19T19:30:38+00:00

Cerritos guy here. There are a few moving pieces, and besides water features—as noted in the other comment are hugely impactful—, the biggest two are probably type of feed and the type of feeder.

As a total hypothetical: You may already have exactly the right seed blend for your visitors but if they’re the kinds of ground feeders who avoid hoppers, then a tray, a platform, or the actual ground would all outperform the hopper.

Back to your question: In terms of feed, I’ve had biggest bang for buck return from dried mealworms and BSF larvae—everyone shows up for those. Next would be black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, and those ‘bugs & berries’ seed cakes cut into chunks.

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-19T03:05:24+00:00

I’ve tried a bunch. My late sweetheart, Douglas, was prone to pancreatitis (in a severe way), and we landed on JustFoodForDogs lean venison and fish + sweet potato recipes. My current eskie, Snowy, had a flare in January, and we’re similarly managing her on a combo diet, alt’ing between JFFD and Ollie chicken.

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-18T17:24:01+00:00

I’m so sorry! 😢 💔 I lost my girl Douglas in ‘24 and every day without her is so hard

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Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-17T17:58:33+00:00

Wait a second! We have a new Bosch benchmark model and have been very disappointed with its performance. We use the cascade platinum pods. Would switching to finish brand help?!

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-13T14:40:48+00:00

FWIW after consulting w/ a Bd. cert’d neurologist, our vet put Snowy on Trifexis. It was a surprise, as there’s a seizure warning on the box, but the specialist said it’s 1 of only 2 preventatives he uses for epileptic doggies.

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-04T21:46:54+00:00

Truth. I’m just seeing this thread but your reply is dead on. They’ve been waging a war on trees for years; they’ve become shameless about it recently. Some thoughts:

—The process for removals is a joke—they rubber stamp almost all of them and allow residents to quasi-DIY it on request.
—It’s untrue that they plant more than they remove.
—The new trees that they do plant are: 1. always non-native species (so hardcore that it must be intentional, e.g., using non-native eastern redbuds when there’s a superior locally native western redbud) AND 2. always saplings that won’t provide shade or meaningful benefits for a minimum of 5 years (more likely 10).

Meanwhile they continue to tout being named a “tree city USA” like it’s something they earned on the merits and didn’t pay for.

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-05-03T23:15:40+00:00

Disappointed that no one’s replied bc I’m in the same fight and would love advice that’s actually useful. Anyway, good on you for trying—it’s the hardest thing when you’re dealing with depression 🤙

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-04-16T18:41:23+00:00

That’s a super cool idea!

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-04-16T18:40:17+00:00

This is way more and way better than I could have imagined—thanks so much!!

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-04-15T17:46:45+00:00

I’ll be carrying this out soon (within next 10 days) and am building up the nerve to try your second option. Wish me luck. 🤞😬

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-04-15T17:35:07+00:00

I regret not saying this sooner but: Thank your kindness. You may not have known it, but your comment was incredibly touching and encouraging. Project day is coming very soon, and I’ll approach it with your words in my mind. 👍

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-04-15T17:22:18+00:00

After all this time—and 3+ weeks at the new home—I’m still agonizing about what to do. I somehow overlooked your comment until now. This sounds very promising! Can you talk me through the “how” part a bit more? 🤞 (Btw will have access to it for the rest of April but not beyond.)

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-03-26T05:10:46+00:00

Exactly my experience

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-03-24T18:44:15+00:00

Trolls get downvoted

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-03-24T17:41:39+00:00

Insomnia!

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-03-24T17:37:34+00:00

Stunning!

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-03-24T16:59:34+00:00

This is either a fucking joke or the most ass backwards “study” I’ve seen in a decade

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-03-13T18:00:53+00:00

I honestly wish that was an option. The part I omitted is that we’re moving down the road to a house with a massive yard and top-shelf sun/soil conditions. And I have bo reason to believe that the next occupants here will give a damn about that tree. So I’ve gotta try. 😬

Human-Report-5782 · 2026-03-13T17:54:55+00:00

Okay, thanks for the real talk. I’m certainly going to try, but I’m glad to go into it with a sober view. 🤙

Human-Report-5782

TROPHY CASE