We have found a solution to squirrels. We attached a 3-4 foot section of black or shiny stove pipe to the feeder over the post. Pull it up tight to the bird feeder and attach with wire. The stove pipe is tight to the top so that the squirrels cannot climb out the top and it wobbles so the do not try to crawl up it..and if they go inside...they have nowhere to go so they come back out. Only once in a while we get a smart squirrel to figure it out and go over the outside of the stove pipe...but he needs to be a big guy...