Sorry to hear, I know the feeling well. :-(

If by 'old lady', you mean Mammillaria hahniana, I might have mentioned that Javelinas eat Mamms like kids eat M&Ms. You're best off sticking to Ferocactus, Echinocactus and Echinocereus. Javelinas have left my Oreocereus alone, but it's larger than a mouthful. Most importantly, they show no interest in Agaves.

I can tell you they will absolutely attack, upend, eat, or otherwise maim Cleistocactus, Thelocactus, Mammillaria, Gymnocalycium (these they just dig up and leave upside down on the driveway), Parodia, and many others too numerous to mention. They have not bothered my Stenocereus, Pachycereus, Pilocereus or Myrtillocactus to date. They attack some Opuntia, steering clear of others, and generally leave Echinopsis unharmed, but eat their flowers and buds.

It was a Mamm something. They ate her or most of her. They just pulled everything up and tossed them around. I think it must have to do with the length of the thorns. The longer thorns got left alone. I will keep your list of things they gobble up and make sure I don't buy anymore or don't put them in the front yard which has no fence.

If they dug up your Oreocereus, you might want to move it. Also, try to keep questionable new plants away from where they like to walk, like sidewalks and driveways.

I think it's about smell more than anything else, along with exploring the unfamiliar. They will always investigate new unfamiliar cactus by tasting or uprooting (yum, some roots are delicious!). The cacti they leave alone seem familiar to them via sight or smell. Look around your immediate neighborhood for small to moderate cacti they seem to leave alone. Even so, these are individuals, and one unruly bachelor may wreck havoc with plants the main family has left alone for years. There is just no telling...

No one in my area grows anything but the odd barrel cactus or saguaro or prickly pears. They just have dirt and creosote bushes and those palo verdes. If it isn't natural in the desert it isn't grown in this area. Of course, they are winter people and plants might be hard to maintain. Very boring.

Take a drive through North Heights, we have a lot of what you're describing, but plenty of more interesting stuff, as well...

Ok, I have a look around. Thanks for the info as always.

Maybe you need some of these! ;o)

Here is a link that might be useful: inedible cactus

I probably should just get some of those and save some innocent lives.

It would certainly confuse your night visitors!

Would spraying new things with red pepper keep them away until the novelty wears off?

If they are like me then I would be in trouble cuz I like my food hot.

Sorry to hear this. They raid my neighborhood often too, not fun! That's why I grow a LOT of Euphorbias which they avoid due to the toxic/bitter sap. I have several big Euphorbia royleana in my front garden, plus E. rigida, E. tirucalii and some others, and they never bother those. I also grow a lot of large growing aloes and they have never bothered those either. I'm taking my chances with a few other cacti they might enjoy, but they avoid the Euphorbias and soapy Aloes. Good luck and sorry again. Keep us posted!

E. royleana is a fabulous plant for this area, greatly underused IMHO.