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| I am totally perplexed about a problem I am experiencing with my tomatoes. I have harvested an exceptional crop this year. I have noticed that something has been taking bites on my ripe tomatoes. Upon examination of the damaged veggies, I have discovered teeth marks. The animal will only eat the ripe tomatoes...never the green ones. It has the ability to climb to reach the tomatoes if necessary and knock the plants & stakes down. The animal likes to eat at night also.
Today I was weeding my flower bed, I noticed a hole in the ground behind the plants. The hole is about 4 inches in diameter. There was no dirt to indicate any type of digging. The hole was approximately 3 inches from the foundation of the house (no basement). When I went to the tomato garden, I noticed another hole exactly like the one in the flower bed! I saw rather large paw prints through the garden. The only structure between the two holes is my home. I know tarpens will eat plants but I don't think they live underground. Moles live underground, but I thought they ate grub worms & spent time making tunnels making a mess of the yard! I can't imagine a mole climbing a 6 foot tomato plant to eat a red tomato! If anyone has any idea what this animal may be, please let me know. I have never experienced anything like this before! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Hi Knightstick, Welcome to Garden Web, and The Tomato Forum. I'd suggest you asking on the Discussion side of the forum. This side is for (off topic) Conversations, and there haven't been many of those for some time now. The link to Discussions is found at the top and to the right of the list of threads. Sue...an unofficial member of the Unofficial Garden web welcome Wagon |
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- Posted by gardenphrog 5 (My Page) on Wed, Jan 7, 09 at 22:38
| My experience has been that squirrels love tomatoes! I wish, though, that they'd not be so wasteful and only take one or two bites out of them. I see several half-eaten tomatoes in our yard each week during the growing season. |
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- Posted by freemangreens 10b San Diego (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 1:18
| RATS! I've had the exact same experience. The guy behind me grows avocados and the fruit rats love them. Seems they need a little tomato taste to complete their meal, so they hop over to my side of the fence and eat the bottoms out of the very best tomatoes. The cure? I have a small optical tool -- with cross hairs! I haven't seen one yet that can run faster than 1400 feet per second. That's how fast the little lead thing goes I send their way to chase after them! Of course, the BANG scares off the rest of the crew, so I can only "manage" them one at a time. They're gluttons for punishment though; they keep coming back. |
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| The holes sound like Groundhogs/Woodchucks. When thirsty they take 1 bite out of each ripe tomato. Sound right? 1. Put out some water for the chucks. Wait til sundown so you know they are in and then cover the holes fwiw - there is usu. a whole family of these rodents, so getting one really does nothing. |
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- Posted by dickiefickle 5B DousmanWi. (My Page) on Wed, Aug 10, 11 at 9:14
| This animal at the end of my arms |
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- Posted by tominflorida none (My Page) on Mon, Feb 27, 12 at 22:52
| My guess would be rats or squirrels. If a rat I would try a couple of glue traps with some string or fishing line tied to a stake so that the trap doesn't get carried off somehow. Last year I had birds (I suspect) pecking holes in my ripe tomatoes. Research told me to put water out for the birds to drink but I feared that would attract more birds and they would still be attracted to the tomatoes. |
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| I have that for the first time ever this year. They attack the big red (or just turning red in one spot) "Mortgage Maker" tomatoes which are about 4-5" dia right now, only the ones near the ground so far but they ripen first anyway. I am sprinkling sulfer powder on the ground, putting out water for them, and most of all I check daily and pick the ones just starting to turn before they get deep soft red. Putting them in a paper bag in the house lets them ripen fully without being eaten. They do try to bite green ones too but with little reward. Last year was the hottest of any state ever in Oklahoma but this year looks to make up for it. Everything lush. |
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| What animal eats only the red ripe tomatoes. These bites are big. Not rabbit or squirrel size. Today while looking at the deck I saw a big animal in the bush outside of the deck. It was big. Didn't look to be a raccoon but as big as one. It looked like it was trying to either get on the deck or back down this tall leafy weed. This creature looked big enough to take the big bites out of the red tomatoes. What is it and how do I get rid of it? Thanks for your help! |
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