Could also be a rat, I have terrible problems with rats eating my tomatoes. I would imagine that squirrels might leave similar marks, but we don't have them around here so I don't know if they might much on the tomatoes.

Squirrels love maters! They pick them, eat a little or a lot and leave the rest. The one's around hear always seem to leave the 1/2 eaten ones on top of the 8 foot high privacy fence, as if to taunt me. Can't tell if they are the culprit from the pictures though. Repels all from Lowes has done exactly what it's name says for me this year and I've lost not one tomato to any critter, which is a first for me. Might be worth a shot for you.

I just saw a squirrel run off with a small green mater yesterday! Boy, was I pissed. If I catch that guy, his head is going over the fireplace.

I would say squirrel, but could be bird - . Bird damage isn't usually that extensive from what I've seen in the past, although maybe my birds aren't as hungry as yours :)

Squirrels will eat tomatoes, yes, especially if you are having a dry spell lately. They eat them more often in times of drought as a quick, easy, and tasty source of nourishment and water.

You don't say where you are so hard to rule out or consider certain pests.

I am right in the city here which rules out a lot, and often leave my harvest on the front porch to take pics or save seeds and many times have come out to big beefsteaks with chunks gnawed out. The only critters around are squirrels (a groundhog has been seen on the next block, but no indication of it climbing five stairs and a railing.) Sure enough, opened the door once and a squirrel scurried away & up the tree.

Here's a shot of my first (and only) Jeaune Flamme.

Look at those teeth and those red eyes. Not to mention the nasty little claws. I am not a violent person, but boy, if I had owned a BB gun that day....

We must all learn to share :::smile:::

However, there are times when overpopulation becomes an issue. Human as well as animal populations.

You might try harvesting tomatoes when they break color or before they're fully ripe.

By close observation you can determine the point at which the particular pest begins molesting your tomatoes. Of course with deer, that's even when the tomatoes are green. But with other mammals and birds it's usually at a more fully ripe stage.

Simply harvest your tomatoes earlier than the pest would.

And beyond that ... learn to share.

Some very funny replies! Thanks everyone. Yeah, I bet it is squirrels like many of you have said. I have major problems with squirrels. Up until a recent surprise discovery, I could barely get corn to even germinate before the squirrels destroyed the entire crop. (Strangely, my 3rd re-planting this summer seems to be doing well now that I've put out a bunch of shiny pinwheels??) Anyway, the damage to the tomatoes has strictly been at the ripe stage. Maybe I'll add a few pinwheels around the tomato cages and see what happens.

I'm in Huntsville, AL (north AL).

Thanks,
Phillip

That looks like rat damage to me - which means it could also be squirrels since they're just rats with fancier clothing.

I pick them before they color up all the way and also use cayenne - the combination seems to save most of my tomatoes from these culprits.

I would guess squirrels. probably the aggressive European grays. We have tried to get rid of them. They crowd out the more desirable red squirrels and fox squirrels (we even have the black fox squirrels). The fox and red squirrels will sometimes get fairly tame, almost like chipmunks.

Squirrels do not bother my tomatoes much. We have a black walnut tree way out back (where it will not kill other plants) and we have sunflowers all over the yard that we let reseed and then transplant in clusters. Some years, wer grow millet for the birds and other critters. Some of the neighbors put out ears of dried field corn for them. Maybe they just have plenty of food?

As per picture in another thread, I think the cottontail rabbits will occasionally take a bite out of a low hanging ripe tomato. Squirrels can get to anything. They will climb a sunflower. We had some large sunflower discs a few years ago that we hung on the eaves to dry. The squirrels hung upside down to get at them. They also get in bird feeders.

Ever see a squirrel fall out of a tree? It is hilarious. They look around to see if anyone noticed, then casually walk away, acting like they did it on purpose.

I have a shepherd's hook planter with a bird feeder hanging from it. I even sprayed the damn thing with cooking oil and somehow the squirrel still managed to climb it and hang upside down eating all the feed. They are terribly annoying. If anyone could say an animal is invasive it would be them, at least in my area. I live in a high crime area, why don't they stop shooting people and start taking out the squirrels!

That does look like it could be squirrel damage, I lost a few of my tomatoes last year to them and that's how they looked when they got done. I wish they'd at least finish the damn thing so I wouldn't have evidence of a "hit."

This is the first year I have had this damage on my maters. We have an over abundance of squirrels and they have hickory nuts, acorns and of course BIRD SEED to dine on but when they attacked my precious tomatoes I am beside myself. Every single ripe one has gouges or at the very least bite marks. They were all eaten while on the vine and none are on the ground. We live rather isolated but not far from housing development. I am so angry I could cry. This is best tomato crop we have had in a very long time and the fruit are perfect (or were). First deer ate the new growth/ flowers in June but I fixed that with Deer Off and Liquid Fence and now this. I shudder when I see that rat damage looks just like squirrel damage so I will look for droppings. We had woods rats many years ago but I poisoned all of them and have not seen any since. I am going to try Shake Away powdered urine for rodents. Can't use Squirrel away on the fruit because of the hot pepper affect. arghhhhh

This morning I went to check my Mortgage Lifters. I had 6 big greenies on it, two of which I thought would break color today.

Those 2: gone. There are only 2 left on the plant. I found half eaten (or just a bite or two) maters around the yard. Arrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh!!

I picked the green ones and brought them inside. I have had them turn red before inside (from green). It's my only chance of getting any tomatoes from that plant! They haven't touched the Amish Pastes though.

I don't know whether it's squirrels, opossums or something else. The dog caught two baby opossums last week, so the mama and other siblings are around somewhere... Whatever this is is destroying my little "crop" and I'm so bummed!

Here's one of my casualties. :(

I know how you guys are feeling. I have been there when the rats did eat my melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, seedlings. I never thought that the squirrels did it. Because there was a lot of acorns and other stuff around. Plus, squirrels have a habit of taking a bite, throwing it away, getting another one.

I think the best way is to put traps. I made one of those "HUMANE" traps myself and kept catching rats, never a squirrel. I also put baits( such that the birds wont see them).

Simply put critter damage ! What kind of critter who knows. Down low Racoon, possum,squirel. Up high birds .