Thanks,
Phillip

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.

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.

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....

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.

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

Thanks,
Phillip

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.

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.

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."

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 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).