Someone's been eating my Toms

[claherron]

So I failed to take a picture of the half eaten toms but imagine if you will slicing one in half. One half still on the stem the other half gone. All were still green. My list of suspects includes in this order:
Squirrels
Rabbits
Opossum
Rats

I would think squirrels would grab one and run up a tree with it. Rabbits live in the garden and seem content on eating the white clover. Possum maybe or rats? What do you guys think?

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[b54red]

Probably rats or squirrels either one will feed on tomatoes. I set out a secure bait station with rat poison in it and got both last fall. I knew I had squirrel problems but was unaware of the rats til I found a couple of dead ones at the bottom of my garden near where a neighbor has an old shed they were living under. That cut way down on the damage but the larger squirrels can't get to the rat bait so they had to be dealt with the old fashioned way.

Bill

[ginger2778]

Does it happen during the day or is it present when you wake up? Rats are nocturnal. I never had a problem with squirrels eating mine, even though there are lots around. But I have caught several rats. They are very attracted to peanut butter, and will eat that over tomatoes if given a choice. So set your traps with peanut butter, and I bet you will have success. I use a live trap because I am a bleeding heart and cant kill em! I just take em for a little ride. BTW- they seem to forage in pairs, because after I catch one, I reset the trap and usually will catch a second one within a day. After number 2, I usually have no more problems at least for a while.
Marsha

[claherron]

I have a couple rabbits that live in the garden but I don't think they are eating toms right off the vine. I work nights so I'm not sure when it is happening.


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[claherron]

Ok so now I have some evidence to present to the court. I will act in the role of judge and executioner. I was ok with losing a creole or a cherry but not a Cherokee purple. I have been waiting too long for those to ripen. Also when I got home from work last night a rabbit was in that area but the Tom was undamaged. So it happened between 0100 to 1000 today.

Oh BTW the green mulch turned into weeds I know.






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[ginger2778]

[QUOTE=claherron;354252]Ok so now I have some evidence to present to the court. I will act in the role of judge and executioner. I was ok with losing a creole or a cherry but not a Cherokee purple. I have been waiting too long for those to ripen. Also when I got home from work last night a rabbit was in that area but the Tom was undamaged. So it happened between 0100 to 1000 today.

Oh BTW the green mulch turned into weeds I know.[QUOTE]





My vote is rat, or possum. There must be something about Cherokee purple because that is the one they ate first, 2 different times this season. Trust me, set a trap with some peanut butter. The critter will be back tonight.
Marsha






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[claherron]

Well went out this afternoon to set trap and busted the gosh darnoodley rabbit. At least this time it was a creole Tom and I have a lot of them. Now the dilemma is fence or ruger.

[claherron]

Ok folks, so I went out and bought 200f of 28" fencing and 20 u-posts. Installed it all except 64" which is to be a gate. Well in less than 24 hours the rabbit has dug under and eaten another 2 CPs. I spent more money than I am comfortable with on the fence. I looked at electric poultry netting and a high voltage charger but the website says that it's only about a 85-95% success rate in keeping rabbits out. I need suggestions don't want to kill it but if I loose another Tom it will be a bad day. Talk me off this ledge please.


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[ginger2778]

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...&client=safari
I just googled how to live catch a rabbit and there's lots of ideas, some of the links tell you what bait to use( fresh carrots,and apples,lettuce) they show you how to use a live trap and camouflage it. Then catch it and relocate it many miles away, but don't tell anyone you did that!

Live traps can be used over and over again for years.this I n easy fix, and you don't have to lose sleep over it.
Marsha

[claherron]

Well you know I just might give that a try. As far as bait goes I have a wonderful idea, tomatoes.


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[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by claherron

Well you know I just might give that a try. As far as bait goes I have a wonderful idea, tomatoes.


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i thought tomatoes as a bait too, except it already has tomatoes to go after in your garden. If it were me, I would bait it with whatever the folks in the know think is a rabbit's favorite food so it will prefer it in the trap over your tomatoes.
I hope this is helpful
Marsha

[claherron]

Well I can say with certainty the rabbits won't eat toms in a trap. I borrowed an electric fence from a co worker, lets see if that works. Fingers crossed. Also picked about 20 pounds of green ones to keep the bunnies out.


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[JiminNJ]

Could be a turtle, if they are eaten from the bottom up that's a sure sign, but they will eat from the side if it's low enough, yours looks low enough