New, extremely greed tomato theif

Dewayne mater · July 9, 2013

Well, I'm flummoxed! I came home and prepared to pick tomatoes this afternoon and discovered that either today or last night something got seriously after my tomatoes. About 10 black and brown boar had bites taken out of them. The bites had smooth cuts mostly round in shape and varied from 1/2 inch to 1 inch or more across. Additionally, two sun gold plants had been stripped of every single yellow tomato. I don't count them, but it was 100 or more. Additionally, a just blushing Goose creek had a couple of bites taken out of it as well. I mean, if you are going to eat it, eat the whole thing and leave the rest. This damaging many fruits is really frustrating.

What could do this? It had to be able to get up fairly high - 5 feet or more, so I'll assume it can climb. The bites seem pretty large for something small like a squirrel. Other known varmint in the yard are armadillo, racoons, coyote, bobcat, rabbits, owls, and all manner of birds. Thoughts about what would do this and how to stop it? Time is of the essence I guess since all of this damage was in one day.

Dewayne mater

Redbaron · July 9, 2013

hmm sounds like a Chupacabra

raindrops27 · July 9, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbaron

hmm sounds like a Chupacabra

This is a joke right?? Sort of like how people have had sightings of bigfoot/ the yeti?

Op, I am sorry this happened, my guess would be racoons or squirrels..

Redbaron · July 10, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by raindrops27

This is a joke right?? Sort of like how people have had sightings of bigfoot/ the yeti?

Op, I am sorry this happened, my guess would be racoons or squirrels..

Yes. Sorry, I know it is a serious issue, I had it happen to me before in fact. Turned out to be over 40 different varmits from 4-5 species of rodent in my case. Took me ages to trap and poison them all.

The reason I joked is because you really cant tell by the description which varmit it is.
The similarity between the mythical Chupacabra and the OP's mystery varmit (besides being mysterious) is that they take a bite and move on to the next without eating it. In one case animals and the other tomatoes. In both cases it was thought to be some mysterious thing because it didn't eat...just sucked the juices (one case tomato and the other blood) which is your clue that whatever it is .... it is likely more thirsty than hungry.

raindrops27 · July 12, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbaron

Yes. Sorry, I know it is a serious issue, I had it happen to me before in fact. Turned out to be over 40 different varmits from 4-5 species of rodent in my case. Took me ages to trap and poison them all.

The reason I joked is because you really cant tell by the description which varmit it is.
The similarity between the mythical Chupacabra and the OP's mystery varmit (besides being mysterious) is that they take a bite and move on to the next without eating it. In one case animals and the other tomatoes. In both cases it was thought to be some mysterious thing because it didn't eat...just sucked the juices (one case tomato and the other blood) which is your clue that whatever it is .... it is likely more thirsty than hungry.

You do not have to be sorry Scott.. I just wanted to know if this was real because I instantly got scared at the picture imagining myself going out there in my backyard and spotting something like this.

Sorry you had such problems in the past. I have a rabbit family that is making a buffet out of everything. In early spring they would come and just eat the weeds now they are stripping the pole and bush beans clean, have broken my potato plants, I caught the baby rabbit making a feast out of my almost ready to harvest zucchini, they've pulled the beet tops.. It is bad, I've never had such a problem in all my years of gardening. So, I know how you feel..

MikeInCypress · July 9, 2013

Sounds like a raccoon to me.

MikeInCypress

tlintx · July 10, 2013

I think chupacabras eat goats, not tomatoes.

Sounds like a squirrel to me. Caught one in my leafy greens box this morning. It was apparently trying to make salad.

Tl

ginger2778 · July 11, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlintx

I think chupacabras eat goats, not tomatoes.

Sounds like a squirrel to me. Caught one in my leafy greens box this morning. It was apparently trying to make salad.

Tl

Marsha

shelleybean · July 11, 2013

Your trap disappearing sounds like my bird feeders disappearing. I think you're right and yours is probably a raccoon or a whole gang of them.

Last summer we got a night vision/motion activated camera from Dick's Sporting Goods. I think it was about $30, which might explain why it only worked one season, but one season was enough to see what all these raccoons were doing in our yard. It's amazing how they can manipulate things. They're pretty talented. We also saw them chasing ducks and our neighbor's cats. If it doesn't stop soon, one of these cameras might be worth buying just to see what you're dealing with for sure.

Vespertino · July 10, 2013

Sorry to hear that someone else is enjoying your tomatoes without your permission. My guess would be a squirrel also, they're very destructive. One decided to take up residence inside my house- it ate everything, even ivory soap. They're small enough climb your plants without breaking them, and they like to gnaw holes in things.

cythaenopsis · July 10, 2013

Deer are some of the worst tomato predators. They'll push their way through fences and other defenses to get at them.

The main thing is that you don't want the tomatoes to advertise to the wildlife. So, if you don't have too large an abundance, try tying cheese cloth or some other permeable material around your tomatoes so that they're hidden from view (no bright red magnets among all the green). I've even heard of some people using cut up pantyhose--just slide it over and tie it up; the material will be a turn off to animals but you'll still be able to see the ripening progress.

sfmathews · July 10, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by cythaenopsis

The main thing is that you don't want the tomatoes to advertise to the wildlife. So, if you don't have too large an abundance, try tying cheese cloth or some other permeable material around your tomatoes so that they're hidden from view (no bright red magnets among all the green). I've even heard of some people using cut up pantyhose--just slide it over and tie it up; the material will be a turn off to animals but you'll still be able to see the ripening progress.

I tried this with some black nylons. I left them loose and open on the stem and blush ends. I think the black may have conducted too much heat, because The fruits looked like they had been scalded near the stem end. I don't know if a nude color would work better or not. Maybe the hose just hold in too much heat.

Redbaron · July 10, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfmathews

I tried this with some black nylons. I left them loose and open on the stem and blush ends. I think the black may have conducted too much heat, because The fruits looked like they had been scalded near the stem end. I don't know if a nude color would work better or not. Maybe the hose just hold in too much heat.

YouTube vid

Sure it was the heat?

sfmathews · July 10, 2013

Maybe a combo of heat and stink?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbaron

YouTube vid

Sure it was the heat?

Vespertino · July 11, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbaron

YouTube vid

Sure it was the heat?

I knew someone who had foot odor like that. I forbade him from taking off his shoes in my house. The stink could KO an elephant.

July 9, 2013	#1
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	New, extremely greed tomato theif Well, I'm flummoxed! I came home and prepared to pick tomatoes this afternoon and discovered that either today or last night something got seriously after my tomatoes. About 10 black and brown boar had bites taken out of them. The bites had smooth cuts mostly round in shape and varied from 1/2 inch to 1 inch or more across. Additionally, two sun gold plants had been stripped of every single yellow tomato. I don't count them, but it was 100 or more. Additionally, a just blushing Goose creek had a couple of bites taken out of it as well. I mean, if you are going to eat it, eat the whole thing and leave the rest. This damaging many fruits is really frustrating. What could do this? It had to be able to get up fairly high - 5 feet or more, so I'll assume it can climb. The bites seem pretty large for something small like a squirrel. Other known varmint in the yard are armadillo, racoons, coyote, bobcat, rabbits, owls, and all manner of birds. Thoughts about what would do this and how to stop it? Time is of the essence I guess since all of this damage was in one day. Dewayne mater

July 9, 2013	#2
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	hmm sounds like a Chupacabra __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

July 9, 2013	#6
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	Sounds like a raccoon to me. MikeInCypress __________________ "Growing older, not up"

July 11, 2013	#9
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Your trap disappearing sounds like my bird feeders disappearing. I think you're right and yours is probably a raccoon or a whole gang of them. Last summer we got a night vision/motion activated camera from Dick's Sporting Goods. I think it was about $30, which might explain why it only worked one season, but one season was enough to see what all these raccoons were doing in our yard. It's amazing how they can manipulate things. They're pretty talented. We also saw them chasing ducks and our neighbor's cats. If it doesn't stop soon, one of these cameras might be worth buying just to see what you're dealing with for sure. __________________ Michele

July 10, 2013	#11
cythaenopsis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Hoboken, NJ USA Posts: 347	Deer are some of the worst tomato predators. They'll push their way through fences and other defenses to get at them. The main thing is that you don't want the tomatoes to advertise to the wildlife. So, if you don't have too large an abundance, try tying cheese cloth or some other permeable material around your tomatoes so that they're hidden from view (no bright red magnets among all the green). I've even heard of some people using cut up pantyhose--just slide it over and tie it up; the material will be a turn off to animals but you'll still be able to see the ripening progress. __________________ I'm GardeningAloft.blogspot.com (container growing apartment dweller)

July 10, 2013	#7
tlintx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: SeTx Posts: 881	I think chupacabras eat goats, not tomatoes. Sounds like a squirrel to me. Caught one in my leafy greens box this morning. It was apparently trying to make salad. Tl

July 10, 2013	#10
Vespertino Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Southlake, TX Posts: 743	Sorry to hear that someone else is enjoying your tomatoes without your permission. My guess would be a squirrel also, they're very destructive. One decided to take up residence inside my house- it ate everything, even ivory soap. They're small enough climb your plants without breaking them, and they like to gnaw holes in things.