What is eating my maters?

hornstrider · April 30, 2015

What the heck!!!!........What could be eating my green tomato's? The pictured pot is in my greeen house, and the my tomato plants are outside in my garden about 20 feet from the pictured pot. The pot is a large pot approx 2 feet off of the ground. I know I have rabbit issues, and I also have rat issues, and I am working on mending those issues. What animal could pick a tomato from one of 50 tomato plants, and carry it at least 20 feet, and climb up on top of a 30 gal pot?? I do not have a raccoon problem since there is no water close by, and I have never seen a raccoon in our neighborhood before. What could the critter be?

heirloomtomaguy · April 30, 2015

Looks like squirrel or rabbit. At least thats how they looked in my garden last year.

hornstrider · April 30, 2015

No squirrels for sure........no trees. No raccoon I'm sure........no water. Lot's of rabbits though. How could a rabbit climb up two feet on top of the 20 gal pot w/ a mater in it's mouth?.......I set out a trap in the green house to see if I can catch the critter.

rhines81 · April 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by hornstrider

No squirrels for sure........no trees. No raccoon I'm sure........no water. Lot's of rabbits though. How could a rabbit climb up two feet on top of the 20 gal pot w/ a mater in it's mouth?.......I set out a trap in the green house to see if I can catch the critter.

Well, since you have ruled out those critters as suspects ... it must be a Sasquatch!

ginger2778 · April 30, 2015

In my yard it's rats, and they can climb very easily with a tomato in their mouth. They like peanut butter and bananas even better than tomatoes, so that's what I use to bait my have a heart traps. ( home depot) I usually have a scared live rat looking at me in the morning. They get to go for a 5 mile ride where they are released. I can't kill them, they were just trying to make a living too!

Gardeneer · April 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by hornstrider

What the heck!!!!........What could be eating my green tomato's? The pictured pot is in my greeen house, and the my tomato plants are outside in my garden about 20 feet from the pictured pot. The pot is a large pot approx 2 feet off of the ground. I know I have rabbit issues, and I also have rat issues, and I am working on mending those issues. What animal could pick a tomato from one of 50 tomato plants, and carry it at least 20 feet, and climb up on top of a 30 gal pot?? I do not have a raccoon problem since there is no water close by, and I have never seen a raccoon in our neighborhood before. What could the critter be?

How do they slice them ?

You are right. Rabbits are not jumpers and climbers. That leave RATS.

KarenO · April 30, 2015

Kids?

ContainerTed · April 30, 2015

Wild rabbits are easily capable of jumping up to the top of that container. Have you ever watched their mating dance. One runs at the other and that one will jump straight up in the air about 30 inches or so on average. And they'll do it for hours at a time over several days.

I would also suggest you consider a possum. They eat anything they can get next to.

ScottinAtlanta · May 1, 2015

Rats.

hornstrider · May 1, 2015

I believe you guys are correct. RATS!!.....I have been dealing w/ rabbits for 12 years. This year the population is a bit out of control because the 53 acre farm that was behind my house is now a housing development under construction. Lots of displaced rabbits who found refuge on my 2 acre lot. I have always had an issue w/ rabbits, and they have never really bothered my mater patch......So it must be RATS. I have put out 3 Tomcat bait stations. I have been told by a customer in the pest control business that is the only to control them. This is the first time I have had issues w/ critters stealing green non-ripe tomato's though. I also have a trap set in my greenhouse. I believe I will try bannana, and peanut butter as a bait. Thanks for the advice.

ScottinAtlanta · May 1, 2015

Rats are very cautious. You might cover the floor of the trap with leaves.

Gardeneer · May 1, 2015

I have trapped TENS of RATS in the past. I made my own like the one in this picture
from internet. It is HUMANE trap.

Actually, I have one that I made last year.
It is big enough to provide lodging for rabbits too.

b54red · May 1, 2015

I'm sorry but I just don't have a heart when it comes to rats. I don't like killing squirrels because they are entertaining to watch but deep down I know they are just furry tailed rats and my dachshunds agree so when they start eating too much of my garden I thin them with a pellet rifle. I have caught possums in my greenhouse on several occasions so don't rule them out. After completely consuming my English peas I once saw a rabbit leap over my 4 ft chain link fence when I set the dogs loose.

Good luck catching whatever is doing the damage to your tomatoes.

Bill

April 30, 2015	#2
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	Looks like squirrel or rabbit. At least thats how they looked in my garden last year. __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

April 30, 2015	#8
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Wild rabbits are easily capable of jumping up to the top of that container. Have you ever watched their mating dance. One runs at the other and that one will jump straight up in the air about 30 inches or so on average. And they'll do it for hours at a time over several days. I would also suggest you consider a possum. They eat anything they can get next to. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

April 30, 2015	#3
hornstrider Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hutto, Texas Posts: 230	No squirrels for sure........no trees. No raccoon I'm sure........no water. Lot's of rabbits though. How could a rabbit climb up two feet on top of the 20 gal pot w/ a mater in it's mouth?.......I set out a trap in the green house to see if I can catch the critter.

April 30, 2015	#5
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	In my yard it's rats, and they can climb very easily with a tomato in their mouth. They like peanut butter and bananas even better than tomatoes, so that's what I use to bait my have a heart traps. ( home depot) I usually have a scared live rat looking at me in the morning. They get to go for a 5 mile ride where they are released. I can't kill them, they were just trying to make a living too!

April 30, 2015	#7
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	Kids?

May 1, 2015	#9
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Rats.

May 1, 2015	#13
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I'm sorry but I just don't have a heart when it comes to rats. I don't like killing squirrels because they are entertaining to watch but deep down I know they are just furry tailed rats and my dachshunds agree so when they start eating too much of my garden I thin them with a pellet rifle. I have caught possums in my greenhouse on several occasions so don't rule them out. After completely consuming my English peas I once saw a rabbit leap over my 4 ft chain link fence when I set the dogs loose. Good luck catching whatever is doing the damage to your tomatoes. Bill