Possums who steal tomatoes and the law of unintended consequences - Page 2

jhouse · June 23, 2016

I've trapped at least 7 ground hogs, they take one bite from many tomatoes! Trapping them is pretty easy, figuring out where to take them is more difficult. (Have a hart trap). This year = critter fence, but your possum would probably climb.
They're easy to trap too (caught one unintentionally, mellow little guy) but it sounds like you're kind of attached to yours

MrSalvage · June 23, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhouse

I've trapped at least 7 ground hogs, they take one bite from many tomatoes! Trapping them is pretty easy, figuring out where to take them is more difficult. (Have a hart trap). This year = critter fence, but your possum would probably climb.
They're easy to trap too (caught one unintentionally, mellow little guy) but it sounds like you're kind of attached to yours

I have a three pack of these type traps. All different size's, small to large. What are you using for bait? It seems I have a few skunks and rabbits so far...

AlittleSalt · June 23, 2016

The possums here act more like they are pets. You open the door and they look at you like, "Okay, you see me - so feed me."

jhouse · June 23, 2016

I've heard possums love cat food. The ground hogs like carrots, romaine lettuce, apples. . .you can look up baits online. I think I trapped my possum with the veggies above, trying for a ground hog.
Fortunately, I've never trapped a skunk, not sure quite how I'd handle that one ;-)

The larger size live traps are great also, for trapping feral cats and getting them neutered -- many associations do it for totally free.

One note of caution, cover the trap with something like a large garbage bag and secure it one top, and try to keep the ground hog or whatever as calm as possible, be quiet, etc when handling. Because when they get excited and poop. . .well, you really don't want to go there. . .

upcountrygirl · June 24, 2016

I've learned to live in harmony with the possums. They eat ticks! I live in the tick capital of the U.S.! My brother got Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick fever and almost died from it before my general M.D. figured out what was wrong with him. So, between my chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and the possums I haven't found a tick on any of my family in 3 years. We're surrounded by pine forest.

Dewayne mater · June 24, 2016

I don't want to relocate or terminate him, just discourage him from eating tomatoes! I changed the setting on my motion activated sprinkler last night and had it do 360 degree sprays when activated. I'm not sure if that's why, but, he doesn't appear to have eaten any last night. Possibly, this toy works, but one night isn't enough evidence to say. I can't eliminate other critters entirely either. I've chased away birds during the day and I'm pretty sure there are rats. Unfortunately, Mr. Possum knows who to spring the rat trap without getting caught, then eat all the peanut butter out, so, the traps don't catch anything! This is happening at night, so, I think the squirrels are innocent this year.

Anyhow, I can't complain because it has been a very good tomato year.

These guys are all between blushing to ripe and we've been eating them daily, making salsa, pasta sauce, gazpacho, BLTs, and giving away plenty to family and friends. The distance from the bottom of the picture to the top is 12 feet. Can't figure out how to rotate the picture to the correct setting.

pixlpush · June 24, 2016

Wow that's a lot of tomatoes! No wonder the possums and other critters want to hang out at your place. You can hardly blame them they look delicious!!

JLJ_ · June 24, 2016

Those of you who are setting wildlife cameras to identify furry prowlers -- what kind of camera do you use (if it's one you like)? At the moment what I want to identify is what making holes to go under the house. If it's a vole predator that doesn't do much harm itself, I'm not going to worry about it, but I'd like to know what it is before I have an opinion about whether it's a problem or not. And our brief summer is when I need to do whatever is done about under house prowlers.

My Foot Smells · June 25, 2016

Nice Harvest Dwayne. How many plants you got. Them purdy!!

wildcat62 · June 25, 2016

A counter full of deliciousness...

pixlpush · June 25, 2016

@JLJ - here's a link to another thread where I've got some of my camera information posted. If I had it to do again I don't think I would go with the same setup but it works fine just a bit more money than I probably needed to spend:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost....09&postcount=5

Dewayne mater · June 27, 2016

I have 18 plants, about 14 varieties. This is my most productive year so far. That counter space represents about 1/2 of what has come in, with the other half consumed, given away, made into various things to be eaten later. The extended comfortable temperatures of a true Spring and lots of rain did wonders for the numbers. We say in Texas that Spring is a weekend between winter and summer, but, for the first time in few years, it didn't get hot to stay until June. Tomatoes love that. So did disease though. Soon, I'll be pulling the last tomatoes for most varieties and planting new ones for the fall season.

June 23, 2016	#19
jhouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: sw ohio Posts: 153	I've heard possums love cat food. The ground hogs like carrots, romaine lettuce, apples. . .you can look up baits online. I think I trapped my possum with the veggies above, trying for a ground hog. Fortunately, I've never trapped a skunk, not sure quite how I'd handle that one ;-) The larger size live traps are great also, for trapping feral cats and getting them neutered -- many associations do it for totally free. One note of caution, cover the trap with something like a large garbage bag and secure it one top, and try to keep the ground hog or whatever as calm as possible, be quiet, etc when handling. Because when they get excited and poop. . .well, you really don't want to go there. . . Last edited by jhouse; June 23, 2016 at 10:52 PM.

June 23, 2016	#18
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	The possums here act more like they are pets. You open the door and they look at you like, "Okay, you see me - so feed me."

June 24, 2016	#20
upcountrygirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: south carolina Posts: 562	I've learned to live in harmony with the possums. They eat ticks! I live in the tick capital of the U.S.! My brother got Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick fever and almost died from it before my general M.D. figured out what was wrong with him. So, between my chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and the possums I haven't found a tick on any of my family in 3 years. We're surrounded by pine forest.

June 24, 2016	#22
pixlpush Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Manhattan Beach, CA Posts: 99	Wow that's a lot of tomatoes! No wonder the possums and other critters want to hang out at your place. You can hardly blame them they look delicious!!

June 24, 2016	#23
JLJ_ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 759	Those of you who are setting wildlife cameras to identify furry prowlers -- what kind of camera do you use (if it's one you like)? At the moment what I want to identify is what making holes to go under the house. If it's a vole predator that doesn't do much harm itself, I'm not going to worry about it, but I'd like to know what it is before I have an opinion about whether it's a problem or not. And our brief summer is when I need to do whatever is done about under house prowlers.

June 25, 2016	#24
My Foot Smells Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Pulaski County, Arkansas Posts: 1,239	Nice Harvest Dwayne. How many plants you got. Them purdy!!

June 25, 2016	#25
wildcat62 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Zone 6 Northern Kentucky Posts: 1,094	A counter full of deliciousness...

June 27, 2016	#27
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	I have 18 plants, about 14 varieties. This is my most productive year so far. That counter space represents about 1/2 of what has come in, with the other half consumed, given away, made into various things to be eaten later. The extended comfortable temperatures of a true Spring and lots of rain did wonders for the numbers. We say in Texas that Spring is a weekend between winter and summer, but, for the first time in few years, it didn't get hot to stay until June. Tomatoes love that. So did disease though. Soon, I'll be pulling the last tomatoes for most varieties and planting new ones for the fall season.