Our cat eats squirrels. The neighbors have them in our yard, but our squirrel population is dwindling since we have two cats outside. I didn't know cats would eat squirrels until we kept finding squirrel tails in the yard. We were kind of in the country though, not a lot of traffic and such.

That sounds like an excellent organic control to squirrel pests!

i think it's the blackbirds eating my tomato plants

I'd be careful about letting the cat eat squirrels -- they can carry rabies, as well as a host of other diseases. On second thought, unless you have actually seen the cat eat the squirrels, i doubt that is what's eating them, anyway, unless these are very large cats and very small squirrels. More likely, red-tailed hawks or great-horned owls are eating them. I would definately suspect this if you are finding the tails under trees. Hawks and owls are great to have around! (By the way, both the hawks and owls will eat cats, too, so you might want to keep the cats inside, if you can.)

I had a small cat and she really enjoyed a nice squirrel dinner. She also enjoyed rabbits. Just keep the cat up on it's shots and deworm every now and then. It's pretty wild seeing a cat drag a rabbit, nearly as big as it is, to a favorite spot and eating it with nothing but a pair of ears and a gal bladder as evidence the next morning.

Yes, squirrels eat tomatoes, no drought necessary. I've seen them come down, grab a tomato, take a bite or too and leave it there to rot! Although bb's sound like a good solution to your squirrel problem, the bright green bb sized poop is from the green horned tomato worm's vivacious appetite. They do alot of damage to leaves and fruit overnight. Squirt them directly with a solution of one tablespoon ivory dish soap to a spray bottle of water then pull them off and squish them. The soap and water will kill them but eventually but they cling to the plant pretty good and I want to be sure.

I don't know whether squirrels or birds were to blame for pecking holes in the fruit in my garden, but here's how I solved it. I cut off the feet of my wife's panty hose and pull them around the fruit then close with a metal tie. Tip of the day: don't put the panty hose back in the drawer. Squirrels will be the least of your problems.

KEEP YOUR CATS INSIDE AND THE SQUIRRELS AND BIRDS AND OTHER ANIMALS SAFE. There are many species of small animals that are going "extinct" due to predation by roaming cats. Cats should be inside unless you take them out on a leash, as all my humane associates do. Alternatively, if you feel your cats must have "free roaming outside" time, you can build them a large outdoor enclosure allowing them "outside" enjoyment, while the protecting your local wildlife.

Squirrels hate certain smells. If the squirrel nest is in your tree, take a heavy duty squirt bottle with water, hot sauce, garlic juice, peppermint, spearmint and squirt the nest and area. The smell helps them learn to move elsewhere. I use other things also, but it is spring so grab what you can for now that is available in your cupboard or yard. Good luck!

We have ample water in our yard for birds and squirrels--still, the squirrels eat the green tomatoes, and in the process break the plants (they have been caught in the act!) We found a way to foil the deer--who were eating the plants--pour human urine around the plants--a tip from the gardening folk at Home Depot. This, however, does nothing for the doggoned squirrels. The blood meal idea sounds like it has merit--and elsewhere, I saw suggestion of coffee grounds around the plants. Any further reporting of success with these? Or other suggestions? Or suggestions where to buy the blood meal?

Our dog ignores the squirrels, not in the least interested. She will chase the deer -- all 9 lbs. of her. She doesn't scare them much, however. I think they laugh at her.

I have tons of squirrels in my yard and they are always in my garden having snacks. It's so annoying. Last year I lost a good portion of tomatoes thanks to them. If they are going to pick and eat my delicious tomatoes, they could at least have the courtesy not to waste any!

Yall, get chili pepper or some other very hot powder and put around and sprinkle on the plant.. they won't come near them.. This also works to keep them away from sunflowers, gardens, bird feeders.. They do not like the smell or taste and will stall away but it has to be jalape type pepper powder. They have premixed powder called squirrel away but i found dollar store pepper mix to be affective too.. GRRRRRRRR..

I was losing most of my ripening tomatoes to something. Started with the lower ones but as soon as any (even half way up the vine) began to ripen, I would find it half eaten on the ground. Tried puttig VHS tape dangling all around, tried hanging pie pans, used chili and ceyenne pepper, tried moth balls. Nothing was stopping it. Now they were even eating the green ones. Finally saw a squirrel eating a nice juicy, starting to ripen one. Shot him over a period of two days with a pellet gun at least 5 times. All he did was drop the tomatoe, jump and pick the tomatoe back up and continue to eat. Finally took him out with a 22. Been over a week and have not lost another tomatoe. I live in the woods and there are lots of squirrels. I believe this one squirrel just got a tast for tomatoes. Go figure?

Yes, squirrels do eat tomatoes and I have found a foolproof solution - well, so far anyway! Before your tomatoes start to ripen, get yourself a supply of Ziploc-type bags - the dollar store variety is fine. Snip off a corner of each bag to allow for drainage of condensation, etc. Slip each tomato inside a bag and close the bag as snugly as possible around the stem of the tomato. It can be a lot of work if you have a lot of tomatoes, but your tomatoes are saved, and you have beat the squirrels!

Around here, the possums love to eat tomatoes. My only sucessful year, I lost several to them.

I use plastic fencing to keep the birds out of my tomatoes, but I have a nocturnal animal that will chew through the fencing and eat ripening tomatoes. I installed an electric fence, but this thing is smart and used my water hose connection to crawl over the fence and chew another hole in the plastic fence. Is a squirrel that smart?

I am in southern California and I'm having the same problem with my first garden. I have orange and grapefruit trees and the squirrels love them, but they haven't touched my garden. I did find bird feathers around the strawberries (and missing strawberries) when I first planted them, but once everything matured, no problems. I have 12 huge tomato plants, 6 different varieties, planted quite close to each other (note to self: less plants, farther away next year), and one end of the tomato patch is close to a giant hedge that surrounds my yard. The first tomatoes to start to ripen were the Romas, and they have grown quite large (the size of a medium beefsteak). I've harvested one Roma and several cherry tomatoes, and have been watching a couple near-ripe Romas every day. I looked at them this morning and they were fine. When I went out to water this evening, the two I'd been watching were both picked! I found them on the ground between my tomato patch and the big hedge, with teeth marks in the ends. Evidently someTHING picked the tomatoes (which were partially inside the cage and not easily accessible), carried them toward the hedge, and dropped them. The only damage to the tomatoes were bite marks on one end of each tomato.

I'm thinking rats or oppussums -- both live in the giant hedge.

The only change in my garden is a new hawk family that has nested in the neighbor's tree. The hawks sit on the electrical wires right above my garden.

My question is, how do I protect my tomatoes from the thieves without hurting the hawks and other birds or my dogs?

Squirrels have been eating all my tomatoes, they started with the ones starting to ripen and have been eating all the green ones. I had 30 tomatoes at the beginning of the week, now I'm down to maybe 10. I have tried two different kinds of repellents from Lowe's but no luck. I even tried putting ground cayenne pepper around the plants, on the plants, I even tried putting a soapy water ring around each plant, I tried the blood meal, and coffee grounds from Starbucks. I even hung up a squirrel feeder away from my tomato plants hoping that it will deter them away from my tomatoes. I just can't seem to win against these tree rats. Any ideas? I'm willing to try just about anything.

Nothing works to stop the squirrels from eating the tomatoes once they have developed a taste for them. This is true with all fruit.

This year I came home one day to about 50 unripe peaches barely gnawed on and 2 squirrels sitting around the tree.

The only remedy is a good hunting neighborhood cat, trapping or a pellet gun. Cayenne pepper or blood meal doesn't stop them. Once they have acquired a taste for whatever fruit it is, they will not stop. A few days ago, there were four that had all gotten the same urge to get into my tomato plants. I saw the plants moving around from inside and knew it was them (they did the same with my peach trees earlier in the year and in the process broke off all the branches of one of the trees). They will do whatever it takes to get them down, including breaking off all your tomato branches leaving you with a worthless plant. I would suggest taking care of them as soon as you notice otherwise they will destroy your entire garden.

Three were in the garden a couple days ago and two didn't make it past the pellet gun. The third ran away. Even though he knew that he was going to get shot at and he saw his squirrel buddies get shot, he came back less than 15 minutes later. They are willing to risk their lives for a meal of their newly developed taste.

Get yourself a good pellet gun or trap them and take them at least 10 miles away. You need at least 1000fps to do the trick. They sell a pretty good 1200fps one at Dicks for $80. They will survive almost any non-vital shot, so aim well.

Well I tried the ziploc bag idea and that didn't stop the squirrels either. They just chewed through the bags and then took the tomatoes but left the trash behind. I finally decided to just buy fencing and bricks from Lowes. I pretty much caged my tomatoes in to keep the squirrels from climbing in. This morning I saw a squirrel on top of the cage trying to figure out how to get in. Bricks line the inside of the fence to keep them from digging under the fence and getting in. Yes they do dig, they dug up my cucumber plants. I think I finally outwitted these tree rats!

The clever nocturnal animal that followed the water line in sounds more like a roof rat to me... squirrels are definitely not nocturnal critters. Roof rats, on the other hand, are far too clever for anybody's good, and they can climb, jump, and scramble over almost any obstacle.

--Alison

Alison:

I haven't seen any roof rats. I have however, (before I put in the fence) saw squirrels carry away my tomatoes. I got up one morning to check on my plants and there was a squirrel running off with a tomato. A few days before I put the fence up, I was doing dishes and looked out the kitchen window and saw a squirrel dig up my newly sprouted cucumber plant and carry it away. They dig up and eat my potted flowers. They are destructive and I've notified our local game warden--we have to because we live on a military base and can't take matter into our own hands.

Just a quick comment. Has anyone tried placing moth balls around the plants... I been told this is a good repel for most animals and bugs.. Anyone tired it?

I've been at my house for about 5 years now and had a garden starting in the second year. The first two years or so I never had a problem. The last two though have been ridiculous with the squirrels. I normally have about 6 to 8 plants that would normally produce about anywhere from 40 to 70 tomatoes but last year was so bad I got maybe 8 or 10 so growing enough to share isn't an option. I shouldn't have to share anyway since I do all the work.

I've tried pepper spray on the fruits, store bought granular deterrant (blood meal, garlic, rotten egg mix), trapping and shooting. The pepper spray just made them take "test" bites all around the tomato I guess looking for a spot that wasn't spicy. The granular deterrant didn't do anything as far as I could tell but smell nasty to me. I had a small "squirrel" sized live trap I started using a year or two ago. The damn thing was too small for the squirrels because they couldn't fit in to get the bait. Instead they would just reach in from the side and take it (claw marks in the peanut butter). I only ever caught one that way and drove it several miles away which is just way to time consuming. Shooting them with a BB gun also didn't work great. I only hit one with a fatal shot once and the other times it just stings them. I know a better gun might work better but I also live in an area where neighbors may not like it if they realized I was shooting a BB gun.

This year I decided to crack down because in addition to the tomatoes they eat the aluminum hangers that keep the chain link part of my fence on the top rail (witnessed that myself) and they plant acorns all over my yard. Its starting to look like a miniature oak forrest. I bought a big live trap and bait it with peanut butter and peanuts. After I get one I take it into the shed where no one will see and take care of it with the BB gun close up. I do not take pleasure in doing this but I'm just so fed up with their destruction. As far as the fence goes, it's been there for 50+ years and they've only started eating it the last few years. Why now? I've gotten 7 so far with the trap and kill method. I live in a suburban area with a fair amount of squirrels but I figure they have to be somewhat territorial and that if I kill enough in my immediate area I'll "thin the heard." After all my parents live a few houses away and they never have a problem so I would think they are somewhat territorial. Sure enough though, I came home yesterday to find my first ripe tomato still on the vine with a silver dollar sized hole in it, even after killing 7 of them. It's like they wait for it to ripen and the day I would have picked they decided to do it for me. I'm going to keep up with my current method and I'll just keep doing it all year if I have to but the next time I go to the store I'm getting rat traps to supplement the live trap and I'll put them all over the garden and let them die after getting their necks snapped. I'm even thinking about leaving their bodies around the gardens as some kind of warning to the rest of them. Maybe if they smell a rotting squirrel it'll keep them away.

It's heartening to know that I'm not the only gardener out for BLOOD. My 2 lone beefsteak plants, in our small square foot garden, are succumbing to the nasty wilt disease again this year, and the freaking rodents (in my case I'm pretty sure it's chipmunks since we found a dead one that apparently got squished between 2 boards :) are eating the tomatoes, which are trying to ripen before the disease kills the plant, as soon as they blush.

I want to kill them! Death to the rodents!!!! Chipmunks, squirrels, whatever!!

Tomorrow we'll try sprinkling my husbands homemade habenero dried pepper flakes. If that doesn't work, I'm heading to Kmart for an uzi.

Ahh. I feel better after ranting --- until I see the next gnawed tomato, that is :(

Hello! I took a photo of devastation that I just discovered to my tomatoes. I am so upset I can't even describe it. Does this look like rodent damage based on others' experiences?

Here is a link that might be useful: damage to my tomatoes

I too have squirrels eating my tomatoes. This is the first year for my raised bed garden and I've always grown tomatoes in a half whiskey barrel before. I use Ross Bird Netting, which is fine and made of nylon, and it's always deterred the squirrels before. But now, since I have it stretched taut on the frame around the raised bed, the little beasts can pull it and chew through it. If I put anything on the soil surface to try to deter them, they climb the net and go in from the top. I bought hot pepper wax spray and some sort of squirrel repellent with clove and garlic oil in it today, but the net is so fine I'm pretty sure they won't care that something unpleasant is on it.

And yes, for those people who'd like to say it's because they're thirsty, save it. They love my tomatoes because they don't just take a bite, they eat 80% of it or carry the whole fruit away with them. There's plenty of water in my yard.

I live in the city and I'm getting close to buying rat traps for them. I am not going to humane trap them and drive them anywhere. I couldn't shoot an animal and I wouldn't want to for fear I'd put out a neighbor's window or something. Poison is not an option because I don't want a neighborhood dog getting one.

I've used mouse traps in my house, but since we have raccoons and opossums and rats, I'm not sure the only thing I'd get is a squirrel in the trap.

I'm really discouraged and angry.

I have 16 tomato plants on one side of my garden bed and just as many cucumbers on the other side of same bed. No rodent has even touched the cucumbers but now that my tomatoes are ripening I am losing them all to something. I had no idea that squirrels would eat them. But huge 2 lb tomatoes are being half eaten by something. In 5 years I have never seen a squirrel in our yard or trees. I do see rats but never by the garden. I have yet to catch anything but grasshoppers and beetles munching on the leftovers.
DO RATS EAT TOMATOES OR DO I HAVE SQUIRRELS THAT I'M JUST NOT SEEING?

try picking up some racoon urine that hunters use to cover up their smell on their boots. keeps the squirrels away every time because the racoons will eat squirrels.

June 2011
well, I have relocated 32 squirrels in three weeks and get up this morning to find six more running all over the place. They have stripped all my peach trees, my apricot and now they are attacking the nectarines. One stripped an entire branch off my Mallow tree this morning and ate it I have set up a feeding station.. they eat there, and when they're done they move onto the trees and my garden. I tried the BB gun but they run then return... I'm at my wits end. All this effort to produce a small orchard, and garden and they wipe it clean. The don't even share..I'm in Southern California and it is hot here but I also keep water out for the wildlife so give me a break squirrels. I guess I'll try the blood meal, maybe a cone around the trees, and if all else fails.. I'l get a dog.

July 2011

My 3rd year for a garden and I have entered into a losing battle with squirrels. It all began with bunnies which my husband resolved with good fencing and motion sensor water deterrents. But, then like vampires, the squirrels got a taste of my tomatoes and they can't get enough. I don't care what deterrent I put out: cayenne pepper, motion sensor animals and water spayers. They want it all now and nothing will stop them. Short of building Fort Knox around my garden,I seem to be doing nothing but throwing away money on these creatures. Where are the coyotes when you need them?

And, yet right across the street is a big beautiful garden with every vegetable imaginable and there is no fence, no snail bait, and my neighbors have the nerve to flaunt their good fortune by picking their produce and leaving it next to the plants. Not a single bite on any of them. I think I am going to have to draw my white flag and quietly admit defeat or send my husband out in his cami's. Guess I will just humbly take my grocery bag to the produce section of my grocery store.

Greetings fellow tomato lovers! And greetings to all gardeners who start to twist a red tomato off the vine but find a terrible hole in it. What takes bites off our tomatoes? Rats and squirrels! Especailly when it is hot weather.
I used to be a nice guy. I used to love furry little rodents. I used to cringe at the thought of any animal getting hurt in a trap. But today I am a changed man! I am a neanderthal who is glad to get revenge. One year I caught 28 rabbits, mostly in a have-a-heart trap. I hauled them ten miles away and let them go. But a few I catch in a conibear 110 trap. I have several cottontails sitting on top of my computer CRT along with some other nick-knacks. These cottontail fur balls remind me what a mighty hunter I am.
For those of you who are still gentle souls, please do not watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QCPbxlHpNs

But if you would like to learn how to dispatch a rodent, this is how to do it. You can find these on the internet by Google searching "Conibear Trap" They only cost around $10. You will have to also buy the long lever-plyers to set it. I don't have the lever-plyers but I have strong neanderthal hands.
Conibear 110 is the right size for a rabbit or squirrel.

I am trying to figure out what is eating my tomatoes and also all the peaches off my tree. It's isn't deer, but it could be squirrels. My question is, will the squirrels take the entire tomato? Because whatever is taking my tomatoes takes the entire tomato shortly before it is going to ripen. They seem to prefer the big beefsteak tomatoes more than the cherries. As everyone seems to talk about the squirrels just taking a bite, I wonder if I have something else like a raccoon?

I am another connibear fan the 110 's i have don't need aspreader. single spring for $3.95 At www.fntpost.com !They work on groundhogs also,just put it over holes.Ther's always more than one. usually a family.Once groundhogs are done raccoons ,skunks ,oppossums move in. Lets not forget the rabbits and squirrels. I have a fenced in yard with aluminum slats . Critters dug under in two spots. Every yearThat's where I set my traps.

We had squirrels in our attic and hired a professional to trap and remove them. The man told me that you have to take them AT LEAST 12 miles away or else they can find their way back. Those of you who are trapping and setting them loose might want to make sure you take them more than 12 miles away. They are determined critters.

Well, well. I pulled in the driveway tonight and there he was. Mr.Squirrel with a big green tomato in his cheeks just staring at me without a care in the world. Yes, Virginia squirrels take tomatoes and climb up trees and eat them.

I couldn't figure out what was eating my tomatoes this year. I'll be darn

This is my first year for growing 'maters here in Southern California's Mojave Desert... and it's been one pest after another. Last month, it was big ugly Norwegian rats (half their body is a thick hairless tail)... eeeeewwww! I killed 7 with a small plastic spring trap. Now that the Norwegians are gone, the squirrels have moved in. These squirrels are the fearless variety and are taking over the yard. They seem to be too fast for my little plastic rat trap. I need a trap that's Rocky Squirrel proof.

I live in Toledo, Ohio (with this past summer having been wildly rainy) and have had a garden every year since forever, but this is the first time I've battled squirrels for my tomatoes (Early Girl and Roma). Maddening! I've tried the cayenne pepper, wax pepper spray, my neighbor's weirdo owl with the bobble head, and those pinwheels that spin in the breeze -- all to no avail. I'm not prepared to shoot the squirrels (no BB gun or firearms at hand -- although I have to admit I've longed for them), and I may just have to concede defeat for this season (but I'll try the corncobs-and-nuts distraction first). I'm wondering what I can plant to protectively flank the tomatoes in the garden next year. So far, the squirrels have ignored my arugula and green and yellow wax beans; is there any other garden produce that we like and they despise? I'd grow stuff I don't like myself if it would deter them. Geez -- when she was behind the wheel, my sister used to try to run down squirrels, much to my dismay -- now I understand . . .

Have you tried hawks? Seriously yesterday DH and I wrapped our plants in netting to see what we would see. After seeing all the replies about squirrels, rats, chipmunks, worms etc. we thought it was worth a try! Not only were we getting the big munch but also the little holes and disappearing tomatoes. So I was sitting on the back porch and I heard a crash near our newly netted plants and there was a hawk soaring onto a branch in the woods! After discarding the thought that HE was after my plants I realized that maybe, just maybe he got a critter who was trying in vain to climb the netting! Miracle or fluke - who cares? I have my hopes up and will report back.

As our garden is starting to take off with cucumbers and tomatoes I am preparing for another battle with the squirrels this summer. I was reading this thread to get some ideas, clearly the simple solutions don't seem to work. This sounds stupid and would probably just attract more squirrels but has anyone ever tried laying out cheap supermarket tomatoes and cucumbers in their garden? It sounds counterproductive as they would just come back for more and then most likely start feasting on the garden fruit but I don't want to lost to many fruit this summer.

I have been nurturing my patio tomato plant..this morning I noticed the two that were turning red are gone. I would not have suspected the squirrel, but I think they are the usual suspects for most of my yard crimes! Thanks to everyone for the tips. I agree with other posts about the cats outside. No one could love cats more than I do..but for their health & safety and the safety of all the little animals that don't stand a chance against them, keep your cats indoors.

I was thinking no kill traps, but after reading that you had relocated over thirty squirrels, I guess that's not such a good idea.

I know most of my family would suggest a lawn chair and a .22 rifle, but I'm not as keen to that plan.

I am laughing my head off because I am having the same battle. My prize Gold Medal tomatoes that I have been anxiously waiting all summer for have been attacked, both the lower ones and the higher ones. I put rigid meshing around them and the bugger chewed thru them too! Personally, I'm thinking raccoon, but who knows. I'm finding cherries, green and ripe all over the ground with the insides sucked out. Other tomatoes they aren't bothering. It seems the tomatoes that are in the ground next to a fence are at the most risk. My container tomato plants have had fewer attacks. It's not fair! I am going to try blood meal for next year, altho permanently eliminating them has crossed my mind! I have now picked most of my tomatoes and brought them in otherwise I won't have one to eat! AAAHHH!
Sharon

Along with Squirrels my dog will eat tomatoes.

I have a huge squirrel population what with the oak trees (acorns)and a pecan tree across the street.
I am thinking of being proactive and building a wire cage around some of my tomato plants.
How small do the openings in the fence need to be to exclude most squirrels? (e.g. is a 1" grid small enough?)

So far the only thing that sort of works has been lining my pot with lots and lots of gumballs from a gumball tree.

But I will try red pepper wax next since the squirrels have tried a second tomato.

Squirrels take a bite out of tomatoes to drink the water inside, not to "taste" them. Provide a source of drinking water for your squirrels, and that should all but eliminate your problem.

Don't have squirrels yet: just planted yesterday...but I will. Before I commit to the cayenne pepper thing (along with fencing off around and above plants, can anyone please tell me if this burns the plants or otherwise gets into the soil and has a negative impact on the plants? Do I spray on plants or just put around plants?

the other thing is this: if I wrap my garden with 4 posts and chicken fencing....and secure the top as well, it sounds like that would work against squirrels; am i right?? My garden is not that big...so I can do that. Then I only have to worry about chipmunks and insects as they are much smaller.