Anybody, please?

Discussion in 'Garden Pest Management and Identification' started by sungodess134, May 22, 2007.

  1. sungodess134

    sungodess134 Active Member

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    Hi, can anyone help me please? I have a few tomato plants currently doing well. Everytime I go to pick a tomato, something has gotten to it before me. It only attacks it at night, as soon as they ripen. I even moved the plants inside my back patio, for a night or two to try and outwit it. The patio is open, but we have a dog that sleeps out there, she would never let something get in. Except this morning when I went to pick my tomato for breakfast and this is what I found. I am perplexed. Could it be my cats? my dog? at first I thought it might be a opossum, but like I said she would not have let something like that in the patio, and how would he have found it after I moved it. There are no pests on the plant as far as I can see. The bite marks look huge. Anyone have an idea for me? thanks.
     

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  2. oscar

    oscar Active Member

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    looks more like multiple small bites to me.
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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  4. sungodess134

    sungodess134 Active Member

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    I thought maybe it was a bunch of bites also. I hope to god, it's not a roof rat. We live in a fairly rural area and I've never seen a rat around, doesn't mean there isn't one but I've got my fingers crossed. Any other suggestions?
     
  5. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Flying Squirrels? They (unlike other squirrels) are nocturnal, and would likely only visit if they could tell your dog was asleep.
     
  6. sungodess134

    sungodess134 Active Member

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    maybe? I live in South Florida, lots of regular squirrels, (could that be it?) never seen a flying squirrel here though.
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    From my link: "Roof rats are the worst rodent pest in the state of Florida and most abundant."

    See also photo of damaged fruits.
     
  8. sungodess134

    sungodess134 Active Member

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    I think I am in denial Ron B. I really, really don't want it to be a roof rat. I can handle many things, but a rat, yuck. I read the whole article just now and it seems like a pretty good match. One thing however is bothering me, I put my plants in my back patio like I said before to try and outwit it, it still got a hold of it. The rat would have had to come inside, there is a small section of the screen open that the cats use to get in and out, but it still would have had to come down on to the ground to get in. Also my patio, is right outside my bedroom, with two big sliding glass doors that I always leave open at night. My dog sleeps in my room, she would have made a big ruckus if something was out there. (this is the denial part) So are you sure it's not my cats? *said hopefully* me.
     
  9. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Last time we had a roof rat here that was making itself noticed it could be heard climbing up a shrub near the house, jumping onto the house, and running across the ceiling to the garage, where it would play for hours. It made about as much noise in the garage as a person might.

    We poisoned it with bait, not recommended where other animals are around.
     
  10. sungodess134

    sungodess134 Active Member

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    no noises, and I am home all day, for the most part. maybe no rat then? me.
     
  11. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    It came during the night.
     

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