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Post by raphanus on Apr 25, 2021 15:08:17 GMT -5
I see holes all over the garden recently, some soda can sized, some 2 liter bottle sized, some are a little larger, not usually deeper than six inches. It has found all the carrots, beets, sun chokes, and sweet potatoes. It won’t touch anything else other than broccoli. I know it isn’t a rabbit because I have a chain link fence. It must have a good sense of smell to find every sweet potato and sunchoke root. It ate an apple once that I put in a raccoon trap, fairly large bite marks, but it has never been caught in any snap rat traps or the raccoon trap cage despite setting them off. It’s clearly smart, but is a very picky eater. Won’t touch nightshaddes or alliums or flowers or most brassicas other than broccoli. Ate a few peas but didn’t like them. Doesn’t eat carrot or beet greens, just the roots. Anyone have any ideas what it could be?
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Post by binnylou on Apr 25, 2021 16:01:30 GMT -5
raphanus , any chance that you have a fox patrolling your garden for voles/moles? A fox would easily go over your fence.
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Post by desertwoman on Apr 25, 2021 17:53:42 GMT -5
Any skunks in the neighborhood? I cant say they dig up root crops here because I grow very few of those, but skunks dig holes throughout the yard, about the size you describe.
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Post by breezygardener on Apr 25, 2021 19:28:40 GMT -5
I vote for groundhog. They love ALL of those items.
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Post by armjr on Apr 25, 2021 20:06:53 GMT -5
I've heard that some people eat groundhogs, especially those that have been fattened up on sweet potatoes!
Alan
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Post by binnylou on Apr 25, 2021 20:29:51 GMT -5
Iowa groundhogs like tomatoes. One of the local groundhogs would eat away the bottom of the fruit. Only when you picked it, did you run your hand in to squishy tomato mess.
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Post by Mumsey on Apr 26, 2021 4:55:40 GMT -5
raphanus, We have chain link. And rabbits can and do get through it, depending on their size! It doesn't sound like rabbits to me. I vote for groundhog, they can climb fences and trees. I see little holes around the yard, those are made by squirrels. I've seen them in action. What critters are plentiful in your neighborhood?
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Post by binnylou on Apr 26, 2021 7:59:23 GMT -5
I think raphanus needs a wildlife cam to solve this puzzle.  |
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Apr 26, 2021 8:56:57 GMT -5
Some of those mounds sound quite large but here I have a problem with moles and or voles. Voles do eat roots and stems of plants.....Moles eat insects and worms. Both can do quite a bit of damage. In digging for insects the roots may become damaged as well. A third critter may be gophers also eat vegetables like carrots and potatoes
Could be a combination of those as they are all unground dwellers.
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Post by raphanus on Apr 29, 2021 8:08:08 GMT -5
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Post by raphanus on Apr 29, 2021 8:12:25 GMT -5
I forgot to mention damage always occurs between midnight and 4 am
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Post by desertwoman on Apr 29, 2021 9:46:46 GMT -5
raphanus , I had success last year creating a huge cage with chicken wire, more immediately around the plants (rather than relying on the fence I have surrounding the garden). The ch wire was draped over the top as well as surrounding the perimeter of the plants in need. This stopped the mysterious critters immediately.
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Post by reuben on Apr 29, 2021 10:28:08 GMT -5
It has set off rat traps but didn’t get caught in them. It managed to get an apple out of a raccoon trap but didn’t get caught in the raccoon trap. I have a chain link fence around the garden. So it's probably something small, like a squirrel. A groundhog, raccoon, or possum would have been caught in the trap unless the trap is broken or not set up correctly. Small critters can get through chain link. You'll need something chicken wire, assuming that the culprit isn't a good climber. And, just so that you're aware, it might not be just one animal. |
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Post by desertwoman on Apr 29, 2021 11:21:34 GMT -5
. Small critters can get through chain link. You'll need something chicken wire, assuming that the culprit isn't a good climber. so maybe draping chicken wire across the top of the chair link, as well as the ch wire to fortify the chain link. |
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Post by binnylou on Apr 29, 2021 11:38:28 GMT -5
Has this critter visited often enough that it has created a trail to your yard? Are neighbors having the same problem? Has it ever left visible foot tracks in mud?
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