Cactus survival?

[Anonny Moose]

The desert critters have gone to work on a prickly pear cutting I just put in the ground. It's a fairly large "arm" from the mother plant. The critters have been eating the surface layer off on one side of the arm and now the wound is dry and white. I've put up a wire barrier around the cactus and trapped a woodrat last night in a rat trap - assuming it was the hungry culprit.

Being new to desert plants, I'm wondering just how resilient these cactus are. Does it stand a chance after all the nibbling? I put a wire barrier around the young palo verde tree we planted just in case something takes a shine to its bark, too - is that necessary or am I over-reacting?

Thanks in advance. Karen

[Charles]

The ones I have fooled with are nearly bullet proof, as long at they don't get too wet. It will always have a scar there, but should survive quite well.

[Treedweller]

Yes, if you manage to kill this thing a million ranchers will beat down your door asking for the secret.

k