What animal is eating my vegatable plants.

[Mike]

I live in FL and I have built garden boxes that stand about 40+ inches off the ground. First something was eating the spinach only. So I build some chicken wire boxes, spinach safe now. Then they when after the radishes. Covered those. Then the swiss chard. Covered those. Then the Cucumber plants. Ate all of those. Now they are going after the tomato plants. Whatever it is is not eating a lot but eating each night. I don't think rabbits can jump that high. I do have squirrel and raccoon in the area. Any ideas.

Mike

[Frank]

Deer? Squirrels and raccoons will dig stuff up but deer will eat practically anything.

[Mike]

Deer? Squirrels and raccoons will dig stuff up but deer will eat practically anything.

They are not digging, just eating. No Deer where we are. Maybe rabbits somehow jumping. We have wild cats too.

[Frank]

I suggested deer because they are ruminates and only animal mentioned that would eat tomato plants. I seldom see the ones around here but they come out at night and leave plenty of sign. I've had rabbits come up on the front porch and eat flowers but have never seen them jumping that high. If you are super curious you could buy a game camera and photograph the culprit.

[Mike]

It must be squirrels. I didn't think squirrels would eat tomato plants (and leave the fruit) and my yard is full of acorns. Very odd as I have had tomato plants before in a different spot low to the ground and they never bothered them. I will have to look into the camera idea.

[Frank]

Game cameras are available at places like Cabelas:

've never used one but hunters put them out to photograph and scout game, usually deer, in their hunting areas.

[David Hare-Scott]

Are there any scats?

David

[David Hare-Scott]

Rodents will eat tomatoes.

David

[brooklyn1]

Birds eat veggies too.

[brooklyn1]

Mammals will eat tomtoes but they won't eat tomato plants, they are smart enough to know that tomato plants are toxic to mammals... but slugs and snails will eat tomato plants, as will many insects and of course reptiles... are there no lizards in FL... they will munch the plants in order to get to the insects within, so will birds. It's a cruel world out there.

[Mike]

Whatever it is is not eating the fruit, the plants are too young. The buggers are eating the plant itself. The chicken wire works. I just bought more chicken wire and am going to wrap the whole thing garden box.