squirrels vs. bananas = devastation

beam2050 · 04-22-2023, 08:45 AM

had a good year weather wise so far. the beginning of february it got very warm with temps in the 80's. with 1 light freeze and 1 light frost my bananas have been popping.

where i think it started was i got too many squirrels and not enough food for them. then they discovered the bananas.

the center white core that would become the cigar leaf is what they have been targeting.

while they will go after plants that are 5ft tall they mainly like the new pups coming up.

so far i have lost 3 to 4 mats with near 20 mats devasted, approximately 14 species. i would have lost more but i bought fencing and completely covered a couple.

21 squirrels have been dispatched with a few more have to go i am sorry to say, it has not been easy for me. i fear now that they have gotten a taste of the bananas they will not stop until all my squirrels are gone.

the first pic is namwa, next cardaba, then sh-3640, kandarin and finally orinoco and fhia-17. i planted the orinoco with the fhia-17 until i could get a mat ready for it, the orinoco is completely gone.

i took these pictures this morning.

Janelle525 · 04-22-2023, 09:52 AM

That is some awful squirrel damage! I had no idea they went after plants, are you sure it's squirrels? Rabbits eat everything green in sight it seems and I know my guinea pigs will eat banana leaves so it wouldn't be off the table for bunnies. And those are hard to keep out of the yard they squeeze through small holes in the fence. We have big oak trees around here so the squirrels focus on nuts I haven't had any damage to bananas. The bunny rabbits on the other hand eat my sweet potatoes and any vegetable I want to plant.

beam2050 · 04-22-2023, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janelle525

That is some awful squirrel damage! I had no idea they went after plants, are you sure it's squirrels? Rabbits eat everything green in sight it seems and I know my guinea pigs will eat banana leaves so it wouldn't be off the table for bunnies. And those are hard to keep out of the yard they squeeze through small holes in the fence. We have big oak trees around here so the squirrels focus on nuts I haven't had any damage to bananas. The bunny rabbits on the other hand eat my sweet potatoes and any vegetable I want to plant.

i wondered at first also.

i have a dwarf maoli that is chicken wire fenced with no top, their getting into that. i did that on purpose.

also i have never seen rabbits climb 5ft. to get to the top of a plant. i do have rabbits, but not generally in the areas hardest hit. to many cats. they pretty much stay near the fence and the woods.

that and i have a 30/35 ft. bottlebrush tree that they have been cutting some of the new flowers off of that, which have not seen before.

beam2050 · 04-29-2023, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janelle525

That is some awful squirrel damage! I had no idea they went after plants, are you sure it's squirrels? Rabbits eat everything green in sight it seems and I know my guinea pigs will eat banana leaves so it wouldn't be off the table for bunnies. And those are hard to keep out of the yard they squeeze through small holes in the fence. We have big oak trees around here so the squirrels focus on nuts I haven't had any damage to bananas. The bunny rabbits on the other hand eat my sweet potatoes and any vegetable I want to plant.

i have seen the squirrels in my plants, but today i watched one carry a banana leaf up a tree and eat on it. my cardoba, the leaf was about 9 inches long and it had chewed it off the plant at the p-stem. the cardoba was just coming back.

i was so busy showing the wife [she had her doubts too] i didn't think to grab a camera. dag-nab-it.

cardoba, i paid 60 dollars for it.

Rmplmnz · 05-07-2023, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beam2050

21 squirrels have been dispatched with a few more have to go i am sorry to say, it has not been easy for me. i fear now that they have gotten a taste of the bananas they will not stop until all my squirrels are gone.

Do not feel bad...it is a never ending task!

Grey squirrels eat every avocado/mango/banana in our yard until we started trapping them with the Havahart 1083 Catch and Release Small 1-Door Easy Set Humane Live Animal Trap for Squirrels.

We trap over 100 every year...

Reproduction:
Eastern gray squirrels males reach breeding age at 9-11 months and females are about to breed around 6-8 months of age. After that, the eastern gray squirrel mates twice a year from December to February and from May to June. Eastern gray squirrel litters range from 2-6 young.

Do the math....

Good luck!!

momoese · 05-07-2023, 11:09 PM

The squirrels and rats have been wreaking havoc on my bananas and citrus for several years. Mostly rats. I have caught several rats by strapping snap traps just below bunches. Have also had good results sprinkling repellent on my passion fruit vines. I am thinking about buying fox or coyote urine.

Dalmatiansoap · 05-08-2023, 01:03 AM

Good idea but your dogs would be nuts about it?

Iowa · 05-08-2023, 06:21 AM

Goggle Plantskyyd, it's the repellent that I use. It has kept the deer and other critters away from our plants. The cat helps also.

beam2050 · 05-08-2023, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowa

Goggle Plantskyyd, it's the repellent that I use. It has kept the deer and other critters away from our plants. The cat helps also.

good to know thanks. the squirrels eat mostly at the top of the p-stem, getting the cigar leafs and the leaves just before.

my cats are old, fat and lazy.

Iowa · 05-08-2023, 03:50 PM

I use the spray mostly, our Hosta's have Deer foot prints around them but none are chewed on.

04-22-2023, 09:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
Janelle525 Location: Bradenton, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Join Date: Oct 2019 Posts: 263 BananaBucks : 12,279 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 381 Times Was Thanked 326 Times in 130 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 65 Times	Re: squirrels vs. bananas = devastation That is some awful squirrel damage! I had no idea they went after plants, are you sure it's squirrels? Rabbits eat everything green in sight it seems and I know my guinea pigs will eat banana leaves so it wouldn't be off the table for bunnies. And those are hard to keep out of the yard they squeeze through small holes in the fence. We have big oak trees around here so the squirrels focus on nuts I haven't had any damage to bananas. The bunny rabbits on the other hand eat my sweet potatoes and any vegetable I want to plant. __________________ Super Dwarf Cavendish, Tall Namwah, Goldfinger, Praying Hands, Raja Pisang, Manzano.

05-07-2023, 11:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,589 BananaBucks : 115 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,747 Times Was Thanked 10,887 Times in 3,310 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 728 Times	Re: squirrels vs. bananas = devastation The squirrels and rats have been wreaking havoc on my bananas and citrus for several years. Mostly rats. I have caught several rats by strapping snap traps just below bunches. Have also had good results sprinkling repellent on my passion fruit vines. I am thinking about buying fox or coyote urine.

05-08-2023, 01:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dalmatiansoap Let there be light Dalmatiansoap's Photo Gallery Location: Makarska, Croatia Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Ante Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 9,160 BananaBucks : 606,903 Feedback: 10 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,508 Times Was Thanked 8,381 Times in 3,031 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 720 Times	Re: squirrels vs. bananas = devastation Good idea but your dogs would be nuts about it? __________________ https://abnb.me/AXJty518xib

05-08-2023, 06:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
Iowa Location: Burlington,Iowa Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Mike Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 703 BananaBucks : 43,557 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 571 Times Was Thanked 1,017 Times in 381 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 597 Times	Re: squirrels vs. bananas = devastation Goggle Plantskyyd, it's the repellent that I use. It has kept the deer and other critters away from our plants. The cat helps also. __________________ Growing Musa Orinoco since 1993 - Added 2018-Basjoo, Zebrina' Rojo, Ensete Red Abyssinian - Added 2019-Goldfinger - Added 2020-Kokopo (Short Cycle), Double (Mahoi), Highgate, Super Dwarf Cavendish - Added 2021-Pisang Ceylon(Mysore), Musa Margarita, Ensete Ventricosum - Added 2023 - Siam Ruby

05-08-2023, 03:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
Iowa Location: Burlington,Iowa Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Mike Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 703 BananaBucks : 43,557 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 571 Times Was Thanked 1,017 Times in 381 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 597 Times	Re: squirrels vs. bananas = devastation I use the spray mostly, our Hosta's have Deer foot prints around them but none are chewed on. __________________ Growing Musa Orinoco since 1993 - Added 2018-Basjoo, Zebrina' Rojo, Ensete Red Abyssinian - Added 2019-Goldfinger - Added 2020-Kokopo (Short Cycle), Double (Mahoi), Highgate, Super Dwarf Cavendish - Added 2021-Pisang Ceylon(Mysore), Musa Margarita, Ensete Ventricosum - Added 2023 - Siam Ruby

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