Eating my cactus!

17 years ago

Can you believe this? Some beastie is going after my cactus. Pulling them out of their pots. Taking bites. I have had them on a plant stand for almost 4 years, and this is the first problem!

Well, what do you suppose it is? And, how do I stop whatever it is: possum or raccoon?

Thank you.

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Comments (11)

jblaschke
17 years ago
Wow. Do you have a javelina infestation in DFW? That's the only Texas native beastie I know of that regularly eats cactus. :-)
karin1
Original Author
17 years ago
Well...........not eating, but pulling pieces off, biting into it, and perhaps discovering it's not tasty. However, some type of cactus was attacked two nights in a row. My neighbors wonder if it's the resident possum (doesn't everyone have one of these hanging around?), or a raccoon? Who knows?
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maden_theshade
17 years ago
How big are the bites? I think rats may sometimes eat cacti...and if it's happening at night that fits. Can't think of anything else that would even bother in the springtime when there are easier food sources to find.
pjtexgirl
17 years ago
totally stumped. PJ
melvalena
17 years ago
I vote possum. One winter I had one (or more) "somethings" living in my attic and they'd come and go via the access door in the garage.
Towards the end of the winter, those darn things ATE every one of my aloe plants!! They didn't bother anything else.

We tried everything except poison to get rid of 'em. We'd hear them partying every night up there. thump thump ta-thump thump. It sounded like they were racing back and forth jumping over the beams and rolling around. It Drove Us Nuts!

Finally I'd had enough of it. They had to GO! The animal control people told me they'd put my name at the end of the list to borrow the trap. I wasn't willing to wait. I went to the ACE hardware store and bought my own trap. I think it was between $70 and $100 --can't remember.

Caught one the very first try! I pulled the cage out in the driveway and sent email to Animal Control- they came out and took it. I reset the trap but never caught another one. But I did catch a cat, which I released and never saw again.

Once we were certain there was nothing else living up there we made sure to keep that attic door thing shut.

I keep the trap just in case we ever need it again. You wanna borrow it? :)
Gardener972
17 years ago
We had something eating our cactus flower just before they opened. A guy at a nursery told me that it was probably rats so we put out a rat trap. Sure enough... and there was more than one too!!
pjtexgirl
17 years ago
AKKK! this house had rats and mice all under the sheds and even starting to go into the garage (attached to the house by a door!) I didn't know rats ate cactus.(I only have a couple rinky cactus in pots that were gifts) If it weren't for the "girls"(dogs) I'd have had a real mess on my hands.PJ
karin1
Original Author
17 years ago
I'm beginning to believe it's rats also. We have found one floating in the pool one summer, and last year our cat "presented" one at the patio door (thank heavens! it was dead). There were no problems last night, so whatever other species of cactus I have untouched must not be to his/her liking. I'll have a talk with Daize and see if she'll patrol for me, and take care of the problem!
Your trap, melvalena, will probably be too big, but thanks for the offer! It was an interesting problem, thanks for responses! Much appreciated, and enjoyed.
maden_theshade
17 years ago
We put out corn for the squirrels and one morning I saw a HUGE rat in broad daylight, on my deck eating corn! ugh! DH put out some poison, and a few months later we bought an owl nesting box. Happy to say we now have a pair of nesting owls and no signs of new rats.
pjtexgirl
17 years ago
Hmmmm good! Rat burrito for the owl! PJ
karin1
Original Author
17 years ago
Well, if owls like rats, you'd think my problem with rats (if that is truly the "munching" culprit) would be solved as my neighbors are suppose to have an owl nesting in a tree in front of their house. Should I put up a menu? And, although I have cats, they are in at night, so they shouldn't be a deterrent. This may remain one of life's little mysteries............