Yes, rabbits can eat tomatoes, but only as a treat. I haven't had many ripe tomatoes above that to judge if it will eat even taller tomatoes. Just like tomatoes (_Lycopersicon esculentum_), tomato-eating pests come in a variety of sizes and appearances. There’s nothing more infuriating than waiting for a tomato to ripen so you can pluck it from the vine only to find holes in your fruit. That’s not all that hit him. The problemis that if you also happen to live near deer, the deer will also be interestedin your tomatoes. The garden is double fenced with metal fencing then fine mesh bird netting around the perimeter as well.  So it's not a rabbit.  It's not … Sarasota Magazine. Our motives weren’t so lofty. This is the state of my tomato plants now. They can take fairly large bites of them. 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Ripe tomatoes are considered nontoxic to dogs and can be fed in moderation as an occasional snack. Another option is to pick the tomatoes when they begin ripening, but before the squirrels get to them. Deer, birds, squirrels and raccoons all eat tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), but they rarely eat an entire fruit. Fortunately for your cat, tomato plant poisoning isn't typically fatal, but will definitely cause uncomfortable symptoms. We get rats eating our tomatoes as well. But four have been chewed some, with two having been chewed a lot, i.e. But there are a number of bacteria that can be transmitted through eating pre-bitten food. The virus is not viable if the saliva dries or if the saliva is diluted or altered by some other fluid like the juices in a fruit or vegetable. One of the pots is cherry tomatoes, and it’s actually the most robust at the moment, with the most little green tomatoes on it. “But no—there are no known cases of diseases being passed indirectly from squirrels in that way.” Indeed, he added, squirrels rarely, if ever, have rabies. Pam Daniel Those chemicals disappear as the fruit ripens, meaning ripe fruit is more likely to be carried away and devoured. A dog or cat won't be able to get into it. I have 2 pots of tomato plants with green tomatoes on them that weren't touched. Dazu gehört der Widerspruch gegen die Verarbeitung Ihrer Daten durch Partner für deren berechtigte Interessen. You can cook the tomatoes thoroughly to kill the virus. The animal likes to eat at night also. Yes, yes, I interrupted, but I have a more important scientific question: “Is my boyfriend right that you shouldn’t eat fruit a squirrel has bitten?” He seemed taken aback. However, something is eating a quarter size to half dollar size bites out of most of my tomatoes. In some other regions, he continued, warming to the subject, squirrels do carry plague, which is transmitted by fleas—but certainly not by fruit. A long piece of pvc pipe with a Ratsak or Talon block wired in will work pretty well. I haven't had many ripe tomatoes above that to judge if it will eat even taller tomatoes. The fruit is not bad for rabbits excepting all plant parts like the leaves, vines, flowers, and stems which are toxic. Depending on your location, local birds could be the culprit. “That’s a little outside my bailiwick,” he finally replied. We have a garden at my parents' house, and recently there was an increase in wild rabid animals around the parts where we live. Can a zucchini with bite marks be used if the bites … It can be frustrating when tomatoes get eaten after working so hard on the garden, but thankfully there are many ways to prevent damage to your plants and the animals that want them. The answer is both yes and no. So, my tomatoes with big bites are on plants that have been grown in 12″ high galvanized steel tubs, so access by turtles could not happen, nor have I ever seen a turtle in my urban city environment, far from a creek or water source. Ah, Koprowski replied—you have to look at it from the tree’s perspective. The tomato plant contains solanine, which is toxic for your cat. 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