Author Topic: What Is Eating My Papayas?  (Read 3269 times)

JeffDM

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What Is Eating My Papayas?
« on: November 15, 2017, 06:24:36 PM »
This is the second papaya I've found with a round hole in it just after it had started to ripen on the plant.  Suspects include the pesky squirrel, rats or the ever-present mockingbird.


marklee

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2017, 07:12:53 PM »
Probably a rat unless you have tree squirrels in your area.

RodneyS

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2017, 07:32:07 PM »
Could be birds, too

Samu

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2017, 08:30:25 PM »
Yes, I would guess it’s a bird; looks more like long beak markings
instead of rodent’s teeth to me...
Thanks Jeff, this just reminded me to pick my one yellowing papaya now...
Sam

waxy

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2017, 02:16:37 AM »
Looks like a squirrel or a rat to me.
Never seen a bird with that big of an appetite eating it all the way through.
Had the same problem with papayas in my yard too, rats and squirrels get to them first as soon as they ripen.

There are some plastic bags on Amazon you can place over the fruits.
Worked well for me this year.

Jack, Nipomo

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2017, 09:02:02 AM »
Dealing with tree rats (Rattus rattus) for many years, it certainly looks like a rat.  I think I see the imprint of incisors.  Birds leave pecks.  Try putting a rat trap in the tree baited with papaya (I have to use macadamia nuts).  Best to put a screen around the trap with a hole for the rat.  That will exclude birds.  If there is one rat, there will be more.

waxy

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2017, 12:37:31 PM »
Depending on large your tree is, I'd advise buying a sheet metal 2x2 feet, large if you have rats the size of your forearm.
Wrap it towards the middle of the trunk, and then get some foil and place it on the lower part.
This will prevent the rats or squirrels to climb up the tree, if the foil doesn't already scare them away.

RodneyS

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2017, 01:34:03 PM »
Fortunately, my Sunrise papaya hasn't had pest issues (knocks on papaya wood)



JeffDM

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2017, 01:52:14 PM »
Last night I put the Rat Zapper next to the papaya plant and this morning found a zapped rat.  I'll keep putting it out at night to see if there are more.
Strange because this is the first time that any of the backyard critters have gone after the papayas.

Samu

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2017, 02:07:41 PM »
Glad to see you caught the culprit!
I am also still keeping my Rat Zapper, just in case it will be needed...
Sam

pineislander

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2017, 07:27:23 PM »
Usually best to pick papaya when it has a couple of yellow stripes forming near the bottom of the fruit. At that point they will ripen fine off the tree and be less attractive to vermin.

dragon

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2017, 12:49:28 PM »
Last night I put the Rat Zapper next to the papaya plant and this morning found a zapped rat.  I'll keep putting it out at night to see if there are more.
Strange because this is the first time that any of the backyard critters have gone after the papayas.






Looked at the damage the rat did to my beautiful dragon fruit. I will set the trap and kill him
« Last Edit: November 17, 2017, 12:52:28 PM by dragon »

JeffDM

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2017, 01:01:14 PM »
Rat #2 got zapped in the Rat Zapper next to one of my papaya plants last night.  Looks like I'll need to buy more batteries and deploy another Rat Zapper by the orange tree that is loaded with ripening fruit along with the papaya plants that are also loaded with fruit.

pineislander

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #13 on: November 18, 2017, 03:49:28 PM »
Sounds like your rat zapper is effective. There are several multi-catch traps out there.
http://thetrapmaker.com/traplist.htm

Dealing with rodents is a never-ending battle. They just keep coming so a sustained effort is required.

spaugh

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #14 on: November 18, 2017, 10:58:23 PM »
Buy some rat sized snap traps and put out 5 of them per night baited with peanut butter.  You will kill multiple per night for a while if you are in a neighborhood.
Brad Spaugh

Jack, Nipomo

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #15 on: November 19, 2017, 09:03:54 AM »
Unfortunately you will kill many desirable birds if you just scatter rat traps around intended for only rats.  Birds will be attracted to peanut butter and other baits, especially in the fall when other foods are scarce.  Harmless possums and raccoons also become victims.  Rat Zappers and a caged rat trap with an opening will be much more selective.  Sadly, I learned the hard way with a woodpecker, blue jay, and several unidentified beautiful birds.  My traps are attached to an 8 ft pole for hanging in the tree and baited with a macadamia nut (or piece of avocado).  Enclosing most of the trap with wire mesh (bottom open, hole for rat) has eliminated the unhappy discovery of a killed bird.  I do have a  Rattus rattus rat (tree, attic, palm, etc.) problem, especially with my macadamias.  I have 16-20 traps on poles in the trees running at any one time.  Three years ago I killed 96 rats in the year.  Some years are better than others.  Poison baits will kill many secondary consumers including my free-range chickens and possibly a dog or cat.  Eradication is not possible (your neighbors are raising them too), just work on minimizing the population and effects.  Neighbor had them in her attic (common for this rat) and had to poison the attic and seal all openings using professional help.  Reminds me of the snail issues before the drought reduced that population.  The Internet has some interesting information on this species of rat that is now common in CA.

Triphal

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #16 on: November 19, 2017, 10:10:33 AM »
Age old method in India. For rat problem on coconut trees a thin 1' to 1 1/2' long aluminum sheet is wrapped around the trees 6' to 8' above the ground. This can be applied to control squirrel also. Make sure there are no nearby tree branches or building structures for them to jump on those trees.This method can be used for arecanut and papaya trees.

waxy

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #17 on: November 20, 2017, 01:03:48 PM »
Unfortunately you will kill many desirable birds if you just scatter rat traps around intended for only rats.  Birds will be attracted to peanut butter and other baits, especially in the fall when other foods are scarce.  Harmless possums and raccoons also become victims.  Rat Zappers and a caged rat trap with an opening will be much more selective.  Sadly, I learned the hard way with a woodpecker, blue jay, and several unidentified beautiful birds.  My traps are attached to an 8 ft pole for hanging in the tree and baited with a macadamia nut (or piece of avocado).  Enclosing most of the trap with wire mesh (bottom open, hole for rat) has eliminated the unhappy discovery of a killed bird.  I do have a  Rattus rattus rat (tree, attic, palm, etc.) problem, especially with my macadamias.  I have 16-20 traps on poles in the trees running at any one time.  Three years ago I killed 96 rats in the year.  Some years are better than others.  Poison baits will kill many secondary consumers including my free-range chickens and possibly a dog or cat.  Eradication is not possible (your neighbors are raising them too), just work on minimizing the population and effects.  Neighbor had them in her attic (common for this rat) and had to poison the attic and seal all openings using professional help.  Reminds me of the snail issues before the drought reduced that population.  The Internet has some interesting information on this species of rat that is now common in CA.

Very true, I've caught more birds in the live traps than I could count.
Luckily they're live traps, after catching live birds on sticky traps I felt very bad.

These rats are getting smarter and smarter every year.
For some reason they don't even want the fruits in my yard anymore, they just eat the papaya leaves or my chili plant leaves.
I have over 40 varieties of chili pepper plants and they're all down to just the nub.
Not only they eat the leaves and stems, they bite off large 1/4 to 1/2" branches off all my trees, Jabos, Longan, Mangosteen and make a nest out of it. When I discover the nest it see all sorts of leaves and branches. They definitely travel far to collect those branches.

I've tried the following:

- Bucket roller with Elmer's glue
- Live bait trap
- Plank and water
- Very large snap traps, enough to break your finger
- Sticky traps
- Water Cannon (Sprinkler animal repellent)
- Zapper

I've literally killed hundreds of rats, no thanks to the sewer drain down the street, they come out every night.
Think by next year I'll hit a milestone, 1000+ rats killed, it's a relentless battle and you'll never beat the swarm.

Now I'm actually taming some feral cats, it's my last resort and hopefully they'll fix the problem for good.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2017, 01:09:25 PM by waxy »

JF

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Re: What Is Eating My Papayas?
« Reply #18 on: November 20, 2017, 01:43:46 PM »
Morelos papaya

Eaten by bats