Rats, that is. I got rid of the mouse a few days ago and all seemed good. The tomatoes remained untouched for two days. This morning I found half a large green tomato hanging on one of the plants. Seems the cayenne pepper I sprinkled everywhere isn’t deterring them. Or maybe enough of it washes away when I water the plants to make it ineffective when diluted. So I resorted to setting the traps.

For the mouse I was able to use the little trap. I set another small one for a few nights after catching the first mouse, but it only seemed to attract ants. Tonight I set two of the big rat traps. Not sure if that’s what’s eating the tomatoes, but figured I’d try those since they seem to be feasting on the plants closest to the back fence near the bushes in my neighbor’s yard. I’ve noticed both rats and possums in those bushes before, so we’ll see what happens come morning.

While I’m not looking forward to disposing of these critters, I am definitely looking forward to allowing my tomatoes to ripen so I can enjoy the fruits of my labors.