Tomato Damage: Turtles Eat Low Fruit, Squirrels and Birds Take the Rest

Box turtles eat ripe tomatoes but cannot climb. Damage high on the plant is from squirrels or birds.

Protection Strategies

• Birds: Cover plants with bird netting.
• Squirrels: Live-trap and relocate (with permission). No effective repellent.
• Turtles: Fence low beds with 12-inch hardware cloth.

Identify the culprit by damage height and signs (claw marks, droppings). Combine barriers for best results.

Box turtle—ground-level tomato thief.

Tomato with bite marks.

Squirrels take fruit at all heights.