First off- this is my first post....
I have five plants two of which are actually doing anything.... Rest appear dormant. (I live in Rhode Island) Went out for dinner today, when I got home, something ate or chewed off all the new buds busting out of one of my plants. Around 5 new buds. I chopped the top of the tree in March so the buds were comin out of the branches. I suspect chipmunks? Anyone have same problem? They live in the wall right by my plants.... Have never had a problem before.... Maybe I need to dust off the pellet gun.

Welcome to the forum!

Welcome! Also, if there is some animal eating your figs try filling a small container with bleach and leaving it out where they live - obviously taking care to avoid spilling it near any plants. You can partially bury a quart container filled halfway, or tuck it under a porch, I put it under my sheds. The smell of the chemicals drives all wildlife away -- great for skunks, rabbits, chipmunks, possums, etc

Something ate the newly emerging shoots.. Rabbit definitely did not here where I am. That's why I was asking bout chipmunks because I didn't think they would do this but really don't know what else would? Wish I had cameras on my trees.

ah the cute elusive chip monkey.  Since they live in the wall near your plants I am sure they viewed your fresh bud as a wonderful appetizer.   Those little beasties would eat all the blooms off my clemetis vines on my wooden privacy fence when I lived in Michigan.  One even took to gnawing a fence post.   I took red hot pepper sauce and put on the post and sat and watched the next morning.  He went scampering up there and started to chow down.  All of a sudden he went   EKEEE and ran away.   so I mixed red hot sauce and cayene pepper in a spray bottle and sprayed all my blooms.   no problems with them eating flowers.   I also got two little yorkie pups who took great enjoyment out of chasing and barking at them.   They soon moved away.