He seems to like Tabasco sauce now after we sprayed the entire tree many times.  He has bitten the tree in many places.  We set a trap.  First night he took nothing.  Second night he ate the food but didn't get trapped.  So JD cut a 3 x 5 piece of cardboard nailed through the cheese and orange slices and placed it in the trap so the critter would have to work and release the spring.  This morning, the entire cardboard is gone.  Is the trap next?

Here is the trap:
  Here is a small dent in the damage he has done to the tree.  He doesn't seem to like the leaves or the figs.  He just cuts the branches.
 
We thought the chicken wire cage would prevent access, but he could be getting to the tree from the deck above. 

What can we do to get this guy?

Suzi

The only rodent I've seen thus far do damage to fruit on my trees is a squirrel. Despite that they can acrobatically drop from above, I don't think it would gnaw at bark or leaves. 

Do you think a plain old snap trap would be better?  We just don't know what this nocturnal critter is.
Suzi

I have never had much luck with snap traps. Ever. For moles, voles, or mice. My parents and friends have used variously sized Have-a-Hearts like what you have above and have had reasonable success. (But for every squirrel my parents trapped, a new one moved in :) ) I also used "metal box" traps with no success. Like this one:

http://www.livetrap.com/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=601

Hire Harvey.

Suzi,

I would definitely try a snap trap.  I have killed many rats around the house with these.  Make sure you get the larger ones for rats, not mice.  Just set it lightly and use peanut butter as bait.  They seem to really like the peanut butter.  Luckily whatever the animal is has not started girdling the bark yet.  That is when things get real. 

Paul 

Suzi,

They also make glue traps that can be successful.  Just put the peanut butter in the middle of the glue.  Also, poison can be an option as well.  Just make sure no pets get to it!

Paul

If the damage occurs at night, go out at night with a flashlight and see what is happening. One possible answer is earwigs. They can eat a LOT of stuff.

I'm all about a snap trap as well.  My significant other deemed that chipmunks were just too cute to use regular traps on (or a pellet gun, which was my solution).  Thus, we bought two of these "hav-a-hart" or whatever.  Despite adjusting their sensitivity multiple times, I managed to catch some air, some dirt, and maybe some leaves.  Poor purchases...I dunno how they get like...4-5 star ratings on amazon and the like.  As for glue traps...I just feel bad for whatever gets caught.  Slow way to go (exhaustion, dehydration), so it depends on how vindictive you're feeling.

I second the notion of bugs as well.  Mammals HATE spicy stuff, for the most part.

Thanks for all the great advice.  We'll try it all.  I'm sure there is more than ONE critter working my trees because more than one tree is effected.

I just checked the trap this morning.  Door's open, food's gone.  I didn't check to see if there is new damage on the tree branches.  There is so much it's hard to tell other than the white sap dripping.

JD did find the cardboard left at an opening under the BBQ deck, so we think the critter-s must reside there.

We didn't think of bugs, but do they like cheese, orange slices and peanut butter?  Can they cart a piece of cardboard several feet away?  We are giving this dude a FULL meal.  He's getting his salad from my tree!!  GRRRRRR

I read Harvey's thread, but this is OUTSIDE, not in an enclosed place and it's a BIG outside :-)

Suzi

Webcam with night vision ?

I have a cure for your problem.  I won't post it out in the open for all to read.  Some might get affended.  Send me a PM and I'll tell you how to get rid of them.  Now that they have a steady feed source.  They will keep coming back!

Hi Desertdance,
Try to attach the bait to the trigger, so that when taking the bait, the critter has to shake the trigger.
My trigger is a rod going down to the middle of the box. It was straight .
I bent it and now I pass it through old bread (hard). When the critters want to take the bread, they have to shake it, and that triggers the door.
Good luck !

jdsfrance, JD says our trigger is on the side and a critter could get the bait by just reaching it from the outside.  Bummer.  He's giving it a try tonight, by trying to rig something up that will have to shake the trigger.  Dennis and Frank both sent some lethal ideas, and we may just resort to those.  We have no pets or small children to worry about. 
Suzi 

Any success?

Nope!  JD is kinda stubborn.  I tell him to follow what you guys say and don't think!  Just do it!  NOPE!  He tries to understand.  Sigh.  He did buy a poison trap, but no way of knowing if the stuff worked except the trees are still being eaten.  The Kentucky Derby is making life tough today cuz he has money on it, but Tractor Supply is open till 8 and he has a list.  Dennis gave me a secret recipe, and JD is NOW going to buy the stuff for it.  No more excuses! 

JD's horse came in for him, so now he's on rat control.

I am so sad about my beautiful Verte.  At least the figs are still there and growing larger, but the canopy is getting thin.  It is attacking one of my VDB's loaded with figs, but it seems to just like to bite the branches. 

Suzi

As of this morning the world is less one huge possum!  We figure he was on his hind legs chomping on the tree limbs.  Happily none of the figs were ripe.  We are not giving up because there are plenty of critters around here.

Suzi

Congrat's, Suzi! The possum sleeps with the fishes!

Suzi  will you pm me your formula.   For the squirrel lovers out there, stop here and don't read further.    I put a thin coating peanut butter on a "Just Once Bite" stick.  Wired it in a slatted hanging orchid basket and hung it in tree in backyard.  Noticed immediately that hardly any squirrel jumping on lanai screen and eating blossoms off pineapple guava.   Even husband commented on it.   I think one  more offering of the "Gnaw Bar" will maybe clean them out.   Joyce

Seems like too much force is required to trip the trigger.  Try lubricating the moving parts with WD-40  even some form of cooking oil could help short term.  Long-term cooking oil can get gooey, even sticky.

Happy Hunting,

Tim   Zone 10a