I was losing all my Dragon Kale leaves to little cute SQUIRRELS...and I thought, anyway, that's fine as long as they keep occupied and stay away from the rest of the garden.
But this? This is gone too far!
Pass me the shotgun!!
( ...am I too angry?)

I was looking forward to showing off and tasting this one, it's the Large Eye Armenian that was fruiting late. It was almost ready to be picked but then rains came and I was thinking it'll be fine, even sweeter perhaps. 
Little that I know, I had Fig Tasting Assistants that beat me to it.

The eye, as you see, had changed size I don't know how/why..looks pretty tight to me.

       

Ouch!. I know the feeling. Happened to me as well several times this summer.

That it's exactly why I have a strict squirrel policy, they are not allowed in my yard in any way shape or form at any time for any or no reason!  

Scott, LOL
I might need some tutorial from you.

Oh so sorry Aaron! Is this the grafted cutting from a previous thread? If not a shotgun ,you definitely need a BB gun to save the last fig! Good hunting buddy,
Freagin squirrel is probably laughing all the way home! Lol

Chris, no, that one was a node of Orphan on the John's Market Capri.

this one is one of my 3 Armenian variants ... Large Eye, Medium Eye and Small Eye. (this one was the Large Eye Armenian) but seems have kept the eye shut, LOL

I wonder if they can grade figs 1-10.
Anyhow organza bags can be in your favour

this picture is from last Summer, the fruit is of the mother tree in private collectors garden in Los Angeles.
     


and this is the cutting that I rooted last summer that became the little tree in post #1

OMG...tree rats!!! that's it!
I saw a fat one going under the balcony where I have a square pile of construction wood2x4x24s..Didn't think much of that...STUPIT, STUPIT, STUPIT.
OK, I'm off to Home Depot...I'm going to buy rat poison.
Hopefully I'll proudly show off my kill. (ugh, call me A Mean One , Mr Grinch ...so goes the F song)

They may have a nest in your wood pile. Good luck on your extermination Aaron!

I make a warm little place where they can stay. After that they leave the fruit alone. Highly recommended!
(Don't click the link if you love squirles)

http://www.kania.net/

Check your local regulations...

Here's what I came home with and it's set already. We'll wait now.

 

Just hurry up and wait now.

Tragic!!

Well children,my back yard is like "woods" a darn forest but the squirrels leave all my fruit alone courtesy of my three kitties and our dog. Maybe they re just full of all those acorns the re busy collecting all day.. Who knows. My nemesis are the hornets and Yellowjackets ! No joke they can devour a fig in 10 minutes or less but I m ok sharing with the critters. They all play their part even if they get in our way sometimes and remember guys, WE are the invaders!!!!!!!

the yellow jackets and wasps u just shake the brang or thump fruit to make it shake and if nothing fall off or buzz then ur good every since i got stung thats wat ive done havent got stung again

The squirrels in my garden are so clever. Every morning they go up and down my fig trees to check for ripe/ semi ripe fruits. Always beat me and they come at different times. My husband suggested that I should print a barbecued squirrels and place them all over...this is what going to happen to them if they keep stealing my fruits. I don't mind sharing but I do not have a chance at all. Do mice traps work?

Norhayati

Aaron, you need a real cat. My two cats keep mice out of the house and squirrels out of the yard. A couple of nights ago, we had a bat in the house. The kids were afraid to sleep in their rooms upstairs, but one of the cats grabbed it in mid-air. We were able to get it from her and release it outdoors. We had tried opening windows and doors, the bat just wouldn't leave. Poison doesn't seem like the best option to me. It is frustrating to lose figs to animals for sure, I feel your pain there.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Mike,
We lost Jasper (cream Siamese with baby blue eyes) a month ago, we still don't know what happened to him, no fur, no collar with name tag found anywhere. Police said Coyotes 
take the body far... ugh, anyway.
But even then squirrels were very friendly with Jasper, no mice were seen then but I would still see tree rats here and there.
We have several old California Oaks trees in the property that produce enough acorn for squirrels but, I guess, figs and Kale provide varieties for their already rich diet.
I don't want any rats or tree rats near the house and don't feel bad about it.
I like the idea of adopting Jack Russell dogs. I family friend have a nice size yard and lots of fruit trees but , of a long time, they weren't able to enjoy any fruit because of squirrels and birds. After adopting a German Shepherd they haven't lost fruit. I am not too fan of big dogs, too much work involved to keep them in top shape, I used to have a pair of Collies, so...I know what it takes to keep them happy.

Aaron,
Chihuahua is the LA dog, isn't it? :)

Igor,
not even a snack for Coyotes around here.
PitBull would be ideal, LOL

Maybe a pair of Dogo Argintionos.   Nothing stands a chance with them.  Great, great dog, but they need a lot of exercise. 

I hope the poison works for you.  Are there no other animals you are concerned with hurting? 

A trap might still be a better long term solution. 

I hope you get them. 

No other animal pets. I'm going to keep it that way for a while.
Losing a pet family member is too dramatic for the entire family, we still miss Jasper.
He was less then a year here.
He was 10 this year.
   

Edit: This is what Jasper looked like a month ago.