Which trees do squirrels and rabbits eat most? Only delicate and thin leafed trees?

[エドガー]

Which trees do squirrels and rabbits eat most? Only delicate and thin leafed trees?

All of my young Japanese maple saplings have been getting eaten lately.
Sometimes my young garden/in-ground ume, persimmon and nandina too (but not nearly as bad as my maples and only a very few twigs and leaves were eaten from the ume/persimmon).
I thought it was rabbits at first (we have tons of them roaming around at night); so, I installed 3’ tall hardware-cloth on my 2 front/side-yard fences (the only entrance point, the rest of the house is surrounded by brick walls). I also propped up all my J maples and other young saplings on top of upside-down nursery pots, so the soil line is now +2.5’ high and too high for rabbits.
But, my maples were attacked again when I inspected them this morning! Also, my 6’ tall old nandina.

So, I think it is not just rabbits, but also squirrels, since they can actually climb. I rarely see squirrels around here compared to the past, but I still see them a few times per year (we don’t have any chipmunks… or, at least I have never seen one around here for 30 years).

But, I am wondering why, my other pre-bonsai and other trees/plants are left alone - black pines, junipers, satsuki/kurume azaleas, and also other trees/plants and succulents.

Do rabbits and squirrels only prefer delicate and thin leafed trees and plants? I would think they would’ve eaten my Azaleas too, because the leaves are relatively thin; but they haven’t touched them at all and they are right next to my maples.

Do any of you have your azaleas eaten by rabbits/squirrels?

I’m thinking I should maybe get more azaleas instead of maples, if that is the case.

Maybe I wlll avoid buying or growing maples in the future, if that is the specific tree they love to eat.

They also haven’t touched any of my confiers, pines, junipers (I assume the foliage is too sharp and also the sap is strong smelling and too sticky).

 

[Smoke]

They seem to only like the best styled trees. In my yard I can have two trees next to each other and they always seem to pick the tree with the best branch structure and scar free trunk. Then they will strip a whole side in a couple hours. I do know that they love maples the most in my yard and don't really bother my other plants. I am sure that the bark and wood has some sweet taste to it and if you have to gnaw to keep your teeth ground down you might just as well chew on something sweet.

I always have two or three spray bottles of this stuff. It does work, and it works well. Just have to keep up with it. It does stink, made from putrefied eggs. Spray bi-weekly for a couple months and they will leave them alone.

 

[Smoke]

I also employ this method as a backup. I buy the large sheets of plastic canvas at the craft store, like 75 cents a sheet. Then cut pieces to wrap the tempting parts of the tree, trunk and exposed roots. Works well also and easy to take off.

 

[penumbra]

My experience has been that they prefer the rarest or most expensive plants, or those that required the most effort.

 

[Smoke]

My experience has been that they prefer the rarest or most expensive plants, or those that required the most effort.

Always. I think secretly they watch me from a nearby tree and see which tree I spend the most time on. They seem to think thats the pot of gold.

 

[M. Frary]

It seems like they only go for the best ones.
Actually rodents go for the sweetest plants first.
Fruit trees like hawthorn,plum or crabapple are at the top of the menu.
Next in a close second it's maples.
Then the other decidious trees.
After those are finished its conifer time.
Junipers first.
White cedars or tha next.
Then pines.
The only type of tree they seem to avoid is larch.
Remember even if you live in a dense forest/swamp like I do they will still come for your trees first.
I believe it's because our trees are the healthiest ,juiciest plants around.
And it's the rodents you don't see like voles that do the worst damage.
Rabbits and squirrels will at least leave you with a living trunk.
Kill them when you see them.
If you aren't seeing them check at night with a light.
The night raiders will be rabbits.
I shoot them at all times.
Squirrels are a daytime pest.
I've found dogs work for keeping the larger pests like deer,cats and humans away from trees the best.

 

[flor1]

Air rifle does a fine job on both.
Low noise level efficien.

 

[エドガー]

Even with the new wire fence on my front side-yard gates, and also maples lifted up above the ground... my maple saplings are still getting eaten.
Bite marks are 4-5’ above ground now... gotta be squirrels.

Got this stuff. They all use putrified-eggs and garlic-oil as active ingredients... but I chose the right one (Critter Ridder) because it lists even more stuff that varmints don’t like .. hot peppers, dried blood and more random oils. Lol

 

[エドガー]

Here's another question...

Do squirrels, rabbits, rats, etc. avoid dissectums??

They eat all of my JMs (katsura, kiyohime, shishigashira, golden full moon) down to a chopstick stump, but they haven't touched my 2 Red Dragons. They sometimes also (only slightly) nibble on my nandinas, persimmon and I think grape vine too (but all of those, not nearly as much as the JMs).

One of my RedDragons, there is a small nibble on the trunk below its' high grafted rootstock (because RedDragons are obviously grafted on a normal acer rootstock...and they like them sweet normal acers); but they haven't touched the foliage at all nor above the graft.

I remember when I bought them from Homedepot a few years ago, the tag said "deer resistant" ...so I guess the tag was true, as it hasn't been eaten by rabbits/squirrels/rats at all (but they continue to target the other JMs).

So... do rabbits/squirrels/rats avoid Dissectums in general, or just the Red Dragon?
Perhaps dissectums are bitter, unappetizing taste/texture or something?

Anyone have similar experiences? ...where pests eat all of your JMs, but leave the Dissectums alone?

If it's true (squirrels, rabbits, rats, pests) avoid all dissectums, then I am considering buying more of those instead. Currently, I am attracted to the Seiryu and the Viridis as my next saplings.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

If you are getting damage at 4 or 5 feet off the ground, you could also have deer marauding through your yard at night. In which case fences have to be over 10 feet tall to avoid deer just jumping over. A 6 foot fence is not an obstacle for deer. At least in my town, deer are an urban pest. They hide in the greenways and parks during the day, and raid gardens and back yards in the dead of night.

 

[エドガー]

No deer in my area (it's too populated and urban (fast roads, traffic, fast cars, people, dense buildings/houses, etc.)).

I jog at night, so I have a good idea of what's out at night.... many rabbits, sometimes possums and raccoons, rats, coyotes, owls... and in the daytime, squirrels. Haven't seen cute chipmunks (maybe not native in SoCal?). I'd love to have a pet chipmunk, lol.

 

[0soyoung]

In my area squirrels don't eat trees. They plant seeds and nuts, mostly horsechestnuts. I rarely ever see rabbits and that may be because I sometimes see coyotes. Deer here only eat leaves.

Raccoons, however, seem to believe that they are great arborists and/or bonsai artists. They deeply scratch the bark of older trees and break the lower limbs off younger ones. Even though I've had some minor damage to my landscape trees, they have not done much more than knock over a pot/stand with my 'bonsai'. I have no idea what I would need to do if they hadn't grown bored with my stuff and moved on.

 

[canoeguide]

I've heard and read many tales of squirrels loving non-spiny succulents. For bonsai species (arguably debatable), we're probably talking about Portulacaria or Crassula. I've seen them eat Echeveria also.

 

[Anthony]

And then came the African Snails.

Bagged every sunday - about 20 everytime.
They like the fustic, thorns do not block.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[rockm]

Which trees do squirrels and rabbits eat most? Only delicate and thin leafed trees?

All of my young Japanese maple saplings have been getting eaten lately.
Sometimes my young garden/in-ground ume, persimmon and nandina too (but not nearly as bad as my maples and only a very few twigs and leaves were eaten from the ume/persimmon).
I thought it was rabbits at first (we have tons of them roaming around at night); so, I installed 3’ tall hardware-cloth on my 2 front/side-yard fences (the only entrance point, the rest of the house is surrounded by brick walls). I also propped up all my J maples and other young saplings on top of upside-down nursery pots, so the soil line is now +2.5’ high and too high for rabbits.
But, my maples were attacked again when I inspected them this morning! Also, my 6’ tall old nandina.

So, I think it is not just rabbits, but also squirrels, since they can actually climb. I rarely see squirrels around here compared to the past, but I still see them a few times per year (we don’t have any chipmunks… or, at least I have never seen one around here for 30 years).

But, I am wondering why, my other pre-bonsai and other trees/plants are left alone - black pines, junipers, satsuki/kurume azaleas, and also other trees/plants and succulents.

Do rabbits and squirrels only prefer delicate and thin leafed trees and plants? I would think they would’ve eaten my Azaleas too, because the leaves are relatively thin; but they haven’t touched them at all and they are right next to my maples.

Do any of you have your azaleas eaten by rabbits/squirrels?

I’m thinking I should maybe get more azaleas instead of maples, if that is the case.

Maybe I wlll avoid buying or growing maples in the future, if that is the specific tree they love to eat.

They also haven’t touched any of my confiers, pines, junipers (I assume the foliage is too sharp and also the sap is strong smelling and too sticky).

Squirrels like maples for the sap. It carries a lot of sugar (think maple syrup) and flows relatively easily..I have very bad problems with herds of the damned bushy tailed rats on my in ground and bonsai maples every spring and even in summer when it hasn't rained for a while. the critters nip off the ends of branches, tear at bark etc. to get at the sap.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Animals eat what's available. If a tree has tasty fruit, then it has tasty sap & bark. In my area any Maple, Apple, Crab Apple, Haw, Pear and Prunus are high on their list. In a pinch, they will eat anything. If you have an area that has limited access, (I have most of my trees in the inside corner formed by my "L" shaped house) you can leave vinegar soaked rags in the likely path of the animals and they will pass that area up. Wadded-up in a pan is better and longer-lasting than hanging in the air. Remember, anything that makes a living with their nose has a very sensitive nose, and their noses are close to the ground. Abuse them. Most animals have an itinerary that they exercise every day or night. If the deer or rabbits are at your door at 3 o'clock one day or night, you can bet they're there at about that time EVERY day or night. Squirrels are a horse of a different color. They spend all their time close to their home, so they can spend the whole day in your yard, especially during nut gathering season. With any bunch of animals, if you can deter them for some period of time, they will drop you from their agenda. Re-soak those old hand towels every 3 or 4 weeks, and you'll renew the deterrent. If your area is gravel, pour vinegar around the perimeter. Vinegar is a herbicide, so don't let it get to anything that grows. Vinegar is cheap, too!

 

[エドガー]

I've heard and read many tales of squirrels loving non-spiny succulents. For bonsai species (arguably debatable), we're probably talking about Portulacaria or Crassula. I've seen them eat Echeveria also.

I actually have tons of succulents in pots (I removed all the ones in the ground a year or so ago, since they grow way too fast, big and pup nonstop)
...jade (10+), portulacaria (20+), snake plants (10+), bromeliad (5+), spiderwort (5+), zwartkop (5+), sunburst (5+), suncup and other aeoniums (20 or 30+), foxtail agave (5+)... I really hate succulents because I think they're gaudy looking and grow too big and too fast... but they're from parents or relatives or gifts and are easy to propagate.
But none have ever been eaten by pests, not a single one.

 

[エドガー]

Still wondering why they don't eat my Red Dragons, but they eat all the other JMs.

Wondering if they eat anyone else's dissectums, or do they leave them alone as well?

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

In my limited experience (3 years)... squirrels are particularly obsessed with my oak trees. I’d assume this is because they resemble the scent of the acorns that they collect and bury... took branches and chunks off my thick collected oak this year.
I’ve built a cage with space for a few trees that I’ll post soon.
Re: deer repellent - spray right onto the trunk with no issues?

 

[エドガー]

Most animals have an itinerary that they exercise every day or night.
With any bunch of animals, if you can deter them for some period of time, they will drop you from their agenda.

I've read about this too - stinky pesticide sprays don't work instantly, but they do work over time if you Condition them to hate the area.... keep on spraying.