Did rats eat my tree?

[Vali]

This is a euonymus europaeus of mine. Today, checking it after a few weeks, I found it like this. I don't think there are other rodents around than mice and rats. Do they do things like this? Do you think it will survive? It is an airlayer that I separated this autumn, after 2 growing seasons of waiting

 

[Vali]

This was it before

 

[vp999]

Look in the bright side … you already got a head start on the Jin and Shari. Send them my way please lol.

 

[Vali]

Look in the bright side … you already got a head start on the Jin and Shari. Send them my way please lol.

I really am not worried about the looks. The only important thing for me is the survival of the tree. I was always very enthusiastic about this one due to it's bad looks

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Whoa!

I think it will survive, but it likely will need a severe cut back below the gnawing on the trunk.

If you feel lucky just trim and cut paste, yet if it were me, the pruning shears and cut paste would out in a jiff!

That’s a pretty thorough gnawing for either a rat or a rabbit. Almost looks like a dog like varmint chewing the trunk and branches.

Wondering what other kind of varmints there are in Romania near you?

Its pretty obvious some critter is taking a liking to this species, so devise a safe storage plan from here on.

Over here I discovered I can’t keep a young azalea growing out without it being screened in or the rabbits will have a free for all on the foliage, sometimes trimming them to a couple inches off the ground.

Sorry,
DSD sends

 

[Zerobear]

I know squirrels will do this (eat the bark). Are there squirrels around? If there are, a BB Gun makes for a good solution. After all, (IMO) a squirrel is not much more than a fuzzy tailed tree rat.

 

[Vali]

Whoa!

I think it will survive, but it likely will need a severe cut back below the gnawing on the trunk.

If you feel lucky just trim and cut paste, yet if it were me, the pruning shears and cut paste would out in a jiff!

That’s a pretty thorough gnawing for either a rat or a rabbit. Almost looks like a dog like varmint chewing the trunk and branches.

Wondering what other kind of varmints there are in Romania near you?

Its pretty obvious some critter is taking a liking to this species, so devise a safe storage plan from here on.

Over here I discovered I can’t keep a young azalea growing out without it being screened in or the rabbits will have a free for all on the foliage, sometimes trimming them to a couple inches off the ground.

Sorry,
DSD sends

It was in some sort of shed, somewhere my dogs couldn't reach it. I am sure there are lots of rats around there because my dogs catch some from time to time. I didn't see anything else.

 

[Vali]

I know squirrels will do this (eat the bark). Are there squirrels around? If there are, a BB Gun makes for a good solution. After all, (IMO) a squirrel is not much more than a fuzzy tailed tree rat.

I haven't seen any squirrels around the house. I wouldn't like to kill one at all

 

[Zerobear]

I haven't seen any squirrels around the house. I wouldn't like to kill one at all

I think regardless (Squirrels, rats, rabbits) - once they decide they like the taste of the bark, they will be hard to control. Sad the see the damage on your tree. Makes me hurt to think about how much damage a critter can do. I know they are just hungry, but they will ruin a tree with the possibility they will kill it.

 

[AJL]

That damage is most likely caused by Voles or Rabbits when they get hungry in winter
Rats are unlikely to bother chewing bark!

 

[penumbra]

Regardless of the varmint, the damage is done.
I would wrap some wire fencing around it and just wait it out. There is no advantage I can think of for pruning now unless it is something you just want to do. With winter on its way, I would just wait it out and see what leafs out in the spring. I wouldn't bother with the cut paste.

 

[Lorax7]

I was having a similar issue with creatures chewing on my maples, although thankfully not the same extent as what happened to your tree. Another bonsai grower recommended wrapping the trunk with copper mesh to prevent critters from chewing the bark. I've only just started using it this year, so I don't know for sure how effective it ultimately will be. Nonetheless, I haven't seen any additional chew marks on those trees since I wrapped them. So far, so good.

 

[just.wing.it]

Daaaang! That's some damage!
Sorry to see.
Def bust a cap in dat ass.

 

[Vali]

Thank you all for your help. I took it away from there and placed it somewhere outside with the other trees. Nothing attacked them there. I might cut off some parts of it, wait for spring and hope for the best.

 

[penumbra]

That is exactly what I would do. Best luck. You will still have a plant, though it will be a different plant, perhaps better in the long run.

 

[Vali]

That is exactly what I would do. Best luck. You will still have a plant, though it will be a different plant, perhaps better in the long run.

Thanks. It's survival is all that matters to me. The scars don't bother me at all

 

[penumbra]

The bonsai world, and plant world generally, has lots of accidents. Sometimes we end up with a better plant and sometimes just a different plant. Its going to happen.

 

[leatherback]

One thing you could consider doing it clingfilm wrap the areas that still have strips of thin bark: Reduces drying out and might help retain the bark. In spring, when things warm up you will have to unwrap of course!

 

[Vali]

One thing you could consider doing it clingfilm wrap the areas that still have strips of thin bark: Reduces drying out and might help retain the bark. In spring, when things warm up you will have to unwrap of course!

Thanks. I think I'll try that

 

[Katie0317]

Am suspecting it will live but you'll want to stop whatever it is from doing it again. Squirrels can chew through just about anything. I read that their teeth never stop growing so they have to chew on things because of that. I'd ask someone at the hardware store what kind of wire fencing to wrap around the tree branches to discourage them from doing it again.

I'd also want to set a camera up to see what's doing it. I don't have any suggestions on that front though. Good luck and I hope you can stop it from happening again.