Monkeys New Year Party in my mini-farm ... YIKES!!!

As usual in the evening I would be in my mini-farm weeding, inspecting and doing whatever is needed to be done. The moment I step out of the house I noticed that something was not right. Oh no the monkeys had a party in the mini-farm again. There were half eaten arbugines, long beans on the ground, a bitten bitter gourd still hanging on its vine and my heart sank when I saw my very precious long awaited pineapple had a chunk bitten ... no!no!!nooo!!!


Monkey bite! ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )

That is one of the largest pineapple I ever had and it is still not ripe yet. I had been waiting for it for almost 2 years and I thought that the thorns from the leaves would keep those damn monkeys. We were out when they came and our neighbor told us there were a whole troop of them. She tried to chase the monkeys away when they first appeared but retreated into the house when more appeared.

Now I am left with a wounded pineapple and I was wandering whether it is still safe for human consumption?

 

Bad news KK, I don't think you will have to worry about eating the pineapple, I don't think it will ripen after the damage.

 

KK, sorry the #@*%# monkeys took advantage there. I would be SO MAD BAD MONKEYS
Guess that's one thing I don't need to worry about here!

 

So sorry KK. I would be heart sick. How often do the monkeys come? And what can you about them?

 

As with many fruit in the process of maturing it may, if protected from further damage, continue to ripen. As for consumption by humans, cut off the damaged part, and discard.

Sounds like an engineering job for the 'Monkey Guard Fencing Ltd.' ;-) I think they also make fish poo tanks.

Now that the monkeys know the fruit is there, they will probably be back to check.

Looks like you have the Malaysian version of my 'Midnight Muncher', Malacca Marauders? :-(

Good luck with the challenge.

Jerry

 

Thanks Chocolate, I wanted to dispose of it but I couldn't make myself to do it. I think I'll wait awhile.

Thanks Eileen, my mind was full of impractical ideas and still have no solution yet. Yes it is soul destroying especially I had to dig it out from my old place, store it in a temporary living place and replanting it when the area is safe from the contractors. Those monkeys, if they eat the whole thing is fine, they are just being destructive!

Thanks Kay, lucky you

Thanks Donna, they come almost every couple of days because the neighbours planted fruit trees on the road shoulders outside their house. When the tree is fruiting they don't bother to harvest the fruits and that is what attracted the monkeys. Nope I can't do anything about them, that is the worst part.

Thanks Jerry, I'll keep an eye on the wound and make sure that it would not go bad.
Ideas are playing in my head but don't seem to come up with a practical one. Think man , think!
Got my catapult out ready to go into action anytime, just afraid they would not come back.
Malacca Marauders!!!

 

Have you thought about some sort of spray, like pepper or chillie?

 

So sad to see that chunk missing out of your pineapple. It looks so nice and big.
Hope you come up with a plan to protect it further.
I don't think I'll be complaining about the raccoons... just the vision of a tribe of monkeys munching on the goodies is frightening.

 

That's is a great idea Chocolate, thank you so much. I'll try it.

Thanks Cherylad, I think Chocolate's idea might work if those marauders take a sniff before they take a bite.

 

I am so sorry for those bad monkeys.....and what they did...

 

I had a groundhog eat into some of my squash two years go. I poured warm paraffin wax into the bite area to seal it. The squash ripened beautifully.

 

Too bad about the pineapple KK. I totally understand the disappointment of waiting so long only to lose out on getting to enjoy it. I have about twelve plants, but it gets just cold enough here in Florida to make me wonder if I'll ever be able to produce any fruit.

 

Thanks Barb, those monkeys!!!

Thanks for your tip Chrisle, I did thought of how to seal the wound but I never thought of wax. Anyway the would is drying up and it is not decaying so I guess I just had to keep my fingers very crossed from now.

Thanks Eclecticgarden, I believe you would be able to get fruits from your pineapple plants but you have to be patience. It can take up to 24 months before the plant starts to flower. I understand that in the commercial sector hormones are used to induce early fruiting.