"15 Animals That Love Eating Your Pumpkins (How to Rep

The 4 pumpkins on my porch are protected by heavy security, including several wraps of fencing and wire mesh on top.

He was much less delighted when he came home one afternoon to find a squirrel had eaten the face off Jack.

The next year, we decided to wait until closer to Halloween to do the carving, just leaving the pumpkin whole.

Within hours, the local fox squirrels had shredded it.

So this year, the pumpkins are behind a fortress until Halloween night.

But animals love pumpkins.

The good news is that pumpkins – provided they aren’t painted or coated – are safe, nutritious and delicious for wildlife.

And wild animals love pumpkins.

Here I’ll take a look at ways animals enjoy pumpkins, from squirrels eating them to sand cats hiding in them, from your backyard to the zoo.

A deer snacking on a pumpkin.

Recycle Your Pumpkin for Wildlife

If possible, don’t dump your used pumpkin in the trash.

If nothing else, pumpkins are easily composted, feeding worms and microbes.

But they also can be turned into a variety of wildlife treats.

There are many resources online to help you with creative ideas, including a great list by the National Wildlife Federation.

In my experience, squirrels will be the first to lay claim to any pumpkin in your backyard.

In some communities, I see lots of intact, carved pumpkins decorating yards.

In others, it looks like the local pumpkins were subject to a chainsaw massacre, with parts strewn all over the lawn thanks to industrious and hungry squirrels.

But many other wild animals eat pumpkins, including porcupines, raccoons, opossums and deer.

Some question whether it’s a good idea to feed wildlife, a point well taken.

However, many of these species are animals already visiting the bird feeder.

So feeding a pumpkin or two is unlikely to pose any threat.

That said, if you live in an area frequented by bears, forego leaving pumpkins outside so as to not habituate the animals.

Many bird feeding sites note that birds love pumpkin seeds, in particular such backyard favorites as mockingbirds, cardinals and catbirds.

I should note that if I’m going to the trouble of roasting seeds, I’m probably going to eat them myself.

Another way to involve the bird life is turn the pumpkin into a recyclable feeder.

This can be as easy as cutting a pumpkin in half, hollowing it out and filling it with seeds.

Of course, if you have an inclination for crafts, you can find an endless variety of fun patterns and designs for pumpkin bird feeders online.

To repeat a familiar theme: The squirrels beat the birds to the seed.

You can also attract late-season butterflies by cutting up chunks of pumpkin and lying them out.

This could also work in attracting nocturnal moths, especially if you mixed pulpy pumpkin with beer and brown sugar, then smear it all on a tree.

You can get really creative when it comes to attracting wildlife with pumpkins.

Sheep and goats explore their enrichment pumpkin.

Zoos often provide pumpkins for animals as a novel way to provide enrichment.

Visitors might delight at otters playing with a pumpkin as a “pool toy” or observe primates figuring out how to “open” a pumpkin to get at food inside.

To learn more about how and why zoos utilize pumpkins, I talked to staff at Zoo Boise, my local zoological park and a leader in wildlife conservation efforts.

Zoo Boise places dozens of pumpkins each year in animal exhibits, to provide a variety of forms of enrichment.

“Enrichment can involve many forms of stimulation,” says Harry Peachey, Zoo Boise’s curator.

“Enrichment can offer animals mental or intellectual stimulation or appetite stimulation, or it could stimulate one or more of the animal’s senses.”

Like humans, animals love novelty.

A pumpkin is something new for the animal to interact with, and the zoo uses pumpkins in almost endless ways.

“Anytime we offer enrichment, we go through a full review process,” says Melissa Wade, assistant curator at Zoo Boise.

We observe the animals and how they interact.

If the animal doesn’t react to the pumpkin at all, we want to make sure it’s because they aren’t scared.”

A sand cat at the Boise Zoo.

But for most animals, pumpkins are welcome.

The zoo received the pumpkins this year as donations from a supermarket (it doesn’t take pumpkin donations from individuals).

Rodents enjoy gnawing on the pumpkins and eating them, while carnivores treat them basically like a ball.

On the day I called, a ground hornbill had just thoroughly dismantled its pumpkin, a not-unusual occurrence.

The reaction to the pumpkins can vary.

Peachey used to work with elephants, and he noted that most of the animals just ignored pumpkins.

“Then we put in a 1,000-pound pumpkin that had won the giant pumpkin contest in Ohio,” he says.

A North American porcupine enjoying a pumpkin.

Contents hide

And if the animal doesn’t eat the pumpkins?

Have you decided to feed some pumpkins to these cute animals?

In Summary – What Animals Eat Pumpkins?

What Animals Eat Pumpkins?

And if the animal doesn’t eat the pumpkins?

“If our animals don’t get to the pumpkins,” says Jeff Agosta, Zoo Boise marketing and public relations coordinator.

Of course, having pumpkins in with the animals also resonates with visitors, especially kids.

They’re in full-on Halloween mode, and to see a lion or hornbill playing with a pumpkin is, well, a treat.

This week, for instance, many kids got to see a sand cat hiding inside a pumpkin.

“We want to connect our community with wildlife and for them to embrace conservation,” says Agosta.

“When they see a sand cat interacting with a pumpkin, it’s no longer a species.

They’re seeing the animal as an individual.

And hopefully that empathy leads them to that next step of wanting to protect wild animals.”

Published on October 26, 2021

Gail Mershon says:

Also, wonderful photos and information about pumpkin-love among wild animals!

Thank you for your support and for reading Cool Green Science!

I am glad you enjoyed the story, and many thanks for recommending our site!

Matt Miller says:

October 28, 2021

It’s not just humans who enjoy Halloween!

Animals love the holidays, and the main reason for that is the delicious fruit we use for anything from decoration to desserts.

What animals eat pumpkins is a great question!

So many creatures love to feast on this fantastic and nutritious fruit, especially on the sweet pulp of the pumpkin and the rich protein seeds.

In this article, you will find out some of the most popular animals that also love to eat pumpkins.

List of Animals That Eat PumpkinsRabbitsFoxesMiceSquirrelsDeerChickensIn Summary – What Animals Eat Pumpkins?

List of Animals That Eat Pumpkins

Scientific Name: Oryctolagus cuniculus

These cute little animals are one species that enjoy feeding on pumpkins.

It does not matter if it is a wild rabbit or a pet.

They will love the sweet flesh of the fruit.

A standard rabbit can easily enjoy a pumpkin, but you have to be very careful what you give them.

The soft sugary flesh of the fruit and the leaves are delicate and can be easily fed to rabbits.

Aside from that, pay attention to how much pumpkin they eat, as they are wrong with sugars, and getting too much of this sweet fruit will be bad for their health.

When feeding any rabbit pumpkin, make sure it is not cooked.

That is why they keep their food raw, and if you cook the fruit, better make it in a pumpkin pie.

Scientific Name: Vulpes

Foxes are omnivorous animals that often prefer to feast on meat.

That, however, does not mean that they do not eat fruits or veggies.

With that being said, you can assume that they also enjoy some sweets from time to time – pumpkins.

When it comes to how they eat it, we can say that they focus on the sugary meat of the pumpkin.

They do not eat the rind or the seeds, guts, or leaves.

With that being said, it is not uncommon for them to eat on a cracked pumpkin they find or the people to throw out some Halloween leftovers.

If, by chance, you keep a pet fox or have one frequently visiting your backyard and have decided to feed it some pumpkin.

In addition, it will be a good idea to clean the fruit beforehand.

Get rid of the unnecessary parts that the animal obviously will not eat.

In some cases, you can even boil the pumpkin for a bit (without adding anything additional).

Scientific Name: Mus musculus

Mice are one of these animals that will eat anything they can find appetizing, and pumpkins are something they will munch on.

When it comes to eating the fruit, the rodents prefer the tender parts of the inside.

They will rarely feast on the rind and focus on the soft flesh and the pumpkin seeds ( especially if there are cracked ones).

That being said, feeding your pet rat or mice some raw pumpkin flesh and seeds is fine.

If mice in the wild find out you have an unguarded pumpkin garden, they will likely try to numb some of the fruits.

It is a common problem with some farmers and gardeners as these little animals bite on multiple pumpkins to get what they want and leave a ruined fruit.

The best advice you can get is for your pet – give it pumpkin in a moderate quantity.

For the wild ones, if they pester your garden – owls, repellents, or cats – pick a choice, and good luck!

Scientific Name: Sciuridae

Similar to mice and other rodents, squirrels can eat pumpkins.

So if you happen to have a split-over, well-ripened pumpkin in your garden, be sure that a passerby squirrel will find it and take a bite.

No part of the pumpkin is toxic for squirrels, or they will not eat it.

For example, if you throw the rind, aka the pumpkin’s skin, outside the backyard, it will not be a surprise to see a squirrel munching on it.

They also eat the brain where the seeds are, the sweet flesh, the stem, leaves, ribs, and even the vines of the fruit.

These small animals will eat their fill of the fruit!

While these creatures love and can eat pumpkin every day, it is essential to note that it is not to feed them the fruit often.

Like with the previous animals, that is because too many vitamins or food is never good for them.

Secondly, if you provide them with only pumpkin, they will not look for other food, which will lead to a lack of other nutrients they need and will harden their lives.

Read Also: List of Animals That Eat Corn

Scientific Name: Cervidae

Type of Animal: Mammal

Another great animal that loves eating pumpkins is the deer.

Deer actually adore this fruit; they will feast on them and have no problem cracking one and eating the whole fruit as they can eat all parts of it, from the leaves to the guts.

Deer love it, and it is full of vitamins and suitable for their health.

The other factors are also something they will not pass on, especially if the fruit has flowers – they like them!

If you have excessive pumpkins or want to throw some leftovers, give them to the animal!

Have you decided to feed some pumpkins to these cute animals?

First, it is essential to start by cracking this nutritious fruit and splitting it open.

Then, while cutting the fruit is already good enough, we suggest you leave the stem and the leaves partially to the fruit so the deer can use them to smash the fruit on the ground and help themselves further.

It is important to note that overdoing the feeding part will not be favorable for their health, similar to the previous animals!

In Summary – What Animals Eat Pumpkins?

Many wild and domestic animals can eat pumpkins, from chickens and rabbits to squirrels, deer, and foxes.

This fruit is highly nutritious in protein, calcium, and many vitamins, and on top of that, it has this sweet flavor to it, which makes the animals love it.

The important thing is to note how you feed these animals.

If you liked this type of post, here’s a recommendation of another popular read: Frugivore Animals

https://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html

https://www.msudeer.msstate.edu/deer-diet.php

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/08/what-foxes-eat/

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/what-do-chickens-eat/

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits/diet

Prepare to be amazed as we explore the amazing world of animal pumpkin lovers!

From the unexpected to the downright quirky, we’ve got a lineup of creatures that will leave you scratching your head and saying, “Who knew?!”

So, sit back, grab a slice of pumpkin pie, and let’s discover which animals have a taste for the orange gourd that has become a staple of the fall season.

What Animals Eat Pumpkins?

Field mice are fascinating creatures that have captivated people for generations.

Despite their small size, field mice are extremely adaptable and can thrive in a variety of environments, from fields and forests to suburban backyards.

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They are also incredibly resourceful when it comes to finding food, and are known to nibble on a wide range of items, including seeds, fruits, insects, and even small vertebrates.

During Halloween season, mice adore pumpkins that have already been carved because they become sweeter and tastier as they mature or disintegrate.

They also make their way into the uncarved pumpkins to get the high-protein seeds that are also high in fiber and energy; high-energy foods are a wonderful source of food for the winter.

These charming creatures are not just cute, but also highly adaptable, making them a familiar sight in both rural and urban environments.

They have been known to munch on a variety of vegetation, including clovers, dandelions, and even the occasional pumpkin!

White-tailed deer are majestic creatures that roam the forests and fields of North America.

With their distinctive white tails and graceful movements, they are a common sight for many people and have become an iconic symbol of the great outdoors.

While they are typically known for their love of tender shoots and leafy greens, they are also quite versatile in their dietary habits.

White-tailed deer have been known to sample a variety of vegetation, including acorns, apples, and even pumpkins!

It’s amazing to think that these elegant creatures can feast on a gourd that is typically associated with Halloween decorations and fall festivities.

Red foxes are cunning and graceful creatures that roam the forests and fields of the world.

With their vibrant red fur and piercing eyes, they have become one of the most recognizable and beloved animals on the planet.

Despite their reputation as skilled hunters, red foxes are actually omnivores and have a varied diet that includes a mix of small prey, fruits, and vegetables.

While they are often associated with a diet that includes rabbits and squirrels, they have also been known to sample a variety of vegetation, including berries and even pumpkins.

With their distinctive yellow and black shells, they are a familiar sight for many people and are widely considered one of the most beautiful tortoise species.

These animals have a varied diet that consists of grasses, leaves, and even fruits and vegetables.

While they are often associated with a diet that includes tough, fibrous vegetation, they have also been known to sample a variety of soft and juicy plants, including pumpkins.

Raccoons are fascinating and highly adaptable creatures that are native to North America.

They are best known for their distinctive black masks and agile, human-like hands, which they use to forage for food.

Despite their reputation as pests, raccoons are actually omnivores and have a diverse diet that includes a range of foods, from insects and small prey to fruits, nuts, and even garbage.

They are not picky eaters and will sample almost anything they come across, including pumpkins.

Raccoons are known to be quite crafty and resourceful, and their ability to adapt to different environments has allowed them to thrive in both rural and urban areas.

So, the next time you spot a raccoon, remember that they are not just pests, but also fascinating creatures that are full of surprises.

They come in a variety of species, each with its own distinctive features and habits.

Despite their reputation as fierce predators, bears are actually omnivores and have a diet that includes both plants and animals.

They are known to be opportunistic eaters and will sample almost anything they come across, including fruits, nuts, and even human food.

Bears have a remarkable sense of smell and will go to great lengths to find food, especially during the fall when they are busy fattening up for winter.

Their reputation as eating machines is well earned – goats are known for nibbling on just about anything they can get their mouths on, from tree bark to clothing!

But beyond just being voracious eaters, goats also play a crucial role in many ecosystems by helping to control invasive plant species and improving soil health through their grazing and manure.

Whether they are found on a farm, in the wild, or even in urban areas, goats always seem to bring a sense of playful fun and adventurous spirit wherever they go.

Squirrels are acrobatic and energetic creatures that are known for their agility and resourcefulness.

They are found in many different regions across the world and are known for their ability to adapt to a variety of habitats, from city parks to dense forests.

While they are often associated with a diet of nuts and seeds, squirrels are actually omnivores and have a diverse diet that includes a range of plant and animal-based foods.

Due to their opportunistic nature, they will consume practically anything they come across, including human food and fruits and berries.

In reality, it’s not unusual to witness squirrels munching on pumpkins, particularly during the months of autumn when they are busy storing up food for winter.

With their distinctive appearance and impressive size, moose are a symbol of wilderness and the power of nature.

Despite their gentle and solitary nature, moose are formidable animals that are equipped with powerful body, sharp senses, and a formidable set of antlers.

They are known for their diet of vegetation, including leaves, twigs, and bark, but are also known to enjoy a range of other plant-based foods, such as aquatic plants, shrubs, and even pumpkins.

Whether they are wandering through a peaceful forest, crossing a babbling stream, or simply standing in a field, moose always evoke a sense of wonder and majesty.

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are burrowing mammals that are found throughout North America.

These chubby, rotund animals are well-known for their role in predicting the arrival of spring, as well as for their reputation as garden pests.

Despite their reputation for eating plants and vegetables, groundhogs are actually omnivores and have a varied diet that includes everything from roots and fruits to insects and small animals.

Despite their sedentary and solitary nature, groundhogs are fascinating creatures with unique biology and an important role in their ecosystems.

Cows are an integral part of agriculture and human history, having been domesticated for thousands of years for their milk, meat, and hides.

These gentle giants are known for their docile and curious nature, and for their distinctive mooing that has become synonymous with the countryside.

Cows are ruminants, which means that they have a complex digestive system that allows them to break down and extract nutrients from tough and fibrous plants.

They are able to eat a wide range of forages, including grasses, hay, and even pumpkins, and are able to convert these foods into nutritious milk, meat, and other products that are essential to human survival.

Horses are magnificent animals that have been a part of human history for thousands of years.

From their role as workhorses on the farm, to their use as riding animals in transportation and recreation, horses have been an important part of human culture and civilization.

With their powerful and graceful bodies, their intelligent and curious minds, and their gentle and affectionate personalities, horses are truly amazing creatures.

They are herbivores and have a natural diet that consists of grasses, grains, and hay, but they are also known to enjoy a variety of other foods, including pumpkins.

In conclusion, pumpkins are not just for Halloween decoration or pie filling, but also nutritious food for various animals, from field mice to horses.

These animals have unique ways of obtaining and eating pumpkins, showcasing their diverse diets and behaviors.

Please feel free to share and leave your comments below!

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If your plan for the perfect pumpkin patch for this fall is being devoured in front of your eyes, some animals have likely made their way into your garden to eat your pumpkin plants!

The smell of your plump pumpkins is attractive to an abundance of animals.

Squirrels, deer, birds, rabbits, groundhogs, mice, raccoons, porcupines and even chickens love eating pumpkins.

The best way to stop these animals is to build a wired garden fence around your pumpkins and enclose them.

They’ll start nibbling away at the leaves, scratch the rinds, munch on the flesh and scavenge the seeds of your pumpkins and plants without pause.

A munched-on pumpkin smells as good as pumpkin pie to them!

Squirrels Snack On Your Pumpkins

Squirrels are known for eating their fair share of nuts and acorns, but that doesn’t stop them from snacking on your pumpkins.

Many things will attract squirrels to your yard, but pumpkins make the perfect snack for a squirrel to sneak on a sunny afternoon.

If you’ve noticed any holes or scratch marks on your pumpkins recently, you can thank the squirrels for that.

Squirrels scratch the rinds, chew holes, and snack on the flesh and seeds of your pumpkins.

There are many perks to eating pumpkins and their seeds, but for the squirrel, eating your pumpkins is their way of fattening up before winter.

Pumpkins are one of the most prominent garden veggies available for snacking towards the end of fall before the cold of winter sneaks in.

According to Texas Parks & Wildlife, there’s a story told of a farmer in Texas who stored forty pumpkins in his barn one fall, each weighing around 10 pounds and in one month’s time, two pesky squirrels hollowed out every single one of them by eating the flesh and storing the seeds.

Really, the main reason they’re snacking on your pumpkins is to store food and build fat, so by providing them with other places to collect snacks, you won’t have to worry about your pumpkins.

How to Keep Squirrels Away From Your Pumpkins

Before the squirrels start sneaking mouthfuls of your pumpkin seeds, start supplying them with other fat-building snacks.

Squirrels are foragers, so spreading out nuts and seeds somewhere far away from your pumpkin plants will keep them away.

Planting oak and walnut trees around your home will also keep the squirrels at bay.

A super fun way of keeping squirrels away from your pumpkins is by hanging a squirrel feeder around your trees!

This Mixxidea picnic table squirrel feeder doubles as a shelter and food source for the squirrels.

You’ll probably find them hanging out there more than around the garden!

Squirrels love ground cover, so keeping wood and brush piles miles away from your pumpkins will deter squirrels since they’ll have no place to hide or retreat to.

It has also been said that dusting cayenne powder around your plants will chase the squirrels and other wildlife out of your garden.

If you’d like some more options, take a look at our full list of scents that squirrels hate!

Deer Love Pumpkins

Deer love eating pumpkins.

They will eat almost every part of your pumpkin plants, from the leaves to the seeds of your pumpkins.

Pumpkins provide many nutrients to deer and serve as a healthy fall snack, so they’ll always come back for more.

Since deer are large animals, they’ll ruin your pumpkin plant in the process of picking out their perfect one.

They trample over the vines, damaging the plant and slowing its production.

Once they find the perfect pumpkin out of your pumpkin patch or catch a whiff of the one on your porch, they will eat the entire pumpkin without pause.

Usually, deer can destroy entire pumpkins overnight, leaving little to no evidence.

However, if they don’t finish their feast, there are a few signs of damage to look for to decide if deer are the issue.

Hoof tracks around your pumpkins or garden are the first signs of deer.

Deer then tear into these tasty treats by gnawing on them and leaving teeth marks in your pumpkins.

The exposed parts of the pumpkin will attract other wildlife to your pumpkin wonderland and eventually rot.

How to Keep Deer Away From Your Pumpkins

Deer are shy creatures, so any mix in their routine will scare them away.

If your garden is attracting deer and they’re munching on your pumpkins, try planting garlic in your garden.

Garlic is a powerful deterrent for deer; they do not enjoy the smell.

While keeping away the deer, garlic will also repel many bugs and insects from your pumpkins and other garden plants!

Dogs are also a deterrent for deer.

If you’re looking for an easy, timed way to keep deer away from your pumpkins, try installing the Orbit Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler in your backyard.

This 24-hour motion-detected sprinkler will spray any pests with a stream of water that come into your yard throughout the night or while you’re away.

Eventually, deer will learn not to step a hoof near your pumpkin patch.

So while you’re keeping those deer away, you’ll be growing a lusciously green garden!

If you’d like another option, you can even use epsom salt to keep deer away – and it’s good for your garden.

Birds Love Eating Pumpkin Seeds

Birds are usually beneficial for the garden by feeding on common bugs and insects, but that doesn’t stop them from pecking your pumpkins.

Birds love eating the pumpkin seeds out of your pumpkins and occasionally eat the flesh too.

Usually, birds will wait until parts of your pumpkins become exposed from other wildlife munching on them and when they do, they’ll swoop down and snack on all the pumpkin seeds.

However, even if no part of your pumpkin is exposed, they still find your pumpkins delicious and will peck holes in them until they reach the seeds.

A wide variety of birds love eating pumpkins, but perhaps the most troublesome bird for your pumpkin patch will be the crow.

Crow damage, or any bird damage for that matter, consists of brown and yellow markings and holes on the outside of your pumpkins.

How to Keep Birds Away From Your Pumpkins

Placing bird feeders around your home will encourage birds to snack on the seeds you provide instead of searching for their own.

Bird feeders can keep your porch and pumpkin patch protected from them.

Noises are also an effective way of keeping bird beaks off your prized pumpkins.

A study noted by Utah State University found that tape recordings and noise makers were successful at frightening them away.

Wind chimes are a beautiful way to use noise to deter birds from your yard.

For example, painting a large, round stone to look as if it is a pumpkin will attract the birds as if it was a pumpkin.

They’ll peck at the rock, find it hard and undesirable, and will not come back into your patch or garden.

You can protect other garden veggies and fruits this way too!

Rabbits Are Eating Your Pumpkins

Rabbits are the most common animals you’ll find hopping around your garden.

While searching for the perfect spot to burrow into, they’ll stop by your pumpkins and munch off a few leaves or pieces of pumpkin for their hard work.

Unlike deer, rabbit marks are clean-cut, making it easy to identify what is eating your pumpkins.

How to Keep Rabbits Away From Your Pumpkins

Since rabbits are so common, there are an abundance of ways to keep them from eating your pumpkins.

Being intentional about your fertilizer choice or planting onion bulbs in the garden are ways to keep rabbits away.

Dogs love to chase rabbits.

For this reason, rabbits tend to stay out of yards where dogs are present.

Also, after you water your garden, wrap up the hose and leave it outside.

Rabbits fear snakes and the garden hose makes a pretty good clone.

Pumpkins Attract Groundhogs

Groundhogs are attracted to pumpkins and are probably already eating the pumpkins in your garden.

Groundhogs don’t go far, so if you’ve noticed one sinking their teeth into your pumpkins, they’re probably tunneling nearby.

In fact, groundhogs don’t travel more than 200 feet away from their burrow.

Teeth marks are the easiest signs of damage to identify a groundhog eating your pumpkins.

When a groundhog gets going, they can eat up to 4 pounds of your pumpkins per day.

A small foraging family of them can eat your entire garden in less than a week.

How to Keep Groundhogs Away From Pumpkins

There aren’t many ways to keep the groundhogs away; I mean the majority of their life happens underground.

According to a study by the University of New Hampshire, placing large, clean jars with water in your garden presumably projects a distorted reflection of the groundhog in the garden, scaring them away.

Placing pinwheels around your pumpkins can also be another option.

Activity or motion around the plants will leave the groundhogs running for their own place.

You can also use specific scents to keep groundhogs away if you’d like to explore that option more.

Mice Prefer Eating Pumpkin Seeds

Mice love eating your pumpkin seeds.

In fact, mice will dig up and eat the pumpkin seeds you just planted!

Pumpkins are picky plants.

Getting your pumpkin patch started can be troublesome if you have mice around.

If you make it past their scavenging, mice will also chew small holes in the pumpkins themselves, hoping to reach the seeds on the inside.

How to Keep Mice Away From Your Pumpkins

But yes, the mice do not belong in your garden eating your produce and pumpkins.

An outdoor cat can be a great deterrent for mice, and they’ll probably even catch a few of them too!

In the garden, you can plant mint to deter mice and other pumpkin pests.

Mice don’t like mint, so you can even sprinkle dried mint leaves around your pumpkins to keep them away.

Many of these suggestions also work to keep mice out of your house!

Raccoons Will Eat Your Pumpkins

Raccoons will most certainly eat the pumpkins in your garden.

The diet of a raccoon is based solely on seasonal availability.

As the summer wraps up, the number of readily available produce and plants decrease leaving your fall pumpkins susceptible to the raccoons.

In addition, raccoons will forage and eat more in the fall to prepare for the upcoming winter.

More than likely, you’ll find a sneaky raccoon stealing the pumpkin off your porch before you see them crawling around your pumpkin vines.

How to Keep Raccoons Away From Your Pumpkins

When it comes to the mess of crawling vines, raccoons tend to stay away.

Raccoons become a bigger threat when your pumpkins are growing up instead of out, leaving no room for the raccoon to get tangled in the vines.

To keep raccoons away from your pumpkins, try planting onion and garlic around your garden.

Raccoons have an insane sense of smell, so deter them from eating your pumpkins by using these other 9 Scents That Raccoons Hate.

Pumpkins Are Pleasing to Porcupines

If they’re standing straight up, you should probably just let him keep that pumpkin.

You can get a new pumpkin for your porch.

Porcupines find pumpkins rather tasty, and their diet usually consists of fallen fruits and produce from trees and gardens.

With that in mind, porcupines find your fallen porch pumpkins rather pleasing to their palate.

Less often will you find a porcupine wandering into the garden to munch on a pumpkin.

However, if your garden or pumpkin patch is backed by a heavily wooded forest, porcupines may be eating your pumpkins straight off the vine.

How to Keep Porcupines Away From Your Pumpkins

Porcupines are shy creatures, so a busy garden is the best way to keep them away.

Clearing attractants for porcupines in this case is more effective than trying to repel them.

You can keep porcupines away from your pumpkins by clearing your land of potential attractants.

Porcupines are attracted to salt, so ridding your garden of salts, such as Epsom salt to deter certain bugs, or plywood around your home can lead the porcupines to your pumpkins.

Don’t throw those salty roasted pumpkin seeds outside your home either.

Chickens Love Pumpkins

Chickens commonly pick at the seedlings of pumpkins.

Honestly, they’ll pluck the seedlings of any garden veggie.

When starting your garden, it’s important to be sure chickens don’t have access to it.

They’ll destroy your garden before it even gets started.

If your garden has made it past the seedling stage, the chicken threat still isn’t over.

As your pumpkin plants mature, chickens will begin plucking the leaves of your plants and pecking at the pumpkins.

Chickens will peck the sides of pumpkins and clean out the seeds from the inside until your pumpkins are hollow.

This means your porch pumpkins aren’t safe either.

Chickens still share many benefits with your seedlings and pumpkins.

They eat many pests that plague your pumpkin plants.

How to Keep Your Chickens Away From Your Pumpkins

Keeping chickens off your pumpkin plants is a priority.

Pumpkin vines are delicate and chickens will walk all over them on their way to peck your perfect pumpkins.

The best way to keep chickens out of your garden and away from your pumpkins is by fencing it off.

You can learn more about building some chicken fencing here if you’d like.

Chickens are extremely beneficial to your plants, so don’t remove them from your yard altogether.

Finding the perfect fence for your home and garden can keep more than just the chickens away from your pumpkins.

Long-Term Solutions To Keep Your Pumpkins Safe From Wildlife

Many of these suggestions are backed by studies and suggested for the short-term protection of your pumpkins.

There are a few things you can do to keep the wildlife away from your pumpkins long-term, but your best option is to use a combination of the two for double security.

Fencing Around Your Garden Can Secure Your Pumpkins

The easiest way to keep any animal out of your garden, whether it’s wandering wildlife or your clucking chicken, is to put a fence around your garden.

In most cases, you don’t need a large fence to keep the animals out of your garden.

As much as one wire around the perimeter of your garden can keep the deer out.

Netting and other small fencing can also work to keep the ground animals out.

While effective for most pumpkin pests, rabbits and groundhogs will still tunnel under the fence to reach your garden plants.

In that case, using fencing as an addition to other tips and tricks will protect your pumpkins.

Rarely, rabbits and groundhogs will enter a space with no escape route, so if they tunnel, sprinkle black pepper or cayenne powder at the base of their burrows to discourage them from tunneling into your garden.

Allow your pumpkin vines to grow up a trellis to deter ground animals from feasting on them.

Not only does it keep the ground animals away, but it deters many other pests from picking on your pumpkins, like the pesky squash bug.

Pumpkins love to climb, and unless your goal is to grow the biggest pumpkin, the pumpkin vines won’t collapse under the weight.

It takes time to train your pumpkin vines to crawl vertically instead of sprawling out on the ground, but they’ll catch on quicker than you can imagine.

Just like us, animals love to eat pumpkins.

Although, they don’t get to share pumpkin treats in the delicious ways we do.

The most common animals you’ll find picking through your pumpkins are squirrels, deer, birds, rabbits, groundhogs, mice, raccoons, porcupines, and even your chickens.

Well, that seems like the whole neighborhood of rural wildlife–and it is–there aren’t many animals that will look at the pumpkin on your porch or in your patch and say “hm, not today” (actually, I don’t think they say that at all, but you get the point).

And it’s highly unlikely that your pumpkins are being picked on by a combination of these animals.

As long as you practice short- and long-term solutions to keep pests away, your pumpkins will make it this fall.

Rodale’s Vegetable Garden Problem Solver: The Best and Latest Advice for Beating Pests, Diseases, and Weeds and Staying a Step Ahead of Trouble in the Garden.

Pest-Proofing Your Garden (Vol. 15).

Carrots love tomatoes: secrets of companion planting for successful gardening.

Storey Publishing.

Eat More Dirt: Diverting and Instructive Tips for Growing and Tending an Organic Garden.

Zack has encountered many pest situations over the years and has spent his time maintaining and planting over 35 species of trees since his youth with his family on their property.

Download My Free E-Book!

Take a look at my guide on Pest Proofing Your Home In Under a Day!

I get into the nitty-gritty on the most common types of pests you’ll see on your property including BOTH insects and wildlife, along with the specific signs to look for regarding any pest you have questions about.