What eats pumpkins?

[tallyho8]

I planted a pumpkin patch for the first time this year. My field is loaded with squirrels and rabbits and has a few coon, possum and armadillos. I was wondering which critters I have to protect my pumpkins from.

 

[txdon]

Watch out for Peter Peter, he's a pumpkin eater, had a wife and couldn't keep her, he put her in a pumpkin shell, and there he kept her very well.

(Couldn't resist, )

 

[Tractorbeam]

Watch out for Peter Peter, he's a pumpkin eater, had a wife and couldn't keep her, he put her in a pumpkin shell, and there he kept her very well.

(Couldn't resist, )

HA! Would that be ol' Peter Cottontail, hoppin' down the bunny trail?

But seriously, I do know that squirrels will chew all over a pumpkin. I'm guessing they do it more for water when it's dry rather than for a food source.

 

[Jimbrown]

DEER!

 

[randy41]

DEER!

I agree with that one. Birds are a big problem because a couple of pecks and the appearance of your pumpkin is ruined. And cucumber beetles do the same.

 

[bigshovel]

I watch my neighbor throw 100 tons plus of unsold pumpkins to his holstiens that go unsold. The cows will eat them but they must be broken open first.

 

[tallyho8]

I'm lucky I don't have any deer in my area. The cajuns around here finished them off a long time ago. Guess I will put out a water trough to keep the squirrels away from them.

So it looks like my only two other enemies are cucumber beetles and Peter Peter?

 

[mc faulkner]

I have had mice eat my pumpkins - chew the skin and first layer of soft pulp

 

[ultrarunner]

My Australian Shepard will ravage squash and pumpkin given the chance...

 

[RobJ]

I've had some squarrels take a bit out ov a couple of my young ones. I have a giant pumpkin that has been doing great until the heat came up the last couple weeks. Maybe I'm to far south. They are just sort of dying out.

I hope your keep going.