Cropping any food is hard for every gardener, and they have to be very cautious about it. As they have to keep their crop safe from every kind of insects, pests, and wild animals. Because several wild animals can cause severe harm to crops like the crop pumpkin. However, pumpkins are favorite to many wild animals, but what about raccoons? Do raccoons eat pumpkins? Let’s dig into it.
As raccoons are omnivores, that’s why they don’t have any issue eating pumpkins. But raccoons eat pumpkins when there is no other food available. And as they cannot break or open the pumpkin, that’s why they only eat a pumpkin when it is already open.
However, as pumpkins contain several essential nutrients, that’s why they can be healthy to eat. So now let’s dig into detail that what other benefits raccoons get if they eat a pumpkin. And if you are interested to know, then navigate this article.
Do Raccoons Eat Pumpkins?
Raccoons are wild animals, famous due to their habits of eating a variety of food items. Because of it, they are in the category of opportunistic omnivores animals. As they can eat both plant and animal based matter.
In plant based matter, they can eat fruits, vegetables, corns, peanuts, etc. And in animals based food, they can eat small rodents, birds, eggs of birds, fish, frogs, slugs, insects, etc. Not only this, they can eat food after scavenging from your trash. Furthermore, they can eat bread and pizza-like food items as well.
As they can eat such a variety of food, that’s why eating pumpkins shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone. Because they can raid your pumpkin crop when there is nothing to eat. However, pumpkins are not their favorite or preferable food, but they can eat when no other food is available.
However, pumpkin is a good source of several healthy nutrients and several minerals. For example, pumpkins are a good source of potassium, iron, copper, manganese, folate, beta carotene, vitamin C, A, E, and B2.
Moreover, pumpkins contain a low amount of fats and calories, which is also healthy for raccoons. Because pumpkins with low fats cannot cause weight gaining in raccoons, which is not beneficial for raccoons.
As, gaining weight can cause several diseases in them like blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Moreover, gaining weight can cause severe harm to their ability to reproduce.
What Animals Like To Eat Pumpkins?
Pumpkins are not only favorite to humans, but several other animals and birds also like to eat pumpkins. However, for many of us, it doesn’t matter if the pumpkin is open or not, the only thing they need is the pumpkin. So, let’s discuss in detail about those animals who like to eat pumpkins.
Small Rodents:
Small animals or rodents love to eat pumpkins. As they prefer to eat a pumpkin if available than the other foods. For example, mice and rabbits, these animals like to eat pumpkins if available to them.
Squirrels:
These are also on the list of those rodents that like to eat pumpkins. And for them, it doesn’t matter if a pumpkin is open or not as they start gnawing the pumpkin until they reach its inner side. After that, they prefer to eat their seeds as they love to eat seeds.
Farm Animals:
Yes, farm animals also like to eat pumpkins if they are available to them. Not only pumpkins, but as we know that farm animals can eat pumpkins plants as well. So if you have a pumpkin patch near the farm animals, then make sure that you have good safety measures to avoid any damage.
Birds:
However, birds don’t like to eat the meat of pumpkins, but they prefer to eat their seeds. As birds love to eat seeds, that’s why whenever they get the opportunity to eat their seeds, they will do. But if you want to feed pumpkins seeds to birds, then make sure that they are dried well.
Read also: What Can Raccoons Not Eat?
Do Raccoons Eat Jack O Lanterns?
After celebrating your Halloween and making your jack o lanterns, you still can use pumpkins in different ways. However, you can offer these pumpkins to raccoons as well. But all raccoons may not like the pumpkins to eat as they only eat pumpkins when there is no other food to eat.
But you can offer your jack o lanterns to other animals like farm animals. As they will surely like to eat your jack o lanterns. Not only this, but you can also use them as bird feeders and can hang them outside your site.
How To Protect Growing Pumpkins From Animals?
If you have a pumpkin patch, then their safety from other animals is necessary, and for that, you can follow the following simple steps.
Motion Sensor Sprinkler:
Use of motion sensor sprinkle can keep raccoons away from your pumpkins patch. Not only raccoons but with the use of motion sensor sprinkle, you can keep all animals away from your garden.
Use of Animals Repellents:
To keep raccoons and other animals away from your garden, you can use animal repellents. However, you can prepare your own homemade as well as you can buy it from the market.
In homemade repellents, you can make hot pepper spray, a solution of hot sauce and water, etc. As these homemade repellents will work well to keep away animals from your pumpkins patch. Moreover, you can use premade repellents as well.
Fence:
The presence of a good fence around your pumpkin yard can make it safer for different animals as well. That’s why make sure that your pumpkin patch has a good and strong fence around it.
A Final Thought:
In conclusion, if you are interested in how raccoons eat pumpkins, then the precise answer to this question is that yes, they can eat. As raccoons are omnivores and can eat both plant and animal based matter. That’s why they have no issue eating pumpkins.
However, pumpkins are not the preferable food for raccoons, but they only eat them when there is no more food. Moreover, raccoons eat pumpkins when they are already open to eat as they cannot open a pumpkin.