Do Pumpkins Attract Rats? Ways to Prevent Rodents’ Infestations to Your Pumpkins

Rats and mice like to eat pumpkins, especially if they are carved and cut open so they can get to the tasty fruit inside. Rats and mice aren’t too picky about what they eat—they’ll eat both the flesh and seeds of a pumpkin. They are nocturnal animals, so, likely, they will only go out at night to get a snack.

Putting pumpkins outside can attract rodents, making it more likely that you will have an infestation on or near your property. The more pumpkin decorations you have outside, the more likely that rodents will come close to your house and start living there. If you want to leave pumpkins outside your home, we suggest making sure it’s not easy for rodents to get in. Rats and mice can both carry diseases that can hurt people, so it’s vital to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Why Do Pumpkins Attract Rodents?

When it comes to why pumpkins are attractive to rodents, the main reason is that they are an easy way to get food. They aren’t nearly as sweet as many other fruits, but unlike insects, rodents aren’t drawn to sweetness or scared away by its opposite. Rats and mice will eat almost anything that looks like it could be food, as Liphatech pointed out. Because their teeth are so strong, the tough skin of a pumpkin doesn’t bother them either. And since carved pumpkins are open, the fruit’s flesh is exposed and easy for mice or rats to smell.

Even if you don’t carve your decorative pumpkins, you could still attract mice or rats. Once pumpkins are pulled out of the ground where they grew, they slowly start to rot, making them easier to chew. Like ants and spiders, other pests may also begin to come to the rotting fruit.

As a result, pumpkin should only be given to your pet as a treat because it is so high in calorie and fat content. Pumpkin is safe for rats when consumed in moderation because it contains a balanced ratio of beneficial nutrients for their health.

A Guide to Preventing Pumpkin-Related Rodents’ Infestations

Try these simple methods to keep rodents away from infesting. Do not try to use Poisons as they can hurt other animals in your garden and can get out into the environment.

Never Leave a Potential Food

To keep rodents away, try not to leave any food outside that rodents can eat, especially foods high in calories, such as sweet potatoes and pumpkin.

The best way to keep these critters out of your home is by keeping all the food away from them. To do this, check them regularly, and if any signs show up like holes or damaged items placed outside where they could climb into access it. Another method people use is plugging their outdoor light wells since rodents can easily move through those with ease for a meal.

Identify Where They Live

First, find out where the rats live and how they get food from one place to another, even if it’s in a neighbor’s garden. Once you’ve located the rats’ usual home, set up a trap next. A rat has less chance of escaping from an open cage than from an enclosed area with no escape route.

Covertly Trap Outside from Scarecrow or Spider Webbing

Make sure you do not see any true evidence that they have been eating at all because, as with many creatures in nature, rats will just up and leave immediately if they think someone is watching them. This leaves holes outside their usual home by simply stringing up some thread or a spider web and placing it on the ground.

You could also use one of these indoor covers, such as tin cans placed over the holes, catching greased paper balls in another type of covered cage, or simply hiding a cardboard box under leaves to lure them inside again after you’ve seen them outside your new trap. Try not to leave urine smells from being trapped by yourself for any time around their homes. Never feed them by hand.

Fix Drainage System

The NPMA suggests fixing your drainage systems and sealing any small gaps or cracks around the perimeter of your foundation to get rid of any standing water near your property.

Petroleum Jelly

Putting a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the outside of your pumpkins can keep bugs from eating them and slow down the rate at which they rot. Pests can also be kept from biting the pumpkin by spraying it with hairspray or acrylic finish spray. Keep your pumpkin in a dry, shady place out of the sun and rain, which will make it rot faster.

Clean

Always keep a clean house as much as possible! Clean dirt from drainage gaps above the pumpkins near walls, sunken holes, and our garden. Rat gets through one of these holes and into the house. This may be why they are attracted to your pumpkin. Also, keep all drainage systems clean. Use bleach pipe cleaner etc.