Pumpkins aren’t just for pies and Halloween decorations, plenty of animals find them irresistible too. From elephants that smash them open with joy to squirrels nibbling the seeds, these orange gourds are a seasonal treat across the animal kingdom.
Whether it’s the sweetness, texture, or sheer fun of rolling them around, many creatures can’t resist a good pumpkin snack. Here are animals that love pumpkins far more than you might expect.
This article is for general information only. Always check with a wildlife or veterinary expert before feeding pumpkins or any human food to animals. Photos are for illustrative purposes only.
1. Squirrels
Watching a squirrel tackle a pumpkin is like observing a tiny demolition expert at work. These bushy-tailed acrobats will gnaw through the tough outer shell to reach the seeds and flesh inside, often storing pieces for later.
Pumpkins offer squirrels valuable nutrients like vitamin A and potassium. The seeds are particularly appealing because they contain healthy fats that help squirrels build up energy reserves before winter arrives.
If you leave a carved jack-o-lantern outside, expect squirrels to claim it within days as their personal buffet.
2. Chickens
Backyard chickens go absolutely wild when presented with a fresh pumpkin. They peck enthusiastically at the flesh and seeds, sometimes creating quite a mess in their eagerness to devour every bit.
Pumpkin seeds contain natural compounds that may help control intestinal parasites in chickens. The flesh provides hydration and vitamins that support healthy egg production and vibrant feather growth throughout the cooler months.
Many chicken keepers toss leftover pumpkins into the coop as both entertainment and nutrition for their flock.
3. Deer
White-tailed deer consider pumpkins an autumn delicacy worth travelling for. These graceful browsers will venture into yards and gardens specifically to feast on discarded pumpkins left after Halloween celebrations end.
The soft, sweet flesh provides deer with easily digestible carbohydrates that help them prepare for harsh winter conditions. However, wildlife experts suggest not making pumpkins a regular food source, as deer should maintain their natural foraging behaviours.
A single deer can consume an entire pumpkin in one nighttime visit to your property.
4. Pigs
Few animals show more enthusiasm for pumpkins than pigs do. They snort, root, and chomp their way through these gourds with obvious delight, often rolling them around before breaking them open.
Pumpkins provide pigs with fibre, vitamins, and moisture while offering mental stimulation. Farmers and sanctuaries frequently donate leftover pumpkins to pig rescues because watching these intelligent animals play with and devour them brings joy to everyone involved.
The entire pumpkin gets eaten, including seeds, flesh, and sometimes even pieces of the rind when pigs are particularly hungry.
5. Elephants
Zoos worldwide have discovered that elephants adore pumpkins as seasonal treats. These massive mammals use their dexterous trunks to pick up, smash, and consume entire pumpkins in just minutes.
For elephants, pumpkins serve as enrichment activities that encourage natural foraging behaviours and problem-solving skills. The size and texture make them perfect for elephants to manipulate, providing both physical exercise and mental engagement.
A fully grown elephant can easily eat dozens of pumpkins in a single feeding session without any digestive issues whatsoever.
6. Raccoons
With their nimble paws and curious nature, raccoons treat pumpkins like puzzle boxes filled with tasty rewards. They methodically scoop out seeds and soft flesh, leaving behind hollowed-out shells by morning.
These masked bandits have a particular fondness for pumpkin seeds, which provide protein and healthy oils. Raccoons often visit the same pumpkin multiple nights until nothing edible remains.
Urban raccoons have learned that front porches in late October offer easy pumpkin meals. Their dexterous hands make quick work of even freshly carved jack-o-lanterns sitting outside homes.
7. Goats
Goats approach pumpkins with their trademark enthusiasm for eating just about anything edible. They headbutt, climb on, and eventually devour pumpkins with relentless determination that entertains onlookers.
Pumpkin seeds contain compounds that may help goats maintain digestive health naturally. The flesh offers hydration and nutrients that complement their regular diet of hay and browse throughout the autumn season.
Farmers often use pumpkins as treats to reward goats or as enrichment to prevent boredom in confined spaces during bad weather.
8. Hedgehogs
These prickly little insectivores surprisingly enjoy nibbling on pumpkin flesh when they encounter it. Hedgehogs benefit from the moisture and vitamins pumpkins provide, especially as natural food sources become scarcer in autumn.
Wildlife rehabilitators sometimes offer small amounts of cooked pumpkin to hedgehogs as a nutritious supplement. The soft texture makes it easy for hedgehogs to eat, even those with dental issues or other health challenges.
Garden hedgehogs might visit pumpkin pieces left out specifically for them, though they still prefer their natural diet of insects and invertebrates.
9. Rabbits
Both wild and domestic rabbits find pumpkin flesh irresistible as an occasional treat. Their constantly growing teeth make short work of the firm but yielding texture that pumpkins offer.
Pumpkin provides rabbits with vitamin A for eye health and fibre for proper digestion. However, rabbit owners should offer it in moderation since too much can cause digestive upset in these sensitive herbivores.
Wild cottontails will visit gardens specifically to nibble on discarded pumpkin pieces, often under cover of dawn or dusk when predators are less active.
10. Tortoises
Tortoises move slowly toward most things, but they show surprising speed when pumpkin appears on their menu. These ancient reptiles munch contentedly on both the flesh and seeds with their strong, beaked mouths.
Pumpkin offers tortoises hydration along with beta-carotene that supports shell and skin health. Reptile keepers often include small amounts of pumpkin in varied diets to ensure their tortoises receive diverse nutrients throughout the year.
Watching a tortoise devour pumpkin with determined, methodical bites provides unexpectedly satisfying entertainment for patient observers.
11. Cows
Dairy and beef cattle consider pumpkins a welcome change from their usual grass and hay diet. Farmers sometimes feed surplus pumpkins to cattle as a nutritious supplement that boosts milk production.
The high water content helps keep cows hydrated, while natural sugars provide quick energy. Pumpkins also contain nutrients that support overall bovine health, making them valuable additions to cattle feed during autumn months.
A herd of cows can demolish a truckload of pumpkins remarkably quickly when given the opportunity to feast together in the pasture.
12. Opossums
Often misunderstood, opossums provide valuable pest control services while happily munching on pumpkins as a seasonal bonus. These marsupials use their sharp teeth to tear into pumpkin flesh with surprising efficiency.
Pumpkins offer opossums vitamins and moisture that supplement their omnivorous diet of insects, small animals, and vegetation. Since opossums have relatively short lifespans, any nutritious food source helps support their health.
These nocturnal scavengers often share pumpkin feasts with raccoons, though they typically defer to the more aggressive masked bandits when conflicts arise.
13. Guinea Pigs
These squeaky little cavies get genuinely excited when their owners offer fresh pumpkin as a treat. Guinea pigs nibble enthusiastically at the orange flesh, often making adorable munching sounds that delight their human companions.
Pumpkin provides guinea pigs with vitamin C, which they cannot produce themselves and must obtain from food. The flesh should be raw and fresh, offered in small quantities to prevent digestive problems.
Many guinea pig owners reserve pumpkin as a special autumn treat that adds variety to their pets’ regular diet of hay and vegetables.
14. Bears
Before hibernation begins, bears enter hyperphagia and consume massive amounts of food, including pumpkins when available. These powerful omnivores can crush pumpkins effortlessly with their strong jaws and teeth.
Pumpkins provide bears with carbohydrates and moisture that help them build fat reserves for winter dormancy. Wildlife officials sometimes use pumpkins for bear enrichment at sanctuaries, though feeding wild bears remains strongly discouraged.
A hungry bear preparing for hibernation might eat twenty or more pumpkins in a single day without hesitation or difficulty.
15. Donkeys
Known for their stubborn reputation, donkeys show no hesitation when pumpkins appear. They bite, chew, and thoroughly enjoy these orange treats with an enthusiasm that surprises many farm visitors.
Pumpkins offer donkeys vitamins and hydration while providing mental stimulation that breaks up routine. Farm sanctuaries often collect post-Halloween pumpkins specifically to treat their resident donkeys to seasonal enrichment activities.
The crunching sounds donkeys make while eating pumpkins echo across pastures, announcing their satisfaction to anyone within earshot of the feast.
