What kind of small animal do you think is feasting on my jack o'lantern?

Question

My poor jack o' lantern is all deformed now, this is the second year in a row. How can I prevent it in the future?

Answer 1

It could be any type of omnivorous animal - mouse, rat, opossum, raccoon, skunk, rabbit, etc. They are probably around your porch or wherever you are placing your jack o'lantern all the time, you just notice them now. Sift a dusting of flour around it, and see what kind of tracks you find it you want to identify it. You can either call your local animal control and let them set a live animal trap and relocate the animal somewhere else, or just make sure that the rest of the year you aren't putting out food that attracts it, like pet food, or leaving the lids off the trash cans, etc. You might try wrapping your jack o'lantern up in wire mesh, like hardware cloth or chicken wire - the critter won't naw thru, and it might look kinda cool. A caged jack o'lantern...
The other thing that attracts animals is the smell. Try not carving the pumpkin and breaking the skin - try drawing the face on , or using the transfers that you can buy at the supermarket. We have a pumpkin and scarecrow display in our yard, and did not carve the pumpkin, and haven't been nawed on yet. Good luck.

Answer 2

could be a possum... those things are pretty funny lookin!!

I would go with the hairspray idea, that sounds good! If you happen to see it, a good scare will keep the possum away- at least it worked back home!

Answer 3

A rat maybe. If you are going to shoot it with hairspay, make sure the candle isn't lit at the time. You might end up with a flaming pumpkin and no eyebrows!

Answer 4

Probably a Possum or a Woodchuck.

Answer 5

bunny..... spray it with hairspray, the pumpkin not the bunny