What animal likes to eat pumpkin

Pumpkin is a common source of food for many omnivorous and herbivorous animals, mainly including livestock, wild animals, and some birds.

1. Domestic animals

Pigs have a high acceptance of pumpkin, which can be used as feed to supplement vitamin A and dietary fiber after cooking. Goats and sheep will actively nibble on the skin and flesh of pumpkins, and farms often cut pumpkins into pieces as autumn feed reserves. Rabbits can eat fresh pumpkin, but the amount should be controlled as excessive consumption may cause gastrointestinal bloating.

2. Wild Animals

Wild deer will search for pumpkin fields in autumn, especially preferring mature pumpkins with high sugar content. Squirrels store small pieces of pumpkin as a winter food source, but mainly consume the seed portion. Wild boars often damage farmland by gnawing on pumpkins, and their powerful molars can easily bite open hard melon skins.

III. Birds

Poultry such as chickens and ducks like to peck at steamed pumpkin puree, in which beta carotene helps improve egg yolk color. Wild turkeys will peck at the flesh of rotten pumpkins, while omnivorous birds such as crows will also eat pumpkins stored outdoors. Some parrot like ornamental birds can eat raw pumpkin chunks, but all seeds need to be removed. Pumpkin, as a high moisture and high fiber crop, should be fed to animals with attention to freshness and portion control. For livestock feeding, it is recommended to mix coarse feed after cooking. For wild animal feeding, choose planting areas away from pesticides. For bird feeding, remove seeds to prevent choking. Storing pumpkins requires keeping them dry and ventilated, as moldy pumpkins can produce toxins that can harm animal health. There are differences in the digestive ability of different animals towards pumpkins, and defecation should be observed during the first feeding.