Carving jack-o’-lanterns from real pumpkins is a traditional part of Halloween celebrations. However, carving up a pumpkin and placing it outside on your front porch could attract mice to your door. Not only could this spoil the look of the jack-o’-lantern that you worked so hard on, but it could also be the beginning of a mouse infestation. Is it possible to keep the Halloween tradition of jack-o’-lanterns without requiring mice removal soon after?

Why Do Pumpkins Attract Mice?

Mice are opportunistic feeders that are attracted to anything that is edible, including pumpkins. However, pumpkins have some qualities that make them particularly attractive.

Pumpkins have a mildly sweet flavour when they are fresh. As they start to decay, the sugar in their flesh gets concentrated, making them sweeter. Mice are particularly attracted to sweet foods, and as a pumpkin rots, its outer shell gets softer, making it easier for mice to get inside to eat the flesh. Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns also makes them more accessible to mice as they can simply climb through the holes.

Pumpkins contain vitamin A and many other vitamins and minerals that make them highly nutritious for both people and mice. While mice may not be aware of the nutrients contained in pumpkins, their instincts tend to steer them toward things that are good for them, and pumpkins would certainly qualify.

As long as the pumpkin remains intact, the seeds are contained within a hard, fibrous outer rind specifically intended to protect them. When people carve pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, they usually remove the seeds and throw them away. Therefore, it can be hard for mice to get to the seeds, but if they do, they can eat the seeds as well. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of food for mice in the winter when food is scarce as they are high in fibre and protein.

Mice may chew on the hard outer shell of an uncarved pumpkin trying to get to the tender flesh and seeds inside. They are unlikely to get very far until the pumpkin is in an advanced state of decay. The pumpkin is an awkward size and shapes for their mouths. Nevertheless, even if chewing on the pumpkin rind frustrates the mice, it may still do them some good. The front teeth of mice never stop growing, so mice have to keep gnawing on things to file them down.

Can You Have Jack-O’-Lanterns Without Attracting Mice?

It is better to ask how to prevent mice than how to get rid of mice, and one way to prevent them is not to have jack-o’-lanterns carved from real pumpkins. Craft stores sell artificial pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns made of materials such as ceramics that do not attract mice. The downside of this type of artificial jack-o’-lantern is that its face is pre-made and fixed, meaning that you can’t exercise creativity in designing and carving them.

There are also artificial pumpkins made specifically for jack-o’-lanterns made out of materials such as low-density foam. These pumpkins have a consistency similar to the real thing and can even be carved. They are not messy and, because they are not edible, they don’t attract mice.

If you prefer jack-o’-lanterns carved from real pumpkins, timing is key. Don’t buy pumpkins more than two weeks before Halloween, and wait to carve them until the week beforehand. This presents a narrower window in which mice can take notice of them. Dispose of jack-o’-lanterns as soon as Halloween is over, as they are more likely to attract mice when left rotting on your porch.

Why Should You Hire Skedaddle for Mice Removal in Okanagan?

Mice can be destructive and spread dangerous pathogens through their excrement. Our process involves cleaning where they have been and sealing off entry points after removing them humanely from your home. Learn about mice removal in Okanagan in more detail.