From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Roseville, CA

discovered a mouse nibbling on my largest pumpkin. What do I do? Will I be disqualified? Pepper powder around my pumpkin? 1 week until weigh off in Elk Grove. Help!

9/24/2011 2:27:44 PM

Northern California Foothills

As long as it hasn't gone through to the cavity and as long as it doesn't start rotting you will be fine. I've never used pepper powder so I don't know how effective it is. Why not mouse traps?

9/24/2011 2:48:40 PM

Ohio

Mouse traps with a bit of peanut butter mix with some bird seed, moth balls (the old fashion stinky kind), and some of those outdoor mouse cubes. Plus a couple of cats can't hurt either.

9/24/2011 3:17:59 PM

Ohio

As far as the damage, clean it out with alcohol and throw on some sulfur powder.

9/24/2011 3:43:08 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Pepper wax does the trick, or Deb Sundstroms ring of death.

9/24/2011 5:41:42 PM

Omaha, Ne.

Dryer sheets around the pumpkin works for me.

9/24/2011 5:54:52 PM

South Hero, VT

Don't use poison for mice if cats are around, unless you want to kill some cats, too.

Rodents eat poison, die, cats eat rodents, cats die.

9/24/2011 6:41:53 PM

Littleton, Colorado

For mice or voles, I will first plug up all the entries they're using to get under the pumpkin except for one. I put the garden hose in that one and run it for a few minutes. It will either drown or flush out any mice or voles that are under the pumpkin. Then I put moth balls around the pumpkin. They help a lot. Keeping several mouse traps around each pumpkin is a very good practice as well. I have to tether my mouse traps and stake them, because foxes have made off with many a mouse trap that I set in the pumpkin patch! Good luck!

9/25/2011 9:31:54 AM

Roseville, CA

Thank you all. Great suggestions. Using the moth balls and no chewing since initial discovery. Fingers crossed for the best. thanks.

9/26/2011 12:18:07 AM