Unlike many other animals, raccoons attack pumpkin plants from below. They do not go after the fruit directly.
Instead, they burrow into the ground and decimate the whole plant upward
Rotten pumpkins may contain various microorganisms, including yeasts, bacteria, molds, and parasites. Besides making pumpkins unsightly, these organisms could harm the health of raccoons.
Raccoons do eat carved pumpkins. So, even if you have cut up a jack-o-lantern out of your pumpkins or chopped them up, raccoons won’t mind having a bite.
Raccoons may initially have a hard time getting into a whole pumpkin. But if they dig their sharp claws and teeth into it, they will ultimately crack the squash open.