Similar pumpkin stencils
View all stencils →About this stencil
The Snarling Rat pumpkin stencil is a free printable PDF template. Print it, tape the pattern on, and trace it onto your pumpkin. A snarling rat pumpkin stencil rendered in detailed linework shows the animal rearing up on its hind legs, front paws raised, with a long curving tail sweeping to the left, ragged fur along the spine, clawed feet, and an open mouth with visible teeth. Dozens of short cut lines define the fur texture and claws, leaving narrow orange ridges between them, so the finished jack-o-lantern reads as a detailed fur-covered creature rather than a flat silhouette. Work in sections from the tail outward, cutting fur-texture lines in short strokes rather than single long passes to avoid splitting the thin ridges. It makes a fun jack-o'-lantern design for Halloween night. It is rated Advanced. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Fine details and narrow supports need careful planning. Follow the cutting and shading key in this design’s PDF.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5 to 7"): print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7 to 10"): print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11 to 13"): print at 130%
- 🎃 Giant (14"+): print at 150% on tabloid paper
Frequently asked questions
Can I resize this stencil?▾
Yes. The PDF is vector so it scales cleanly. Print the pattern at 100% for a 7 to 10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11 to 13 inch, or 150% for a giant. Use your printer's "Fit to page" or "Custom scale" setting.
What kind of paper works best?▾
Standard 20 lb letter or A4 printer paper is fine. Heavier paper is harder to bend around the pumpkin curve. If your printer supports it, set the quality to 'best' so the lines are crisp.
How long will the carved pumpkin last?▾
Usually 5 to 10 days. Coat all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly and store the pumpkin somewhere cool overnight. Avoid direct sun. Battery LED pumpkin lights produce no heat and help it last longer.
Can I sell pumpkins carved with this stencil?▾
Yes, the carved pumpkin you make is yours. The license covers personal and small-scale commercial carving (selling carved pumpkins, photographing them, posting on social). You may not resell the PDF file itself.
What if my printer doesn't print the whole stencil?▾
Set 'Page scaling' to 'Fit' in the print dialog and uncheck 'Auto-rotate'. If it still cuts off, the design includes 0.25" of safe-area margin so a small crop won't ruin it.
How to carve this stencil
- Transfer all fur-texture linework; mark the tail arc and spine ridge as the structural anchors.
- Start with the long curved tail, using a flexible linoleum cutter to follow the arc cleanly.
- Cut the hind leg and foot sections next, removing each claw individually to prevent the foot from crumbling.
- Move to the belly and lower body fur lines, working in short overlapping strokes no longer than half an inch each.
- Carve the front paw claws and raised arm outlines, bracing each thin claw from behind.
- Finish with the head detail: the open mouth, teeth, eye, and ear; the narrow fur spikes along the back and top of the head are last and most fragile, so cut them with a craft knife from tip to base.
Tools you'll need
For a advanced carve like this you'll want a fine-detail pumpkin saw, spoon / scoop, pin transfer tool, and small gouge if the pattern includes shading. Here's the kit we reach for, but start with whatever you already own.
Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon ↗
HOME MOST LED Pumpkin Lights
4-pack, battery operated, with remote + timer
Orange glow made for jack-o'-lanterns. The remote and timer light the pumpkin every evening without reaching inside.
View on Amazon ↗
Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
View on Amazon ↗
Reviews from carvers
Every rating comes from a written review by someone who downloaded this stencil.
Carved this one?
Reviews are open to carvers who downloaded the stencil. Grab the free PDF, then come back and tell everyone how it went.
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
Related stencils
More patterns with a related subject. Compare their skill levels before you choose.
AdvancedRearing Rat Pumpkin Stencil
A rat rearing up on its hind legs fills this Halloween pumpkin stencil, its long curved tail sweeping to one side and multiple whiskers fanning from both sides of the snout. The body is largely solid orange pumpkin skin framed by a pierced silhouette, so candlelight outlines the creature's claws and ragged chest fur in warm amber. Cut the whisker lines early while the stencil is anchored: there are three to four per side, so work from the snout outward on each side before opening the larger body area.
AdvancedSewer Snarl Pumpkin Stencil
A detailed rat rearing up on its hind legs fills this hard pumpkin stencil, posed with clawed front paws raised, mouth open in a snarl, and a long curling tail sweeping around the lower body. Unlike the simpler silhouette rat in this collection, this design uses internal cut lines to carve fur texture, claw separations, and an open mouth, leaving thin pumpkin ridges that define the anatomy when lit. Cut the individual claw slots in the front paws first so those delicate tips are still surrounded by solid pumpkin.
AdvancedRat and Moon Pumpkin Stencil
A large aggressive rat crouches in front of a semicircular moon arch in this pumpkin stencil, its shaggy fur rendered in dozens of fine radiating cut lines while the long serrated tail curves up behind it. Small star-burst marks scatter near the snout. The moon background is the main large negative-space cut-out, while the rat body itself is an intricate network of fur-line slots with solid orange between them. Cut the moon arch first as a single clean sweep, then work the fur lines from the rat's back inward toward the belly.
Beginner-friendlyRat Pumpkin Stencil
A rat stands upright on its hind legs in profile, nose tilted upward and thin whiskers radiating from its snout, with a long curved tail sweeping forward along the base. The entire silhouette is cut away as a single open shape, so candlelight throws a clean, solid rat shadow on surrounding surfaces. Because the tail curls close to the body at one point, make sure to cut that gap all the way through without nicking the connecting pumpkin flesh above it.