A: Rabbits, squirrels and deer eat rose buds and shoots.Click to see full answer. Simply so, what eats rose buds?Budworms are caterpillars that chew through the buds and petals of roses. The pests cause extensive damage quite quickly on rose bushes and ruin the flowers before they even have a chance to bloom. Roses are eaten by two types of budworms: tobacco budworms and rose budworms.Subsequently, question is, what animals eat roses leaves? Some major mammalian rose-eaters include deer, rabbits, and gophers. Some parts of the world can even have wild goats, feral pigs, or rabbits to contend with. Additionally, do birds eat rose buds? Although birds usually will not eat enough of the buds to damage the plant, but there are a few simple ways to prevent birds from eating flower buds.Can animals eat roses? Rose Toxicity In the floristry industry, roses are considered a pet-safe cut flower. While it’s reasonably safe for cats and dogs to chew the flower petals and leaves without the risk of poisoning, eating rose blossoms or leaves could cause stomach upset.