Groundhogs (also called woodchucks or “whistlepigs”) may seem like cute and cuddly critters. However, their voracious eating habits and penchant for digging can be a powerful menace to gardens. To evict any groundhogs around your yard—or prevent them from showing up in the first place—you should have a basic understanding of what makes them tick.
Let’s learn about a groundhog’s diet, its routines, and what you can do to stop it.
What Is a Groundhog?
Groundhogs are rodents in a family of squirrels known as Sciuridae. Groundhogs can weigh up to around 13 pounds and live up to six years in the wild. They prefer to spend their time at the edges of a forest, or anywhere in between a wooded and clear area.
Groundhogs are known for their burrowing behavior. They use their well-adapted claws to dig extensive underground tunnel systems, which can be quite impressive in themselves. Burrows can reach depths of 6 feet and span up to 20 feet wide, with multiple entrances.
Like their marmot cousins, groundhogs hibernate in the wintertime. To prepare for a long winter’s nap, they spend a lot of time eating to build up fat reserves. If they see something threatening on a foraging trip, they’ll make a distinctive high-pitched whistling sound. (That’s where they get the nickname “whistlepig.”)
Read Also: What’s the best way to get rid of groundhogs?
What Do Groundhogs Eat?
Groundhogs are herbivores, feasting primarily on plants. Wild plants like grasses, dandelions, and clover are among their favorite foods. However, they sometimes enjoy other crops, fruits, and vegetables. Some groundhogs have been observed eating insects as well as pests, such as grubs, but this is rare.
A groundhog’s diet is very seasonal. In the spring and early summer, they focus on tender young plants and fresh growth while using the morning dew to stay hydrated. As summer progresses, they start eating more fruits and vegetables. Then, in the late summer and early fall, they kick up their eating to prepare for hibernation.
Are Groundhogs Aggressive?
In general, groundhogs are afraid of humans and won’t go near them. If one sees you, it’ll most likely run away and hide in its burrow. Despite its skittishness, a groundhog can bite people or pets if cornered. Mama groundhogs can also attack or bite to protect their babies.
Groundhogs are a known vector of the virus that causes rabies. It’s not always possible to tell, just from looking at a groundhog, whether it has rabies. That’s why it’s best to keep kids and pets away. Never touch a groundhog—living or dead—with your bare hands.
Contact your local animal control department if you see a groundhog foaming at the mouth or behaving aggressively. If a groundhog scratches or bites you or your pet, seek immediate medical or veterinary attention.
How To Protect Your Garden From a Groundhog
Groundhogs are versatile and stubborn animals. It’s not hard for them to find their way into the rest of a garden if they see a tasty bean pod or clover patch. However, they’re far from geniuses, and you can use these strategies to keep them away naturally:
- Build a fence. Use chicken wire to build a fence at least 3–4 feet high around your garden. Make the fence a few feet deep so the groundhogs have a harder time burrowing underneath.
- Raise your plants. Raised beds, container gardens, and gardening tables are less accessible to groundhogs.
- Be diligent. Harvest your crops as soon as they’re ready, keep your grass trimmed short, and eliminate tree trunks and ground cover like leaves.
- Use pepper or hot sauce. Groundhogs aren’t fond of spicy food, so sprinkle red pepper flakes or a mixture of water and hot sauce on your most important plants. This will make groundhogs stay away from your garden. Just remember to wash the mixture off when you’re ready to cook with your homegrown vegetables.
- Use bright light. Shiny balloons, reflective tape, and old CDs can reflect the sun’s surface and scare away groundhogs. Place these items in strategic locations near a burrow.
- Use electronic repellers. Ultrasonic pest repellers use vibrations or sounds to keep groundhogs away from areas in a fixed range. You can also buy a motion-activated sprinkler that scares groundhogs away with a jet of water.
- Work with a pest control professional. If you have a particularly severe groundhog infestation, a licensed pest control company can help you plan a strategy to regain control of your yard.
Read Also: How to pick a good groundhog trap?
