Groundhogs (also called groundpigs, woodchucks, mouse bears, and whistlepigs—due to their habit of making high-pitched whistling sounds to warn other groundhogs when they feel threatened) are not just cute predictors of the weather, they can wreak havoc on your home, business, and property.

 

Habitat: Elaborate Burrows

Due to their inability to outrun intruders, groundhogs evade their enemies by building intricate burrows for escape. These burrows can be up to 6 feet deep, stretch from around ten to over sixty feet long, have multiple chambers for different purposes (sleeping, waste, etc.,) and usually have two entrances but can have up to a dozen. Creating these burrows can lead to foundation deterioration, unsightly holes throughout lawns, garden and vegetation damage, and electrical outages from groundhogs gnawing on underground wires.

 

Diet and Hibernation: Extreme Eating and Sleeping

Groundhogs are true hibernators, after fattening up in the warmer months they snooze for 3 months of winter. To prepare for hibernation, a groundhog can eat up to a pound of vegetation in a single sitting! They are mainly vegetarian, eating grasses, plants, fruits, vegetables, bark, buds, and flowers, but they also may eat things we consider pests like grubs, insects, snails, and grasshoppers.

 

Predators and Threats

Adult groundhogs are preyed upon by wolves, coyotes, dogs, foxes, bobcats, lynxes, and black bears, while baby groundhogs often fall prey to birds and snakes. Groundhogs pose no major public health hazards to humans, however, they are capable of carrying fleas, ticks, and rabies.

 

Proceed with Groundhog Control ASAP

Groundhogs destroy yards and gardens and can attract predators onto your property, which is why they are considered nuisance pests. At Wild Trappers, our pest management professionals use specific tools and knowledge to identify, treat, and prevent future groundhog problems on your property. If you suspect a groundhog may be living in your yard, basement, crawlspace, or anywhere on your property, contact Wild Trappers immediately. Groundhogs are currently emerging from their hibernation and will quickly begin mating, with young being born in early April.

 

Trust Wild Trappers

At Wild Trappers we specialize in live and dead animal removal, animal trapping, exclusion services, crawl space clean outs, feces removal and sanitation, and many other wild animal and insect related services. Call 70-828-9622 or contact us today to schedule an inspection from one of our licensed and trained professionals. After confirming that your nuisance pests are indeed groundhogs, we will recommend the best method to get rid of them, and then customize a solution to help keep them from returning.