How long does a groundhog live?

Lifespan: In the wild, groundhogs can live up to six years with two or three being average. In captivity, groundhogs reportedly live up to 14 years. Breeding: Groundhogs tend to be solitary except in the spring when a litter of four to six young are born. Litters of one to nine have been recorded.

Why do groundhogs only live for 3 years?

Wild Groundhogs Have Short Lives

The longevity of a groundhog's life span solely depends on its environment. Wild groundhogs only live about 3 - 6 years while those in captivity amazingly have been been reported to live anywhere from 9 - 14 years.

Why do groundhogs have a short lifespan?

Life Cycle

Their short lifespan can be attributed, in part, to their susceptibility to predators, such as coyotes, foxes, bobcats, hawks, owls and even household pets (e.g., dogs). Additionally, groundhogs move slowly and they are prevalent in suburban areas, hence they are also killed by cars.

Are groundhogs good for anything?

Soil Aeration

When digging, groundhogs help aerate soil. Roots, like all other parts of the plant, have to respire, taking in oxygen and emitting carbon dioxide. In unturned soil, roots deplete their limited oxygen while CO2accumulates, making it hard for them to 'breathe.

What kills groundhog?

Although groundhogs are slow runners, they scurry quickly to their dens when they sense danger. The primary predators of groundhogs are hawks, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, dogs and humans. However, motorized vehicles kill many groundhogs each year.

True Facts About the Groundhog

What smell do groundhogs hate?

Their sensitive noses can't handle the pungent smell. Lavender – Try planting some lavender around the garden. While it smells lovely to us, groundhogs find it offensive and avoid the areas where it is. They also dislike the smell of these herbs: basil, chives, lemon balm, mint, sage, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.

Are groundhogs smart?

Groundhogs are an extremely intelligent animal forming complex social networks, able to understand social behavior, form kinship with their young, understand and communicate threats through whistling, and work cooperatively to solve tasks such as burrowing.

How can you tell a male groundhog from a female?

The entire body and tail are covered with fur. Males and females groundhogs look similar, but the males may be slightly larger in size. Groundhogs have dense, stout bodies with short legs. Their long, curved claws are perfect for digging their underground burrows.

Do groundhogs stay together as a family?

Family values.

In general, groundhog social groups consist of one adult male and two adult females, each with an offspring from the previous breeding season (usually female), and the current litter of infants. Interactions within a female's group are generally friendly.

How many babies do groundhogs have?

Groundhog mating season is in the early spring and, after only a month-long pregnancy, mother groundhogs typically give birth to a litter of two to six blind, hairless babies. Young groundhogs are called kits, pups, or sometimes chucklings.

Do groundhogs eat squirrels?

They also eat acorns and other nuts. They will eat insects that they come across as they eat plants. Groundhogs are also known to eat meat such as chipmunks or other small mammals they have found dead or killed themselves.

How many groundhogs live in a hole?

They live alone separately in each of their burrows. Whenever a young groundhog has grown mature, it digs a burrow for itself. Only during mating do two adult groundhogs live together in a burrow.

Do groundhogs eat mice?

Do Groundhogs Eat Mice and Rats? No, Groundhogs are not known to eat adult mice or rats, but they may eat younger mice or weaker ones that cannot run away if the groundhog is given the chance.

Are groundhogs friendly to humans?

Interactions within a female's group are generally friendly. But interactions between female groups - even when those groups are shared by the same adult male - are rare and aggressive.

Do groundhogs live alone or in groups?

Groundhogs are solitary creatures, and they spend their summers and falls stuffing themselves and taking naps in the sun. They can eat about a pound of food per sitting. In the winter, they hibernate.

Who is the oldest groundhog?

According to Groundhog Club members, there has only been one Phil — and he has been predicting since 1887. That makes him 135 years old!

What month do groundhogs have their babies?

The breeding season for groundhogs extends from early March to mid- or late April, after hibernation. A mated pair remains in the same den throughout the 31–32 day gestation period. As birth of the young approaches in April or May, the male leaves the den.

How long do baby groundhogs stay with their mother?

At about 44 days they are weaned, and can survive without mothers milk. The mother groundhog starts to move them out of her den, and before they are even 2 months old, the little groundhogs have dug their own burrows and started living alone.

Do groundhogs have good eyesight?

They are diurnal, most active in the early morning and evening. They rely on dew as their water source. Woodchucks have good eyesight, and are good swimmers. They'll climb trees up to a height of about 20 ft, but most commonly keep it to 8–12 ft.

What does it mean when a groundhog wags its tail?

Often, the male travels great distances to visit females in their dens, in the hope of being invited inside to mate. When a male first approaches a female's burrow, he wags his tail much like a dog. Sometimes, the female is agreeable to his advances, sometimes not.

Can groundhogs climb?

Though they are usually seen on the ground, groundhogs can climb trees and are also capable swimmers. These rodents frequent the areas where woodlands meet open spaces, like fields, roads, or streams. Here they eat grasses and plants as well as fruits and tree bark. Groundhogs are the bane of many a gardener.

What time of day do groundhogs come out to eat?

If you don't have vegetables around, groundhogs will settle for twigs, bark, bugs, and blossoms. Groundhogs eat mostly during the early morning and afternoon, so try to see when your garden is receiving the most damage. These creatures will also gnaw and claw at fruit trees, so check your trees for any such marks.

How long do groundhogs sleep?

The researchers found that even though groundhogs in nature usually have to hibernate (alternating between more active states of "arousal" and "torpor") in their dens for only three or four months, under laboratory conditions a groundhog can hibernate for up to eight months. Originally published on Live Science.

What time do groundhogs go to sleep?

Groundhogs are not only nocturnal, but as a hibernating species they will sleep for weeks on end. However, when they are not hibernating, they still aren't the most active of animals. Even during the summer months, they can sleep between 16 to 20 hours per day.

What foods do groundhogs like the most?

Primarily, groundhogs eat grasses, clover, alfalfa, and dandelions. In addition, groundhogs like to eat garden fruits and vegetables like berries, apples, lettuce, corn, and carrots.