What's a groundhog den look like?

From the surface, burrow entrances often look like medium-sized holes that lead to an underground network. Groundhog holes may be located near trees, walls or fences. Each burrow opening is between 10 to 12 inches in diameter and is generally marked by a crescent-shaped mound of dirt.

How do you identify groundhog burrows?

Seek out any groundhog burrows on your property - you can identify these by locating their entrances/exits. Burrows generally contain 2-5 entrance holes, each about 6-8 inches in diameter. Groundhogs often hide these holes by digging them underneath vegetation and/or loosely covering them up with leaves and sticks.

How big is a groundhogs den?

They dig burrows that can be 6 feet (1.8 meters) deep, and 20 feet (6 m) wide. These underground homes can also have two to a dozen entrances, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

What does a groundhogs nest look like?

These entrances look like large crescent-shaped mounds of excavated soil and dirt that's placed right outside the entrance hole. A groundhog hole will appear roughly ten to twelve inches in diameter. The burrow also has one up to four secondary entrances.

Do groundhog dens have two entrances?

Groundhogs spend most of their time in their underground burrows, which have one main entrance that can be identified by a large mountain of excavated soil immediately outside the entrance hole. The burrow also has one to four auxiliary entrances. All groundhog burrows are basically laid out in the same way.

True Facts About the Groundhog

How many groundhogs live in a den?

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 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 do you get rid of groundhog burrows?

Epsom Salts. Epsom salts sprinkled near or around the burrow entrances or exits will keep the groundhog away. If your plants are being eaten, try placing a tin pie plate filled with the salts near the plants. Replace after a rain.

What month do groundhogs have 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.

What smells do groundhogs hate?

Plants with strong fragrances, such as lavender, will keep groundhogs out of your garden. The Farmers' Almanac says groundhogs also dislike the smell of these herbs: mint, sage, basil, lemon balm, rosemary, thyme, chives and oregano.

What time of day do groundhogs come out?

Activity: Groundhogs are diurnal (active during the day) from spring to fall. Most activity occurs during the early morning and early evening hours, at which groundhogs emerge from their burrows to gather food. Hibernation: Groundhogs are true hibernators, entering a deep sleep in October and emerging in early spring.

Where do groundhogs sleep and poop?

But burrows are super-important to groundhogs. They're where the rodents sleep, raise their babies, and even poop. (They actually have separate bathrooms!) Burrows also provide protection from predators such as coyotes, hawks, and black bears.

What do woodchuck tunnels look like?

Woodchuck burrows will have a large opening about 10 to 12 inches across, with a raised mound of dirt just outside. This mound is one of the most obvious signs of a woodchuck burrow. Often there will be one to three additional escape openings without the mounds, which are usually camouflaged.

What kind of holes do groundhogs dig?

Groundhog holes may be located near trees, walls or fences. Each burrow opening is between 10 to 12 inches in diameter and is generally marked by a crescent-shaped mound of dirt. Young groundhogs may produce additional holes for practice, which can be smaller in diameter.

Does Irish Spring soap keep groundhogs away?

Does Irish Spring Soap Keep Groundhogs Away? Irish Spring soap is a great groundhog repellent. It is recommended that you keep the soap in the packaging but drill holes in it so the rain and other elements don't wash away the soap so easily.

Do groundhogs abandon their burrows?

Fall and Winter: From mid-October through February, groundhogs remain in their burrows as they hibernate.

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.

Where do groundhog babies go?

The life of a groundhog baby starts underground in the burrow that the mother groundhog has dug. She prepares a birthing den and lines it with soft grasses to keep her and her new family comfortable.

Are groundhogs good to have around?

A groundhog will help itself to anything and everything you have planted. They are vegetarians and are partial to leaves, flowers and grasses. They especially like certain garden crops like carrots, beans and peas. They will even climb trees to eat apples and pears.

Will vinegar keep groundhogs away?

Mix ammonia with washing detergent, vinegar, hot pepper and soap and pour the mixture down each hole. This may have to be repeated for a few days until the groundhogs go away.

Will mothballs get rid of groundhogs?

For whatever reason, groundhogs don't care about mothballs. When poured down a burrow, they just dig them out and they get buried in the dirt. In a garden, the animals continue to eat crops right next to mothballs. They just don't care.

How many babies does a groundhog have?

Pregnancy goes by fast for them. 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.

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.

What is groundhog's favorite food?

Plants- Alfalfa, clovers, dandelions, maple leaves, daisies, grass, flowers, chicken weed, sorrel (leafy green vegetable) are some plants groundhogs cherish. A garden full of plants is a paradise for groundhogs. Ferns are another plant they like to eat. In spring and summer, plants are plentiful for groundhogs to eat.

Do groundhogs burrow under houses?

Groundhogs like to burrow. They can create a network of tunnels below your home that are 45 feet long and five feet deep. These holes can cause significant damage.