February 2 is Groundhog Day, which is when we find out if we’ll have six more weeks of winter. Whether Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or not, if you have groundhogs in your yard, you probably won’t be celebrating.
The wildlife experts at Animal Remover, provide safe, humane, reliable, and effective groundhog (aka woodchuck, whistle pig, or land beaver) removal, trapping, and control. If you have a groundhog or a group of groundhogs that are causing damage to your landscape, we can help. We can handle any groundhog problem by using the most up to date groundhog removal equipment, traps, and techniques.
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Groundhog Nuisance Concerns
Groundhogs are classified as a nuisance animal species due to their habits of burrowing large holes next to foundations and sheds, under decks, beneath porches, near patios, and in hillsides. This behavior can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your foundation. The most common groundhog complaints include:
- Groundhogs digging in the lawn.
- Groundhogs eating landscape flowers and potted plants
- Groundhog digging a burrow next to a shed.
- Groundhog living under the porch or deck.
- Groundhog stuck in a window well.
- Groundhog in a basement.
- Groundhog inside a home.
- Foundation sinking due to groundhog burrows.
For these reasons, many people wish to have groundhogs trapped and removed from their properties.
Groundhog Biology and Behavior
These large rodents are herbivores which means they eat primarily plant material. Groundhogs hibernate throughout the winter and emerge in early March or mid-late April for breeding. Female and male groundhogs will live in the same burrow for 31-32 days during the gestation period. In late April or May, two to six baby groundhogs are born. They will stay with their mother from 4-6 weeks before going out on their own.
Even though groundhogs are sometimes called woodchucks, they do not actually chuck wood. Groundhogs dig large holes close to your foundation. They will then den in the holes and birth their young. They will build up large piles of dirt when they dig out of their burrows.
Groundhogs are diurnal which means they are active during the daylight hours and sleep at night. When groundhogs are alarmed or if predators are nearby, they make a high-pitched whistle sound, which is why some people call groundhogs whistle pigs. Groundhogs are good tree climbers, despite their short legs and stocky bodies, and excellent swimmers when escaping predators like coyotes.
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Groundhog Removal
The only successful removal method for groundhogs is through trapping, habitat modification, and exclusion. They will not respond to repellents, strobe lights, loud music, mothballs, or ammonia. We have traveled to many properties where these methods have failed. Covering up a groundhog’s burrow will not do any good either as they will just dig around it.
Animal Remover provides professional and humane groundhog trapping, removal, and control. Give us a call today at 513-324-9453 for a quote or contact us online to schedule an appointment so that we catch the groundhog that is causing problems on your property.
