As kids, it was fun to watch the groundhog find his shadow on groundhog’s day. Somehow, it’s not as entertaining to see one tunneling through your yard. These frustrating creatures cause damage, make noise and manage to eat your garden plants. If anything’s pesky, it’s a groundhog on your property. Here at Fox, we want you to feel comfortable and safe in your home and yard.
You might already know for sure that you have a groundhog problem. But here are a couple of the most common signs of groundhog problem in Connecticut.
A deep hole somewhere on your property is one of the first signs of groundhogs (also known as woodchucks) in your area. Many active tunnels will include piles of dirt near the entrance.
Groundhogs will eat virtually any plant, so you may see chew and gnaw marks on trees, crops, and even decorative plants.
Since groundhogs are rodents, their teeth never stop growing. This gives them the strong urge to gnaw on anything they can to wear down their incisors, from low tree branches to sprinkler pipes or electrical wires. In extreme cases, groundhogs can tunnel into a home foundation and widen cracks.
Think you have a groundhog problem? Call Fox Pest Control for a free groundhog control quote.
Schedule prompt service with one of our certified technicians.
Your inspector will conduct a thorough inspection of your home and property in order to provide a customized groundhog treatment plan that will be most effective for your situation.
Our Wildlife & Exclusion experts will perform all agreed upon services.
The short answer is no, although in rare cases groundhogs can get rabies. They can also cause a lot of property damage.
Entry holes are 6-12 inches wide
A large mound of dirt near each entrance.
The holes are usually close to their favorite plants. You may see burrow entrances or tunnel tracks near your garden or plant beds.
Spreading ticks and fleas
Spreading rabies (though rare)
Destroying landscaping
Eating /digging up crops and gardens
Damaging home foundations or near retaining walls (in severe cases)
Structural problems to sheds
Damage walkways
A woodchuck can grow to between 4-15 pounds.
Actually, they are the same thing! Woodchuck is another name for groundhog. Most likely, the word “woodchuck” is an adaptation of the Native American names for the animal: wuchak, or otchock. They are also called whistlepigs.
Size. Gophers grow to be about 1-2 pounds. Groundhogs typically grow to be around 13 pounds.
Shape. Groundhogs look like giant squirrels. Gophers might look like chubby squirrels or buck-toothed rats, depending on the species.
Food pouch. Pocket gophers have a pouch on the outside of their cheeks where they can store food, but groundhogs don’t have pouches in their cheeks.
Tails and feet. Pocket gopher tails are often hairless and they have pink feet, but groundhogs have hairy tails and dark brown or black feet.
Front Teeth. Gophers’ four front teeth are more noticeable than groundhogs’.
Hibernation. Gophers don’t hibernate, but groundhogs spend the winter hibernating in their burrow until spring.
Speciation. Gophers are more closely related to mice and rats, whereas a groundhog is actually a type of ground squirrel called a marmot.
A groundhog burrow can be as deep as 6 feet and cover 20-50 square feet.
Groundhogs eat plants, usually grass-type plants and vegetable gardens, herbs, alfalfa, and even weeds.
18-24 inches long
Weigh 4-15 pounds
Brownish fur
Long hairy tail (about 7-9 inches)
Sharp claws used for digging
Groundhogs are members of the ground squirrel family, but they are more squarish and stockier than a typical ground squirrel.
Favorite groundhog food sources include starchy, high-carb, and fatty grains, vegetables, or fruits.
Favorite groundhog foods include:
Peas
Beans
Corn
Alfalfa
Similar crops
Contrary to what you’ve heard from the popular tongue-twister, woodchucks don’t actually chuck wood. However, they do chuck dirt. In 1988, a wildlife conservation officer in New York tried to figure out how much wood a woodchuck could check if it could chuck wood by analyzing the size of a woodchuck burrow. In the end, he determined that a woodchuck could hypothetically chuck about 700 pounds of wood.
We have never needed pest control in the past and we randomly called Fox. We couldn't be happier with Phil the technician that came to service our home. Phil was extremely knowledgeable, thorough and patient. He answered all of our questions and put us at ease. If all of Fox's technicians are like Phil then you'll be in good hands.
We've been using FOX for the last few years for seasonal pest maintenance. Every time we see some sort of pest activity outside our regular seasonal treatment, they come quick and take care of it. The workers are always kind and courteous and answer my questions and concerns. We've recommended this company to a number of family and friends who have also used FOX for treatment.
We have only experienced outstanding service from our techs, especially Sterling. He is very respectful and so sweet!! Good communication from their main office too! Happy customer, will recommend to friends in our area :)
At Fox Pest Control, your comfort and safety are important to us. That's why we promise a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The FOX PROMISE means you'll get exceptional professional service from all aspects of our company—from our hometown Branch Team to the Route Managers and Technicians who take care of your home.
And if you see any pest activity between your regularly scheduled treatments, simply give us a call; we'll come back at no additional charge.