What Are Groundhogs?

Groundhogs are large size rodents typically belonging to the squirrel family.

A groundhog is the largest burrowing rodent, with an average length of 16.5 inches to 27 inches. They have large claws, which they use to dig their burrow and tunnel system in the ground.

The average weight of a groundhog can vary between 2 and 6 kg.

Like gophers, groundhogs have four incisors on the front, which they use to eat plants. The interesting fact about their incisors is that it grows 1.5 mm per week. Groundhogs belong to the squirrel family and are similar in physical appearance to other rodents like a land beaver.

Groundhogs are also referred to as whistle pigs because they make a unique whistle sound. A groundhog got the name of a whistle pig since it uses a whistle to alarm other groundhogs from any potential danger.

Moreover, the whistle pig uses its sound to communicate with other groundhogs after smelling the presence of any danger. A groundhog is strictly herbivorous, and they love to eat plants. Therefore, groundhog burrows are very common in a yard full of plants.

What Is the Lifecycle of Groundhogs?

Groundhogs are the largest creatures in the marmot family. Moreover, they are extremely intelligent, and they know their way to safety if they are face to face with their potential predators. A large groundhog in the optimal atmosphere can live up to six years.

Grounds mate in the early spring season, with the female giving birth to two or three baby groundhogs after a gestation period of 32 days. Their seasonal mating and solitary nature do not exponentially increase the population of these burrowing marmots like other animals.

A groundhog spends a major part of its lifecycle in an underground burrow. It stores food in the burrow and mates with the female counterparts while staying underground. These creatures only socialize with the female groundhogs when they have to mate.

What Attract Groundhogs to Your Yard?

Groundhogs are herbivorous, and therefore, a flower garden and fruit trees are a major source of attraction for these burrowing animals. Moreover, the tall grass in your yard is also a good food source for them.

Moreover, alfalfa trees are one of the favorite plants of a groundhog. They use the grass of the yard as a cover to protect themselves from predators. Furthermore, they love to excavate inhabited burrows in the moist soil of the yard.

How To Identify the Presence of Groundhogs in Your Yard?

Identification of a burrowing animal is important for pest control. The proper identification will pave a roadmap for you to implement the right treatment method to deter groundhogs. A groundhog’s hole is nearly similar to that of gophers and moles.

Therefore, it becomes a little difficult to identify them. The best distinguishing factor is by looking at the paw’s arrangement of a groundhog on the soil. A groundhog’s footprints on the dirt show four paws on the front claw and five paws on the back claw.

It is one of those telltale signs that confirm the presence of grounds in your yard.

No other rodent has this type of footprints arrangement on the dirt. Once you have identified the presence of groundhogs, only then can you go for a pest control method.

Are Groundhogs Similar to Other Rodents?

Groundhogs share similarities with other members of the rodent family. Sometimes, people even confuse them as ground squirrels. However, the only thing to keep in mind is that they are the largest among all the rodents.

Moreover, their hibernation period makes them stand apart from other rodent family members. It is pertinent to mention that other pesky rodents do not hibernate.

Why Is It Important to Get Rid of Groundhogs?

Groundhogs are excellent excavators and can cause a lot of wear and tear in your yard. If you see excavated soil all over your yard, you might have a groundhog problem. Moreover, they can destroy plants and trees from their roots.

Keeping groundhogs away from your property is important if you have flowers and fruits in your backyard. These burrowing animals make a system of complex underground tunnels. The burrows can cause a trip hazard to children playing in the yard. Therefore, it is imminent to control groundhog damage.

The extent of groundhogs’ destruction is not limited to your garden. These marmots are known to excavate under the shed and foundations. Therefore, they can cause severe structural damage to houses.

What Smells Do Groundhogs Hate?

Groundhogs have sensitive scent glands. The sensitive nose of a groundhog does not like the smell of certain things. For instance, the hair of humans or cats gives a very irritating smell to groundhogs. They smell the presence of danger since cats are their predators.

In addition, the smell of castor oil mixed up with dish soap is pungent for these burrowing rodents. They are likely to move away from the place where they smell it. These creatures also do not like daffodils. The good thing about daffodils is that they can repel groundhogs with their smell.

What Can I Use to Repel Groundhogs?

There are several natural and humane methods to deter the presence of groundhogs in your yard. Apart from this, some other methods involve killing these pesky pests. Due to the amount of damage by these rodents, it is important to adopt groundhog control methods.

A resident groundhog can cause immense damage to your garden and house. You can use several methods for groundhog control. Regular spraying castor oil and dish soap mixture on your yard are one of the most effective and humane methods to prevent groundhogs from digging your yard.

You can also use traps to catch these rodents and then throw them away at a significant distance from your property. Some people also use farm equipment to kill these rodents.

What Is a Sonic Groundhog Repellent?

A sonic groundhog repellent is a modern device to get rid of groundhogs. It emits high-intensity ultrasonic waves after every 30 seconds. Groundhogs have sensitive ears, and they cannot withstand high-intensity sounds. Therefore, it drives them away by creating an unbearable environment.

This sonic repellent consists of a long rod-like structure having a length of 10 to 14 inches. On top of the rod, a small solar panel keeps it operational throughout the day. A fully charged sonic repellent can go on for five days.

Moreover, these ultrasonic repellents can cover an area of 7,500 m2. The best thing about this instrument is that its sound waves are not audible to human beings and pets. Therefore, it is completely safe to use.

How To Repel Groundhogs Using Sonic Groundhog Repellents?

Sonic groundhog repellents are very easy to use. They can remove groundhogs from your property in a matter of a few weeks. You can install these repellents near the groundhog burrows. The height of this rod is nearly equal to the depth of a groundhog burrow.

Therefore, all you need to do is plug it near the burrows of a ground hog and turn on the device. It will emit ultrasonic waves after every 30 seconds. Moreover, it also has a motion detector at the bottom of the vertical rod.

The constant high-intensity sound irritates these pesky rodents up to an unbearable extent. Ultimately, they leave the premises of your home and move to another place.

What Are the Advantages of Sonic Groundhog Repellent?

Sonic repellents are the most humane method to deal with the problem of groundhogs. It has countless benefits than other conventional methods. Some of those advantages are as follows:

• It is a time-saving method, and you do not have to check it up again and again.

• The installation process of this instrument is straightforward. You only have to plug it inside the ground and turn on its button.

• It is a humane way to prevent groundhogs from roaming your property.

• This method is cost-effective since you only have to purchase it once.

• It is not harmful to humans and pet animals.

Will Vinegar Keep Groundhogs Away?

Vinegar is a natural thing that is available in almost every household. It is used widely in food preparation. However, as much as we humans like this natural product, the groundhogs dislike its smell.

You can sprinkle vinegar near the burrow entrance of groundhogs. Moreover, you can also sprinkle this natural deterrent inside the abandoned burrows. This method can resolve the groundhog problem temporarily.

Are Live Traps Effective to Get Rid of Groundhogs?

A live trap is another method to downsize the presence of groundhogs on your property. Foothold traps are among the most widely used traps to catch these rodents. However, some state and local laws prevent using these kinds of methods comprising a trapped groundhog.

Therefore, live traps are not preferred nowadays, and their effectiveness is also limited. You might have to change the trap’s location many times a week. This method also takes a lot of time since you have to set up traps at various locations.

Is Used Cat Litter Effective to Ward Off Groundhogs?

Cats are the primary predators of groundhogs. Therefore, the easiest way to frighten groundhogs is by putting used kitty litter near the burrows of these rodents. If you have a cat at your home, you are in luck.

Otherwise, you can take kitty litter from your neighbor’s cat. All you have to do is place the litter of a cat near the holes of these rodents. They will smell the litter and get afraid of the presence of the predator. Resultantly, they will leave the premises.

Are Granular Repellents Helpful Against Groundhogs?

Granular repellents are another way of getting rid of these rodents.

These granules are available from the market in a 10-pound bag. A single bag of this repellent can cover an area of 10,000 m2. This repellent comprises castor oil pellets whose smell is irritating for these animals.

The application of this method is slightly different. You have to sprinkle these granules on the surface of burrows and inside the holes of ground hogs. After sprinkling, you will have to water the area so that the granular material can completely infiltrate to the depth of these tunnels.

This method is effective in controlling these rodents, and the best results can be obtained after two weeks. However, it would help if you kept in mind that you should follow the application process of this methodology with strict compliance.

Can Dog Urine Poured in the Groundhog Burrows Effective?

Some people have also got great results by using dog urine. The smell of urine alarms these rodents that there is a presence of a predator nearby. Hence, they move away from the place. On the other hand, you can also use coyote urine to frighten these creatures.

Take some amount of urine and mix it with water in a spraying bottle. Now all you need to do is spray it near the burrows of these burrowing rodents. Keep on repeating the process for the next few days, and ultimately your property will be free from these pests.

When To Call the Pest Control Services to Control Groundhogs?

Groundhogs are the largest of marmots and can cause significant damage to your property. Their destruction is not limited to the premises of your garden but can also extend deep into the foundations of your house. Moreover, the vast network of tunnels can create sinkholes in your walkways.

Therefore, you have to use certain methods to eliminate this problem. You can start with the natural and easy-to-use methods before using any costly traps. If that does not work, then you can try and use multiple methods at a time to ward off these pesky rodents away from your house.

However, it is high time to call in experts if these methods fail. The experts know their way around dealing with these rodents.

How To Repel Groundhogs? Concluding Remarks

Groundhogs are a major headache for the people who have to bear the brunt in the form of a damaged garden. Therefore, everyone is looking for methods to remove these rodents from their property. There are various humane and inhumane methods to get rid of these pests.

Some of these methods are effective, and some are useful for a short period. You can use castor oil and dish soap mixture to remove these creatures from the premises of your lawn. They do not like the smell of it.

You can also use traps, but their effectiveness is questionable. Therefore, the best and most easy-to-use method is to use Thanos sonic repellent.

A sonic repellent is easy to install, and it is a long-term solution for this problem. It emits high-intensity ultrasonic waves after every 30 seconds. The noise irritates the rodents so much that they leave the premises.

This method of getting rid of these animals is easy and does not require any maintenance. It can cover an area of 7,500 m2. Therefore, it is the best available method that uses modern technology to prevent the damage of groundhogs.