Troubleshoot your problems with a wildlife professional now: 423-502-8148
All About Groundhogs on Your Property
To say that groundhogs are common in this area would be an understatement. They show up in farmers’ fields, fencerows, roadsides, backyards, etc. It takes very little to satisfy a groundhog. If there is enough soil for them to burrow and vegetation to eat, they will happily build a home. Groundhog burrows, once built, become semi-permanent and can be expanded on in subsequent years. On the farm in my childhood, I remember burrows that lasted for years with what were probably many different occupants. Over time there developed several different entrances and large mounds of excavated soil. Burrows can easily run as much as 25 feet and eight feet in the ground. Burrows are large enough to risk breaking the leg of human or livestock that steps in them by mistake. Burrow entrances are proportionally sized to the species and are equal in diameter to or little larger than a cantaloupe.
Digging a burrow is a time-consuming process and a groundhog that decides to begin a new burrow in the open exposes himself to predators. To reduce this risk, groundhogs choose to burrow, whenever possible, under something that protects them or reduces signs of their presence. Anything will do. They will dig under buildings, tree root wads, brush piles, decks, patios, shrubbery, etc. Porches with lattice are a very attractive. Digging under the lattice or even just squeezing through a gap is very easy. Once inside, the groundhog can excavate in complete privacy.
It is hard to know where and how deep tunnels run. If they happen to pass under the house, burrows can upset foundations of the home and destroy wiring or pipes under the home if they cross these obstacles. Though there is risk for both homes with and without basements, there is a higher risk for homes with crawlspaces because they tend to have much shallower foundations. These shallow foundations make it much easier for groundhog tunnels to pass under the home.
Once a burrow has been created, it will be present for many years. This burrow also becomes “real estate” for “secondary users”. Many animals like skunks are proficient diggers; but often prefer the security of a home that they don’t have to construct themselves. I often tell customers that groundhogs are the “general contractors” of the small mammal world. Some species do not or are not as likely to dig their own burrow. Opossums and raccoons do not dig burrows, but will use the burrows to their advantage. Skunks are good diggers but more than willing to “crash at someone else’s pad”. Vacant burrows are highly attractive and will contribute to future wildlife problems. A groundhog burrow on your property is like a critter motel with a vacancy sign out front
This series of short clips shows how groundhog burrows can provide homes for other wildlife species. All clips are of the same burrow and were taken over a period of about a week. First we have a raccoon leaving the burrow. Second a skunk lurking around the burrow. And third, a groundhog returning to “freshen up” his burrow entrance and finally the groundhog leaving to feed on nearby vegetation. All these animals used this burrow over a short period of time. Initially the customer called because he had issues with raccoons entering the building through a foundation entrance that connected to the burrow. After entering around the foundations the raccoons were climbing into the ceiling through the walls. Groundhog burrows can leave open a home for other species.
Burrowing Under Buildings
Burrowing under buildings can become a special problem. They move significant amounts of soil and burrows can unsettle foundations. Tunnels can run in excess of 25’ in length and up to 8’ in depth. One customer, who has had several groundhogs removed from under the foundations of his building, now has trouble opening the doors to the building due to settling. Groundhogs had lived under his building for many years.
Normally, squirrels, mice, and rats are the culprits responsible for chewed wiring. This is because there is usually large amount of wiring vulnerable to chewing in attics and walls of homes. But, if wiring has been run in the area of a groundhog burrow, it is possible for them to chew the wiring causing fire hazards and destroying the wiring. Buried wiring is common these days. The main line that feeds many homes is often buried. And speaking of wiring, though rare, a few customers have even reported groundhogs climbing into the engine compartment of vehicles to chew wiring.
I often tell my customers that groundhogs are the “building contractors of the small mammal world”. Other mammal species that use underground burrows readily use abandoned groundhog holes. Skunks, raccoons, opossums, and even coyotes will use groundhog holes to rear young and for cover. People who set up traps for groundhogs have a surprise waiting for them in the trap the next day. Additionally, there is no shortage of groundhogs in the area. Once the first is removed, another takes its place. One customer has had no less than four groundhogs removed from under his building in as many months. It is impossible to permanently remove all the groundhogs in an area.
Multiple Burrows
To further complicate the process, groundhogs tend to wander from home to home. They often have summer and winter homes and also move from hole to hole in search of better forage. A groundhog hole may have an adult groundhog one day and be empty the next. Or, it may be home to an entirely different species another day like an opossum, raccoon, or skunk. Earlier this year we were called to remove a groundhog from a client’s property. A groundhog had been seen only two days prior to our arrival. We set up a trap over the groundhog hole so that escape from the hole was impossible; but nothing showed up in the trap. The trap over the hole was removed, but reset a few days later only to catch a raccoon. The hole was plugged and, as far as we know, no groundhog ever returned to the hole.
Groundhogs can have several holes, some of which are not interconnected and located significant distances from one another. Often groundhogs cross property lines and are only present on the customer’s property during certain periods of time. Holes can be a complex series of interconnected tunnels or just a single “jump hole” or escape hole. Holes can also be separated by significant distances and groundhogs often wander from hole complex to hole complex.