Groundhogs are a species of marmot, a kind of large ground squirrel. Unlike other marmots they’re good swimmers, and
can also climb trees to escape from predators
, but apart from their climbing habit they’re not much like normal squirrels.
Can groundhogs climb and jump?
Fence Them Out
Groundhogs can jump over or burrow under an ordinary fence
. If you feel ambitious, install a chicken-wire fence that is at least three to four feet high with the bottom buried about one foot underground.
Can a groundhog damage my house?
Groundhog Damage to Your Home or Foundation
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. The problems start with water damage. Groundhog tunnels can cause water to flow directly underneath your home.
Will chicken wire keep out groundhogs?
Fence Them Out: Groundhogs can jump short fences and tunnel under others, so it’s important to do this right.
Buy chicken wire (at least six feet tall) and five-foot posts. Bury the wire twelve inches deep to prevent tunneling
. Attach the fencing to the posts except for the top foot.
Can groundhogs climb chicken wire?
Groundhogs are good climbers, but they don’t like wobbly fences.
The top foot of the chicken wire is not connected to anything and it tends to flop backwards toward the outside
.
How do you keep groundhogs away?
- Epsom Salts. Epsom salts sprinkled near or around the burrow entrances or exits will keep the groundhog away. …
- Human Hair Clippings. Clippings from your local barber or hairdresser can also work well because they dislike the scent of humans. …
- Soiled Kitty Litter. …
- Offensive Scents.
Will mothballs keep groundhogs away?
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.
Do groundhogs have two holes?
Groundhogs often have two separate burrows, one for summer (grassy field area) and one for winter (wooded area)
. During the approximately three month hibernation period, groundhogs enter their winter burrows which have only one entrance.
How do I get rid of a groundhog under my house?
Mix together some ammonia and water, using one part ammonia to every three parts water. Next, add a few drops of non-bleach dish detergent. Then, you simply pour the mixture into the groundhog burrow entrances. The smell of the ammonia should drive the groundhogs away.
Can groundhogs destroy foundation?
Expert Tips. If not properly controlled, groundhogs can cause serious structural damage when burrowing.
Their tunnels break apart building foundations
, and they will often chew through electrical wires and irrigation systems that may be in their way.
Should I get rid of groundhog?
Before deciding to get rid of groundhogs, understand that
unless they’re causing a problem, they should be left alone
. Groundhogs play an important role in our ecological system. Their abandoned burrows can become homes for other wildlife, such as foxes, skunks, and rabbits.
Do wind chimes scare groundhogs?
Place lawn windmills, spinning pinwheels, or a vibrating sonic device near the entrance of their burrow or on top of their burrow to scare the groundhogs away. Windchimes are also great disturbances.
If you place vibrating devices around the perimeters of your yard, it will deter the groundhog from coming near
.
Does Epsom salt deter groundhogs?
Epsom salts can be sprinkled around the perimeter of gardens to repel groundhogs
. You can also sprinkle the salts near the burrow. 3 Ammonia-soaked rags strewn along the garden perimeter form a stinky barrier, but rain washes away both these smells, necessitating reapplication.
Can a groundhog climb a fence?
Fencing. Even though
woodchucks are good climbers
, you can protect your gardens with fencing. Fences work best when protecting relatively small areas.
Does Irish Spring repel groundhogs?
Irish Spring is an effective repellent against groundhogs
. A bar of soap should be hung from a post or fence to scare off groundhogs and prevent them from digging up the lawn or eating the plants.
How do I get rid of a groundhog under my shed?
- Pour ammonia around your shed and in any holes they’ve dug. …
- Place lawn windmills, windchimes, or a vibrating sonic device near your shed. …
- Adopt a dog or cat and encourage them to spend time sniffing around the shed.
- Spread human scent around your yard with hair clippings.
Do marigolds repel groundhogs?
Groundhogs do not like noxious smells.
They particularilly do not like certain flowers like marigolds
, snapdragons, dianthus, ageratum, nicotiana, sweet alyssum, and annual poppies. You should consider planting these types of flowers around the perimeter that you want protected.
How small of a hole can a groundhog fit through?
They can damage trees with their persistent gnawing. They do this to keep their ever-growing teeth at a manageable length. They can fit through holes that are
3-inch x 4-inch
and enjoy denning under porches and decks.
How do you build a groundhog proof garden?
A good fence to protect gardens from woodchucks consists of
a tight wire mesh at least 3 feet tall
. Extra height at the top can be bent at a 45° angle away from the garden to deter climbers. Excess at the bottom can be bent out underground at a 90° angle to keep diggers at bay.
Do ultrasonic pest repellers work on groundhogs?
These ultrasonic solar stakes work by sending vibrations through the ground to drive out the groundhogs
. These granules are effective when spread throughout the yard. They sink down into the groundhogs burrow and the odor drives them out.
Do groundhogs come out at night?
Groundhog Behavior
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.
How do you fill a groundhog hole?
One option for filling groundhog holes or tunnel openings is a product called
tunnel fill
. This product, which resembles pellets, is an absorbing material that expands to many times the original size when it’s combined with water.
Will vinegar get rid of groundhogs?
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
. Always wear gloves before handling the mixture as it may cause an allergic reaction, itchiness or skins rash.
Will peppermint keep groundhogs away?
Chemical Repellents
These products can often have a strong chemical scent and have substances like ammonia or mothballs as a base, while
other repellents will have a strong peppermint scent, which is also said to drive away problem animals such as groundhogs
.
