- Lettuce
- Clovers
- Alfalfa
- Daisies
- Carrots
- Beans
- Celery
- Corn
- Cherries
- Apples. Their diet doesn’t consist of just fruits and vegetables either. Groundhogs enjoy almost any type of edible plant, including trees and flowers.
- Greens like lettuce, alfalfa, clovers, dandelions, daisies, red mulberry and hackberry leaves.
- Trees (specifically bark and twigs) like black cherry and dogwood.
- Vegetation like carrots, celery, corn, peas, and beans.
- Fruits like berries, cherries and apples.
- Insects like June bugs, snails and grasshoppers.
What is the best food to trap a groundhog?
Some of the most common ones that are popular in the market include:
- Rabbit & Groundhog OUT Repellent
- Exterminators Choice Small Rodent Defense Spray
- I Must Garden Animal Repellent Granular Formula
What food does a groundhog like to eat?
- Plants- Alfalfa, clovers, dandelions, maple leaves, daisies, grass, flowers, chicken weed, sorrel (leafy green vegetable) are some plants groundhogs cherish. ...
- In spring and summer, plants are plentiful for groundhogs to eat. ...
- Alfalfa is available in late summer and provides groundhogs with a dense meal to eat.
What kind of bait to catch a groundhog?
The best bait placement will:
- Lure the groundhog fully into the trap.
- Require the groundhog to step on the trigger plate in order to reach it.
- Take into consideration the trap type (1 vs. 2-door):
What do groundhogs like to eat and drink?
- Shelled nuts – they love gnawing through those hard shells. ...
- Acorns are especially popular. ...
- Try Cands Squirrel Logs. ...
- Fruits like strawberries are a big hit so if you grow them, your garden will be raided.
- Squirrels also enjoy fruit slices like apples, peaches, or pairs hung on a string.
- For seeds, try Chuckanut Pumpkin seeds. ...
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What is safe to feed groundhogs?
Primarily, groundhogs eat grasses, clover, alfalfa, and dandelions. In addition, groundhogs like to eat garden fruits and vegetables like berries, apples, lettuce, corn, and carrots.
What is a groundhogs most favorite food?
What Do Groundhogs Like To Eat Most?Plants- Alfalfa, clovers, dandelions, maple leaves, daisies, grass, flowers, chicken weed, sorrel (leafy green vegetable) are some plants groundhogs cherish. ... In spring and summer, plants are plentiful for groundhogs to eat.More items...
What is a groundhogs favorite vegetable?
If a groundhog's burrow is near to a garden or farm, they may dine on any cultivated vegetables growing there. Some of their favorite vegetables to munch on include lettuce, corn, carrots, peas, beans, squash, and celery. Groundhogs will also eat insects such as grasshoppers and crickets, as well as snails and grubs.
What vegetables do groundhogs eat?
Their favorite foods include young, tender greens like lettuce and cabbage, as well as cantaloupes, green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, and corn. Pick them as soon as they're ripe instead of leaving them in the garden for a few days.
Do groundhogs eat peanut butter?
Yes, they do and nuts are a natural part of their diet. Peanut butter is a very high protein food that appeals to groundhogs. They naturally enjoy eating peanuts and other types of plants that contain protein.
Can groundhogs eat bananas?
Groundhogs eat bananas by grabbing them from people's trash or compost. Then they eat the fruit inside, often chomping it up in several bites. They rarely live in climates that allow banana palm trees to grow, but if they encountered one, they would probably not be able to climb onto the plants to steal the bananas.
Do groundhogs drink water?
Thought not to drink water, groundhogs are reported to obtain needed liquids from the juices of food-plants, aided by their sprinkling with rain or dew.
Do groundhogs eat watermelon?
Groundhogs are herbivores. They like almost all vegetables in your vegetable garden and many herbs, too. Groundhogs eat all parts of plants. In addition to vegetables, they also like fruits, including apples and pears, Watermelons are a favorite meal.
What time of day do groundhogs eat?
Groundhogs eat mostly during the early morning and afternoon, so try to see when your garden is receiving the most damage. These creatures will also gnaw and claw at fruit trees, so check your trees for any such marks.
What attracts groundhogs to your yard?
Groundhogs are especially attracted to sweet fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, peaches, or corn. They also love lettuce, cucumber, and green beans. Place the bait all the way inside the trap so that the groundhog has to enter the trap fully.
Will groundhogs eat potatoes?
Yes, groundhogs eat potatoes. They will dig up the potatoes in your garden and take them back to their burrow to eat. They do, however, not enjoy eating the potatoes plant as it is of the toxic nightshade family.
Do groundhogs eat squirrels?
They also eat acorns and other nuts. They will eat insects that they come across as they eat plants. Groundhogs are also known to eat meat such as chipmunks or other small mammals they have found dead or killed themselves.
Do groundhogs like watermelon?
Groundhogs are herbivores. They like almost all vegetables in your vegetable garden and many herbs, too. Groundhogs eat all parts of plants. In addition to vegetables, they also like fruits, including apples and pears, Watermelons are a favorite meal.
Do groundhogs drink water?
Thought not to drink water, groundhogs are reported to obtain needed liquids from the juices of food-plants, aided by their sprinkling with rain or dew.
Will groundhogs eat marshmallows?
All that will happen is you will have groundhogs with sweet tooths. Marshmallows are almost pure sugar, groundhogs can digest sugar or they couldn't eat fruit.
What are some good foods to eat to attract groundhogs?
Vegetation like carrots, celery, corn, peas, and beans. Fruits like berries, cherries and apples. Insects like June bugs, snails and grasshoppers. These foods can attract groundhogs. Thus, the more groundhog food you have in your garden, the more likely these critters will be to create burrows near your home.
What to do if you suspect a groundhog is rummaging through your garden?
If you suspect that a groundhog is rummaging through your garden, consider contacting a pest control professional to help assess and mitigate the issue as soon as possible. Seasonal Eating Patterns. Groundhogs have distinct eating patterns that vary depending on the season.
Can groundhogs eat electrical wires?
Rain water can trickle into burrows and potentially damage your foundation over time. Although groundhogs typically feed on plants, they may also gnaw at electrical wires, irrigation systems, and hoses as they burrow underground . These issues can cause serious damage and complications to your property.
What do groundhogs eat?
These rodents are often seen eating wild grass, roots, leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, vegetables, etc.
What are some of the foods that rodents eat?
Interestingly, alfalfa, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, melons, cucumbers, and other such home-grown vegetables are their favorite foods. These rodents are known to wipe out vast stretches of vegetables with great ease.
Why do groundhogs need constant feeding?
Continuous feeding helps the groundhogs keep their incisors properly trimmed. Like other rodents, groundhogs sport large incisors as well which continue to grow throughout their life. If left unattended, these incisors become abnormally large, eventually making it impossible for the animal to feed.
Why are groundhogs so voracious?
If the groundhogs have earned notoriety for being voracious eaters, it is due to the fact that they eat a lot during the warm months of the year. The fact is that groundhogs are ‘true hibernators’, and their voracious dietary habit acts as an adaptation which helps them sustain in the cold months to follow.
How long do groundhogs hibernate?
Groundhogs hibernate from the months of October to April by building special burrows below the frost line. (The time frame of hibernation may vary depending on the climate. In some regions, they hibernate for almost half of the year, while in other regions they hibernate only for 3-4 months.)
What is the role of seasonal availability in determining what food to eat?
Seasonal availability of food, for instance, has a crucial role to play in determining what they eat. While fruits and vegetables form a major chunk of their diet in summer, flowers are considered a delicacy in spring.
Do groundhogs have conflict with humans?
Least Concerned Species. With their tendency to feed on every plant that they come across, it isn’t surprising that groundhogs often come in conflict with humans. That though, hasn’t affected their population much, and this ‘pest’ continues to thrive in North America.
What kind of fruits do groundhogs eat?
Groundhogs love the sweetness and high energy content of fruits. I have written a dedicated article to cover the whole topic of fruits eaten by groundhogs here.
What do groundhogs eat in the grass?
You will often see groundhogs roaming around in tall grass, this is partly to hide from humans and predators, but also because they love to eat grass and the many flowers and insects that may be present there.
What do groundhogs eat in the spring?
In early spring, when just awaken from hibernation, there are not many plants for groundhogs to eat. Therefore they primarily eat tubers, insects, and bark.
What do groundhogs eat in the summer?
In the summer, groundhogs will eat fruits and vegetables. Some of their favorite summer snacks include blueberries, pears, applesauce, corn, and green beans. Groundhogs are also known to eat insects in the summertime.
What do groundhogs eat in the fall?
In the fall, groundhogs will eat a variety of plants, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Some of their favorite fall snacks include acorns, walnuts, and beechnuts. Groundhogs are also known to eat mushrooms in the fall time.
What do groundhogs eat before hibernation?
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and reduced metabolic rate, which allows an animal to live off its stored energy. Groundhogs will begin to fatten themselves up for hibernation by eating a variety of plants, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
What do groundhogs eat in the winter?
In winter, groundhogs are hibernating so they will generally not eat. They will normally wake up in March, however, if they wake in early February (this is called “false hibernation”) and they will eat whatever food they can find, which is sparse in that time of year.
Groundhogs Habits and Biology
What Do Groundhogs Like to Eat most?
- Woodchuckseat a wide variety of plants, greens, and vegetables. Did you know that they also eat flowers? Here’s a breakdown of what our cute friends love to eat. 1. Plants- Alfalfa, clovers, dandelions, maple leaves, daisies, grass, flowers, chicken weed, sorrel (leafy green vegetable) are some plants groundhogs cherish. A garden full of plants is ...
Tips For Feeding Groundhogs
- Groundhogs are creatures that can fend for themselves and look for food in warmer months. However, you may come across an orphaned baby groundhog that needs your help. Where would you even begin? Here are tips to take care of a petbaby groundhog. 1. First and foremost, you must keep the baby groundhog warm. 2. It would be better to wear gardening gloves as you nee…
FAQs
- How can you get rid of groundhogs?
You can use human hair clippings as groundhogs don’t like the smell of humans. Groundhogs also dislike the smell of castor oil, which you can pour on the openings of the burrows when the groundhog is away. - Can groundhogs get into houses?
A groundhog can create a tunnel beneath your house, causing damage and loosening the ground upon which your home is built.
Summary
- Groundhogs spend their lives eating and sleeping. They may be quite a nuisance due to their destructive eating habits, but you can’t deny their fantastic ability to hibernate for many months. These creatures love their freedom, and if you happen to come across one, don’t be scared.
Types of Food
Seasonal Eating Patterns
- Groundhogs have distinct eating patterns that vary depending on the season. During the spring and fall, groundhogs eat during the mid-afternoon. They forage through gardens in the mornings and late afternoons during the summer. But what do groundhogs eat during the winter? They don’t. Instead, they build up fat reserves during the yearto sustain them during their hibernation …
Property Damage
- The claws on the front feet of groundhogs are ideal for digging tunnels/burrows. These burrows can pose problems for your property, especially if they’re near your home. In some cases, the openings of burrows can be 10-12 inches in diameter and can be a hazard (e.g., twisted ankle, broken leg, etc.) if a person and/or animal unknowingly steps in these areas of excavated soil. B…
Groundhog Control
- To help identify and potentially exclude or remove groundhogs from around your home, consider scheduling an appointment with Terminix®. Our trained technicians have robust knowledge on the behaviors and patterns of groundhogs and can provide advice and pest control solutions. Trained technicians can determine how to effectively remove or prevent them and customize a solution t…