Groundhogs are only cute when they are not in your yard. Because when they are in your yard, they are eating plants, digging 15m tunnels and displacing about 300kg of soil. Groundhogs are very intelligent animals, so getting rid of them might not be as easy as getting rid of other rodents.
Ways to Getting Rid of Groundhogs
1. Set a Harmless Trap
Some states have laws against harming groundhogs and other animals. So, before setting traps, ensure it cannot harm the groundhog in any way.
Use a box trap far away from its hole with fruit as bait. As soon as the box trap captures it, you can call animal control or look for a way to release it far from you. The box trap will trap other rodents disturbing your garden if you are lucky.
2. Call Pest Control
Getting rid of one groundhog is easy, but what if they are many, and the trap can only capture one per bait? To get rid of your groundhogs and other rodents all at once, call pest control for prompt help.
If you do not know of any pest control around you, check out here.
3. Make Their Home Inhabitable for Them
You can make groundhogs so uncomfortable in their home that they will permanently move away from your yard. You can make their home uncomfortable by:
● Fumigating their holes
The release of carbon monoxide in their holes will force them out and inherently drive them away if they do not find a habitable spot.
● Flood their holes
If groundhogs want one thing for their home, it is dry land. Flooding their holes makes them too uncomfortable to remain there.
4. Scare Them Off
Scarecrows and Pinwheels are good for scaring groundhogs, but they can not scare them off permanently because they get used to them.
Creating vibrations in the ground can do the trick. Groundhogs frequently experiencing palpitations in their holes will eventually leave the place. You can use solar stakes to cause ultrasonic pulses and sounds. Windchimes and windmills will also have similar effects.
How to Prevent Groundhogs
What is better than getting rid of groundhogs is preventing them. You can avoid groundhogs using the following methods
Install a fence
A fence around your yard will keep groundhogs and similar rodents away from it. To prevent loopholes, make the fence at least 3 feet high and 1 foot deep in the soil.
Use repellants
There are some natural herbs and smells that repel the groundhog. Place them around your yard to keep the groundhogs away. Some repellents are
- Epsom salts
- Strong scents; lavender, castor oil, garlic, and so on.
Keep a well-trimmed Yard.
Groundhogs are attracted to tall grasses and unkept yards that make it easy for them to feed on and make homes. Having a well-trimmed yard discourages groundhogs from choosing your lawn as a habitat.
Getting rid of groundhogs does not mean they cannot be back in your yards a few months or years later. Try the preventive measures and if they persist, call the local pest control.