What Do Groundhogs Eat?

• Burrows: Groundhogs are exceptional diggers. They create intricate burrow systems that serve as their homes, providing protection from predators and harsh weather. A single burrow can be up to 80 feet long and 5 feet deep!
• Geography: These creatures are primarily found in North America, from Alabama to Alaska. They prefer open fields, meadows, and areas close to forests.
• Activity: Groundhogs are diurnal, meaning they’re most active during the day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon.

By understanding the basics of groundhogs, we can better appreciate their dietary habits and the reasons behind their food choices.

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When it comes to their herbivorous diet, groundhogs have a strong preference for leafy greens and grasses. These plants provide important nutrients they need to stay healthy and thrive.

Some of the leafy greens that groundhogs love include:

• Lettuce – Romaine, iceberg, and leaf lettuce are favorites. The tender leaves and high-water content appeal to groundhogs.
• Kale – Both curly and dinosaur kale are eaten. The leaves provide antioxidants like vitamins A and C.
• Spinach – Packed with calcium, iron, and vitamin K, spinach is a nutritious choice.
• Clover – The leaves and flowers of white and red clover are a tasty choice in fields.
• Alfalfa – These small purple flowers and leaves are rich in protein.

Grasses are another staple in a groundhog’s diet. They’ll readily eat different species, including:

• Timothy – A sweet, nutritious grass found in meadows and pastures.
• Crabgrass – A course, hardy grass common in lawns and parks.
• Bluegrass – A thin-leaf grass frequently found in pastures.
• Bentgrass – Grows well in cooler climates and is common in higher elevations.

The vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in leafy greens and grasses provide groundhogs with energy and nutrition. They contain antioxidants, vitamins C and K, calcium, potassium, and more. Eating these plants allows groundhogs to maintain healthy growth and bone strength.

In addition to leafy greens, groundhogs have a taste for garden vegetables and will feast on any they can find. Their jaws pack a powerful bite that allows them to easily chew through some of the toughest vegetables.

Some of the popular vegetable groundhogs are known to eat include:

• Carrots – They nibble on both the greens and taproots of carrot plants. The high beta-carotene content helps vision.
• Potatoes – Groundhogs dig underground tubers out of gardens and fields. Potatoes provide lots of carbohydrates.
• Beans – When found, green beans, wax beans, and snap peas are devoured. Beans have protein and fiber.
• Peas – Both the pods and peas are consumed. Peas are rich in manganese and vitamin K.
• Squash – Groundhogs will eat summer and winter squash varieties for the sweet taste. Squash contains vitamin C and magnesium.
• Radishes – The roots and spicy greens are savored. Radishes have vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants.
• Turnips – The bulbous roots and greens are dug up and eaten. Turnip greens have calcium, carotenoids, and folate.

Groundhogs cause frustration to gardeners due to their love of vegetables. When food is bountiful, groundhogs go on feeding frenzies and can destroy gardens. They will climb over and burrow under fences to reach their favorite veggies.

While groundhogs mostly eat leafy greens, grasses, and vegetables, they will opportunistically feast on fruits when available. Fruits provide a sweet treat and nutrients like vitamin C and natural sugars for energy.

Some of the fruits that groundhogs enjoy include:

• Apples – Groundhogs will climb apple trees to munch on the sweet fruits. The vitamin C in apples aids immune health.
• Pears – Another tree fruit they love. Pears contain antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium.
• Berries – They eat any berries they can find, including strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Berries provide manganese and fiber.
• Melons – Groundhogs will eat watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons if found. Melons have vitamins A, C, and potassium.
• Stone Fruits – Cherries, peaches, plums, and apricots are readily consumed when accessible. These have vitamins C and A.
• Tomatoes – Though a vegetable, groundhogs eat tomatoes like a fruit. Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant.
• Wild fruits – Groundhogs enjoy foraging for grapes, persimmons, gooseberries, elderberries, and mulberries.

Fruits provide a nutritious and delicious supplement to a groundhog’s herbivorous diet. They contain natural sugars for energy, as well as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Groundhogs will take advantage of any fruiting trees, shrubs, or vines they find while foraging.

Groundhogs get most of their water from the plants they eat to stay hydrated. The greens, vegetables, and fruits they consume contain a high percentage of water.

Beyond the moisture in food, groundhogs will directly drink water from various sources when available:

• Streams – Groundhogs access streams near their burrows to lap up water. Flowing water is often cleaner than stagnant sources.
• Ponds – They will drink from pond edges. However, stagnant pond water carries more contaminants.
• Puddles – After rain showers, groundhogs drink accumulated rainwater from puddles.
• Dew – Groundhogs lick dew from grass and leaves in the morning. Dew provides a fresh, pure water source.
• Sprinklers – Groundhogs will drink from lawn sprinklers in suburban neighborhoods.

Because groundhogs do not sweat, they do not require as much water compared to humans. But staying hydrated is still essential for their health and digestion. Having access to water sources near their burrows and feeding areas is important.

Groundhogs get all their water from food stored in their burrows during hibernation. Their kidneys are adapted to minimize water loss during dormancy.

Baby groundhogs, known as kits or pups, have different dietary needs than adult groundhogs. Here is an overview of how their diets progress:

• Nursing – Kits rely entirely on their mother’s milk while in the burrow for the first few weeks after birth. Nursing provides essential nutrients and antibodies.
• Weaning – Around 5-6 weeks old, kits are introduced to solid foods by their mother. This includes grasses, greens, vegetables, and fruits.
• Foraging – At 12 weeks old, kits emerge from the burrow and begin foraging above ground with their mother. They mimic her eating habits.
• Independence – Around July, kits become independent and forage on their own. Their diet mimics adult groundhogs.
• Pre-hibernation – Young groundhogs eat as much as possible in the fall to build up fat reserves before their first hibernation period.

Baby groundhogs have sharp teeth that erupt within days after birth. This allows them to transition from nursing to chewing solid foods. Their mother brings food to the burrow until they are old enough to forage above ground.

Groundhogs are always on the hunt for their next tasty plant meal. They find food in these key areas:

• Open Meadows – Groundhogs forage in open meadows filled with tender grasses, clovers, and alfalfa. This provides their main staple foods.
• Forest Edges – The transition areas between forests and fields provide many berries, mushrooms, and young tree shoots.
• Underground – Groundhogs dig and gnaw for roots, tubers, and burrowing insect larvae.
• Gardens – Vegetable gardens, farms, and orchards provide a bounty in summer and fall. Groundhogs raid these areas despite fences and deterrents.
• Backyards – Suburban yards, parks, and golf courses provide grasses, fruits, and vegetables.
• Fields – Nutrient-rich soil in farm fields, pastures, and abandoned lots grow groundhog favorites like lettuce, grasses, and alfalfa.
• Roadsides – Ditches and overgrown areas along roads harbor edible weeds and wild greens.

Groundhogs constantly move through their territory to take advantage of seasonal, regional, and location-based food availability. They may travel miles daily while foraging above ground.

While groundhogs have a varied herbivorous diet, they are also on the menu for several predators. Groundhogs are a common prey species and must stay vigilant to avoid becoming food for other animals.

Some of the main natural predators of groundhogs include:

• Foxes – Red foxes and gray foxes hunt, kill, and eat adult groundhogs. They dig into burrows to reach them.
• Coyotes – These opportunistic canids will catch and consume groundhogs venturing too far from their burrows.
• Bobcats – The ambush-hunting skills of bobcats make them effective groundhog predators.
• Hawks – Red-tailed, red-shouldered, and Cooper’s hawks prey on young groundhogs.
• Eagles – Bald and golden eagles eat groundhog pups if given the opportunity.
• Snakes – Certain snakes, like black rat snakes and milk snakes, may hunt hibernating groundhogs underground.
• Humans – In many areas, humans hunt groundhogs for food, sport, and pest control.

Groundhog predators keep their populations in check. They help prevent over-grazing and maintain ecological balance. Predation pressure has led to the evolution of a groundhog’s vigilance, camouflage, and burrowing behaviors as defenses.

Here are some interesting tidbits about the eating habits of groundhogs:

• Groundhogs become extremely fat in late summer, increasing body weight by 150% before hibernation. Their goal is to double their weight!
• They stuff food into their cheek pouches to transport back to their burrows. Each pouch can hold about half a cup of food.
• Groundhogs prefer eating younger, more tender plant leaves over mature foliage. Tough, stringy greens are harder to digest.
• In a single day, a groundhog consumes about 1/3 of its body weight in food. That’s like a 150-pound human eating 50 pounds of food per day!
• Groundhogs have two coats of fur – a dense grey undercoat and longer brown guard hairs. This protects them from thorny plants while foraging.
• They are excellent tree climbers and will scale trees up to 9 meters tall to reach fruits and leaves.
• Groundhogs digging for underground roots and tubers help aerate and mix the soil, benefiting gardens and fields.

The herbivorous diet of groundhogs allows them to thrive across diverse habitats. Their flexible, opportunistic eating habits serve them well as they bulk up for a long winter hibernation.