Woodchucks can show up in your yard and cause a myriad of different dilemmas.
If you are searching for wildlife removal, you are in luck! Freedom Pest Control is the answer to your wildlife management needs in Merrimac!
Part of the pest control options we offer includes professional wildlife removal. We will assess your situation and provide safe solutions for you and unwanted furry yard pests like the woodchuck.
How to Tell If This is a Woodchuck?
Woodchucks are about the size of a large domestic housecat. Wildlife experts say people often confuse them with beavers, but they do not have a paddle tail. These furry critters have long chisel-like teeth and short, strong legs they often support themselves on while peering above the grass and out of their dens when spotting for threats.
Woodchucks typically live in open fields and pastures, often at the edge of woodland areas. It is the search for food vegetation that draws them to residential areas. Backyard vegetable gardens are their favorite buffet.
Woodchucks will cause some problems for the average homeowner. Trapping and relocating this pest is a good idea, but you'll need to know a few specifics about this furry critter to successfully and safely remove this pest to a new location. Wildlife trapping isn't something you should do without a clear plan.
Five Things You Didn't Know About Woodchucks
As wildlife experts, we know a thing or two about woodchucks, but here are five interesting facts about the woodchuck you probably didn't know:
- Although they have little in common with squirrels physically, woodchucks are related to them. They both are in the marmot family, where woodchucks are the largest member.
- Woodchucks are excellent swimmers, but unlike beavers, they don't typically live near water.
- Unlike squirrels, this marmot hibernates. They fill themselves up on vegetable crops, fruits, clovers, twigs, and flowers before sleep. Dandelions are a particular favorite, and they do like to chew on wood.
- Female groundhogs will have 4-6 newborns in one breeding season.
- Woodchucks are prey to carnivorous predators like hawks, owls, wolves, and coyotes. They don't have much to defend themselves with, so they are a cautious bunch and will sound a whistle of alarm and take cover in their burrows if confronted with danger. They are highly alert animals, and one of their best defense mechanisms is their ability to play dead.
The marmot species is an interesting and curious species that many nature lovers enjoy observing. However, due to the destruction woodchucks cause in residential yards, it is recommended to relocate them if they're present on your property. Professional wildlife removal is best to ensure that the animal is handled safely.
The Dangers Associated With Woodchucks
Woodchucks burrow large tunnels underground. As cautious creatures, they tend to stay in their own neck of the woods. However, climate change and deforestation may force them to relocate. If they find their way into your yard, they can damage lawn grass and create hazards.
Before you spot this marmot, you may trip over a hill created by their tunneling system or step into one, risking sprains and joint twists on the way down.
Another concerning fact is that if woodchucks burrow close enough to a building structure, they may weaken its integrity by causing erosion under its foundation. Plus, woodchucks will chew on wood. Like squirrels and beavers, their teeth constantly grow, so they need a hard source to gnaw on. If you see signs of something chewing on the outside of a wooden structure, like a shed, you may have a woodchuck in your yard.
Our professional wildlife management at Freedom Pest Control can help. We are experts in wildlife trapping and wildlife pest control.
Woodchuck Trapping and Removal in Merrimac
If you are searching for wildlife removal, look no further than our professionals at Freedom Pest Control. Our team of experts specializes in wildlife pest control in Merrimac. Our highly trained pest control service technicians will safely remove wildlife and control an array of different pests on your property. If you have a woodchuck problem or any other pest problem plaguing your property, give us a call today.