Groundhog season ranges from May to December, and while we are nearing the end of this range, groundhogs can still be an issue for your family and in your home. Groundhogs are diggers! They burrow and dig in the soils around your house, causing mounds of dirt. More seriously, these mounds can weaken your home’s foundation and can be very difficult to fix.

While your first instinct may be to try and damage the burrow, this isn’t the best choice. Sealing off the burrow won’t provide any issue for the groundhog because it can just dig a tunnel in another direction. If you try to disturb the area where the groundhogs are, they may become angry and try to bite you because they are very protective of where they live. The teeth on the animals are long and big, and can deliver a painful bite. There are other options available that won’t damage your yard and help you to avoid any injury!

You can set up a trap for the groundhog, which can be either lethal or non-lethal. The non-lethal traps are probably your best bet because the trap with just hold the groundhog in place without harming it.The lethal traps can be a little difficult because many people will not know what to do with the body once it has been caught. Regardless, the best bait for the groundhog is found to be cantaloupe, strawberries or even vanilla extract. The bait should be placed by the entrance of the burrow, as to ensure the best success rate.

Once you get the groundhogs out of your yard, take a minute to assess the damage to your yard. You will want to be careful with the dirt that the groundhog moved. To take further measures to keep the animals out of your yard, you should install a steel mesh fence that encompasses the entire perimeter of the deck. The fence should go about a foot and a half underground and curve outward. The curve will stop groundhogs and other animals from simply digging underneath the fence.

If you suspect there may be a groundhog digging its’ way through your yard, call us at 781-830-6080! We can help with any of the above options, and will provide excellent customer service to go along with it.