Yes, Orkin offers wildlife management services that handle groundhogs. They provide humane trapping, burrow management, and exclusion services (like sealing gaps under decks or sheds) to keep them away from your property.
Groundhog removal costs $150 to $300 on average. Fumigation, repellants, and lethal traps are the cheapest removal methods.
To get rid of groundhogs fast, you must immediately make your yard unwelcoming. Use scent deterrents (like predator urine, ammonia-soaked rags, or crushed garlic/cayenne) around the burrow entrances, set up motion-activated sprinklers to startle them, and secure their access points with an L-shaped underground fence.
Groundhog Removal Price by Company
Nationwide pest control companies Terminix and Orkin rid homes of various pests and rodents, including groundhogs.
If you block a groundhog (woodchuck) hole, the groundhog will simply dig it back open, dig a new exit, or another animal may move into the vacant den. Before blocking any hole, you must verify the den is abandoned to avoid trapping the animal inside, especially during spring when dependent babies may be present.
It's important to fill a groundhog hole to avoid getting injured, but understand that this is not an effective way to get rid of groundhogs on your property. If you fill in a groundhog hole, there's a good chance it will dig a new hole.
Groundhogs have an acute sense of smell and strongly dislike pungent odors that mimic predators or irritate their noses. They most hate the smells of predator urine (fox or coyote), ammonia, and heavy spices like cayenne pepper or garlic.
Groundhogs are one of only a few mammals that are true hibernators. Around late October to early November, groundhogs retreat to their underground burrows to hibernate through the winter. In early fall, groundhogs eat large amounts of food to build their fat reserves in preparation for their long slumber.
Cayenne pepper – Our Farmers' Almanac readers swear by this method: Simply pour cayenne pepper close to the groundhog's holes. Buy a large container (bulk size) so you can create a small pile. When it rains or is windy, you'll have to reapply. It's actually the smell and the heat they don't like.
Groundhogs (woodchucks) are famously difficult to kill or remove primarily because of their subterranean survival instincts, highly complex burrow systems, and cautious nature.
Groundhogs (woodchucks) are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. They are most active during the early morning and late afternoon/evening when they leave their burrows to forage for food.
Putting mothballs down their holes, or pouring down Clorox is only a temporary cure. Even if they leave, they'll be back.
What's the best way to get rid of groundhogs?
Norway rats, roof rats, and house mice rank among the hardest rodents to eliminate due to their adaptability, rapid reproduction, and elusive nature.
Yes, groundhogs are extreme homebodies. Once they establish a burrow and have a reliable food source, they will continuously return to the same location. In fact, they possess strong homing instincts and are capable of finding their way back to their home turf from several miles away if relocated.
Mix ammonia with washing detergent, vinegar, hot pepper, and soap and pour the mixture down each hole. This may have to be repeated for a few days until the groundhogs go away.
Exterminators widely agree that bed bugs are the hardest pest to get rid of. Their ability to hitchhike, resilience against over-the-counter pesticides, and talent for hiding in microscopic crevices make DIY eradication nearly impossible.
For control, wildlife experts will block off or seal areas under decks or porches where woodchucks like to go. They also know how to seal burrows so they cannot reenter. Exclusion is the best way to prevent groundhogs from damaging your property.
Groundhogs have an acute sense of smell and strongly dislike pungent odors that mimic predators or irritate their noses. They most hate the smells of predator urine (fox or coyote), ammonia, and heavy spices like cayenne pepper or garlic.
Groundhogs spend most of their time underground in their burrows but will come out to forage for food during short periods in the early morning and early evening. They can be identified by several key characteristics.
A groundhog (or woodchuck) typically lives 2 to 3 years in the wild, though they can occasionally reach up to 6 years. In captivity, away from predators and harsh conditions, their lifespan jumps significantly, ranging from 10 to 14 years.
Diseases Carried by Groundhogs
Additionally, though rare, groundhogs can carry tularemia. Symptoms of this disease include fever, chills, headache, and diarrhea. Woodchucks can also carry groundhog ticks, which spread Lyme disease to humans.
The primary predators of groundhogs are hawks, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, dogs and humans. However, motorized vehicles kill many groundhogs each year.
The active ingredient in antifreeze is ethylene glycol, which is a dangerous poison. Each year hundreds of animals, both domestic and wild, are attracted to its sweet taste. When large amounts are swallowed, convulsions and coma occur. Smaller doses can result in irreversible kidney damage.