What Do Groundhogs Eat?

You’ve seen them pop up on Groundhog Day, predicting six more weeks of winter or the coming of spring. But what do groundhogs eat?

These furry little rodents, also known as woodchucks or whistle pigs, are expert foragers that munch on a wide variety of plants and other natural goodies. They need to build up body weight before winter, so their diet plays a huge role in their survival.

Do groundhogs eat different things during different seasons? Let's take a closer look at the groundhog diet.

Contents

What’s on the Menu for a Groundhog?
How Groundhogs Prepare for Winter
How Groundhogs Impact Humans
The Groundhog’s Teeth and Digging Abilities

What’s on the Menu for a Groundhog?

Groundhogs eat an assortment of vegetables, grasses and clover, earning them a reputation as notorious garden visitors. They also snack on alfalfa, bark and even trees, making them skilled scavengers.

In addition to plants, groundhogs have been known to eat bird eggs on occasion. Unlike rabbits, which strictly stick to greens, these rodents sometimes mix in unexpected food sources. Interestingly, they don't need a lot of water. The moisture they consume mostly comes from dewy leaves.

How Groundhogs Prepare for Winter

In the spring and summer, groundhogs focus on fresh vegetation, while in fall, they bulk up on calorie-dense plant matter to prepare for hibernation.

Since their metabolic rate drops significantly in winter, they rely on their stored fat to survive. This is why they eat up to half of their body weight in food during the warmer months.

Fun fact: Groundhogs don’t hoard food like some other animals. Instead, they eat as much as possible before entering their underground burrow, where they remain in a deep sleep until spring.

How Groundhogs Impact Humans

While they’re adorable, groundhogs can cause trouble for human structures. Their extensive digging can weaken building foundations and damage fencing.

They can also make a mess of carefully planted gardens. If you’ve ever had a yard full of chewed-up carrot tops or missing leafy greens, you might have had one groundhog as a guest. Many homeowners try to deter them using traps or barriers to protect their crops.

However, using humane solutions like reinforcing fencing and planting less preferred foods can help manage groundhog activity without harming them. Since they are prey for many predators, including foxes and hawks, they play an important role in local ecosystems.

The Groundhog’s Teeth and Digging Abilities

A groundhog’s teeth grow continuously, which is why they’re always chewing on vegetation or bark to keep them in check. Their strong claws help them dig extensive burrows, creating underground homes that can stretch over 30 feet (9.1 meters).

Whether they’re munching on June bugs, foraging for plants, or escaping predators, these little creatures are built for survival.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.