What looks like a groundhog but has a long tail?
The tail is a distinctive identifier of this species because it is rat like, but flattened from side to side, rather than round. An adult weighs about 3 to 4 pounds. Young muskrats reproduce after 10 to 12 months. The groundhog typically measures 16 to 26 inches long, including a 6-inch tail and weighing 4 to 9 lbs.04-Mar-2016
Can groundhogs have long tails?
Like other squirrels, groundhogs have long tails that grow around 7 to 9.75 in (18 to 25 cm) long. These round creatures look like little bears when they stand up on their hind legs.16-Feb-2017
What other animal looks like a groundhog?
woodchuck, there are a few other similar-looking and acting animals to groundhogs. These include prairie dogs, marmots, badgers, or even beavers.
Is a muskrat the same as a groundhog?
Both species typically have brown fur and stocky, muscular builds. However, muskrats are much smaller and may range in color from white to black. In addition, muskrats' hairless, scaly tails distinguish them from woodchucks, which have tails that are thick, short, and furry.
Whats a ground hog look like?
What Do Groundhogs Look Like? Adult groundhogs range anywhere from 16 to 22 inches in length and weigh anywhere between five and 13 pounds. Their bodies are compact and chunky, and covered in brownish gray fur with a short tail.
What is a squirrel tail?
A squirrel's tail is much more than a fashion accessory. It serves 3 main functions that enable the squirrel to survive: protection, balance and communication. For example a squirrel can wrap its tail over its body to protect itself from the rain or snow. ... During the summer squirrels can use their tail to keep cool.09-Nov-2012
Are gophers and groundhogs the same?
As both are small, brown, burrowing rodents, the gopher and groundhog are easily confused for each other. ... Gophers are much smaller than groundhogs, weighing about 2 and 12 pounds, respectively. Homeowners are most likely to actually observe groundhogs, as gophers spend very little time aboveground.
How do you tell the difference between a gopher and a groundhog?
The main difference between gopher and groundhog is that gopher is smaller and lighter whereas groundhog is larger and heavier. Furthermore, gopher has yellowish teeth, which can be seen even when their mouths are closed while groundhog has white color teeth, which can only be seen when they open their mouth.21-May-2019
What is the difference between gophers and chipmunks?
Appearance - A chipmunk has a slim and athletic body, while a gopher appears larger with a stockier frame. In addition, gophers have brown, gray, or black fur, but chipmunks are almost always brown with black stripes. ... While gophers rarely make sounds, chipmunks are vocal animals that make high-pitched chirps.
What does muskrat look like?
The muskrat can look like a beaver with brown fur and partially webbed-hind feet, but look for its long (8-10 inch), narrow, flattened, hairless, rat-like tail. Muskrats are also about half the size of a beaver, measuring 18-25 inches long. ... If there are too many muskrats in an area, they can "eat out" all the plants.
What is the difference between a muskrat and a rat?
Rats live primarily on land and prefer to build their nests underground, in trees or in elevated areas within buildings. Muskrats, on the other hand, are aquatic and prefer to live in the wetlands. ... Muskrats have thicker tails than rats and can survive longer underwater.
What kind of tail does a muskrat have?
Beaver tails are wide, flat and paddle-shaped, while muskrats have long, skinny tails with flat sides. You can usually see a muskrat's whole body when it is swimming.21-May-2012
bersaguy
Wish I had a picture but it didn't stay around long enough. Was about the size of a groundhog but more brown and had a long bushy brown tail not short like a groundhog. Sorta looked like a squirrel on steroids. I have looked online but can't find anything that lives in East TN that matches what I saw.
bersaguy
I heard a noise in the shrubs and figured it was one of the lizards we have all over the place but then noticed this long bushy brown tail sticking out from under the shrub. I walked around a bit trying ti scare it out and it ran along side of the house to another bush. I repeated and it ran across the sidewalk and under the porch.
Garufa
With Capybaras on the loose in Monroe County I would believe just about anything now.
Ridewide
Hi Jeb48, did you ever figure out what was this animal you saw? Your description is nearly Identical to an animal I saw yesterday, here in a Maryland forest. My internet search turned up all the same ideas but no certain match. Squirrel on steroids is a great description. Squirrel groundhog hybrid is my first reaction. But I'm still dumbfounded.
What is a groundhog?
What are Groundhogs? Groundhogs are also referred to as woodchucks or whistle pigs. They are a member of the squirrel family. There are six species of woodchucks and marmots that occur in the United States. These animals commonly invade cropland and vegetable gardens, eating or destroying vegetables and landscape plants.
Why are groundhogs considered a nuisance pest?
Groundhogs are considered a nuisance pest because they can cause extensive damage to home gardens, farms, orchards and field crops as a result of their feeding and burrowing habits. When burrowing, they have been known to destroy building foundations, create unwanted holes on lawns and cause electrical outages from gnawing on underground wires.
Where do woodchucks live?
The most commonly-known woodchuck species, the Marmota monax or groundhog, mainly lives in the eastern part of North America but also extends into the Northwest. The other five species, however, are all located in the West, and have the common name “marmot.” Groundhogs are generally found in open and closed forests and bushy areas. In agricultural areas, they live along creeks, pastures and wooded areas where they can create extensive burrow systems.
How big are groundhogs?
Adult groundhogs range anywhere from 16 to 22 inches in length and weigh anywhere between five and 13 pounds. Their bodies are compact and chunky, and covered in brownish gray fur with a short tail. Groundhogs have four legs and their front feet also have long, curved claws for digging burrows.
Do groundhogs eat grass?
Groundhogs are known to burrow in fields and pastures, along fences and roadsides, and near building foundations or the bases of trees, leaving mounds of soil at the dig site. Groundhogs are primarily active during daylight hours, usually feeding in the early morning. They are strict herbivores and eat a variety of vegetables including soybeans, beans, peas, carrot tops, alfalfa and grasses. When not feeding, they are known to sunbathe during the warmest periods of the day.
When is Groundhog Day?
Every year on February 2 , people around the country celebrate Groundhog Day, a tradition that centers around the idea of a groundhog emerging from its hibernation to "predict" the weather. If the groundhog sees its shadow and returns to its burrow, there will be six more weeks of winter.
Do motorized vehicles kill groundhogs?
However, motorized vehicles kill many groundhogs each year. Keep reading for more groundhog/woodchuck facts, and to learn how to get rid of groundhogs. Groundhog Identification Groundhog Prevention Groundhog Education.
What are woodchucks called?
Known by many names, woodchucks are, perhaps surprisingly, members of the squirrel family. Also called groundhogs and whistle pigs, these stout animals are roughly the size of a large cat or small dog. Their compact, rotund bodies have short, powerful legs and chisel-like teeth. The eyes, ears, and nose are located at the top of their heads for safely peering out of dens to spot danger. Usually tan to brown in color, woodchucks are approximately two feet long, including their tails, and weigh up to 14 pounds.
How big are woodchucks?
Usually tan to brown in color, woodchucks are approximately two feet long , including their tails, and weigh up to 14 pounds.
Where do woodchucks live?
Woodchuck Habitat. Woodchucks like to live in open pastures, fields, and other lands near wooded areas. They dig their burrows along fence lines, stone walls, trees, and buildings. As plant-eaters, the animals prefer having ample vegetation nearby.
Do woodchucks eat ornamental plants?
Another major concern is the welfare of gardens and ornamental vegetation, as woodchucks are voracious eaters of both. Home gardeners have waged war against the pests for decades, usually to no avail. To keep woodchuck infestations out of yards, contact the wildlife professionals at Critter Control.
Nutria
Distribution: Native to South America, they have spread to North America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Chipmunk
Distribution: Most species of chipmunk are found in North America, except for the Siberian chipmunk, which is located in Asia.
Mole
Distribution: live on every continent aside from South America and Antarctica, and they do not occupy Ireland.
Vole
Distribution: Found in Northern America from Alaska down to the mountains of Mexico, and regions of southern China, Japan, and Taiwan.
Marten
Distribution: Found mainly in northern North America, Canada, Europe, and Great Britain.
Hedgehog
Distribution: Species within this family are located in regions of Asia, Africa, New Zealand, and Europe.
Wombat
Distribution: Wombats are only found in Australia, specifically in the southern portion of Queensland and the northern areas of New South Wales.
Newborn Groundhogs
If you just saw a groundhog on your properly or you feel the groundhogs are damaging the property, don’t blame the infant groundhogs. They are innocent! If a groundhog is ruining your plants and you want to throw him out, have a look at how to get rid of groundhogs with ammonia!
Kid Groundhogs
Have you ever noticed when do groundhogs have babies? Yes, in the early spring so that they can take care of the little rodents throughout the summer! Slowly, they start growing up and become kids and then adults.
What to do if you find a Baby Groundhog?
During the delivery of the mother groundhogs, they deliver 4-6 newborns together. You already got the answer to how many babies does a groundhog has. But are they good mothers? Yes, they are good mothers and keep their children close to them until they are mature and can create their dens.
Wrap Up
No matter how much you want to throw the baby groundhogs out of your territory and save your property, you cannot stop yourself from loving them! Yes, they are appealing creatures but don’t forget that they can harm your property and infect you with diseases! Before you research these little kids, make sure you go through all the safety protocols.
What is the cutest rodent?
They are small and easy to handle and are very sociable. They have a very specialized excretory system that has developed to conserve fluids and minimize waste. This makes them very clean pets and hence, considered as one of the cutest rodent s. Gerbils have a thick coat of fur, small ears, and small toes. They have long tails which make up half of their total length
What are the most common rodents in the world?
Rats are the most commonly identified rodents in the world. They are easily differentiated from mice due to their size and color. They have grey fur and long tails. Most common rodents discovered in houses and commercial buildings are usually referred to as rats. The term has acquired a negative connotation throughout history due to rats being the carriers of the bubonic plague which is also known as the Black Death.
Where do cavies live?
Cavies are a family of rodents that are exclusively found in South America. They include the largest living rodent, the Capybara, and can be found across the moist savanna to the thorn forests and scrub deserts. They have heavy bodies and large heads, and almost none of them have tails. They range in size from cavies at 22 centimeters to the capybara at 134 centimeters.
What is the densest animal in the world?
A chinchilla has the densest coat of fur of any mammal living on land. It is only beaten by the sea otter which has a denser coat. It has become quite rare due to excessive hunting in the 19 th century and can be found in southwestern South America. They live in burrows and crevices within rocks and can jump very high up to six feet. They are usually considered prey for hawks and falcons, skunks, felines, snakes and canines.
How to tell if a squid is pestilent?
It can be recognized immediately by its dark coat of fur around the body, white patch of fur around the mouth, and protruding orange teeth.
How many species of muroids are there?
They can be found across six continents barring Antarctica. They consist of six families, 19 subfamilies, and around 1750 species.
What are the different types of squirrels?
Several types of squirrels such as tree squirrels, ground squirrels, flying squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots exist and can be found in different parts of the world. They usually have a bushy tail and live in trees.
