Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are members of the rodent family.They are closely related to the members of the squirrel family. There are 14 groundhog species in the Sciuridae family.These critters dig holes and build their burrows underground, next to residential areas and trees. Homeowners don’t come across groundhog poop often as they carry out most of their business underground. It is less likely to cause any disturbances. Groundhogs are primarily herbivores. A major part of their diet is made of grass and plants. The eating habits of animals have a lot to do with their poop color and amount of poop or how often animals poop.Read on to know more. You can also check out our other articles on are groundhogs dangerous and groundhog tails.Do groundhogs bury their poop?Unlike badgers and skunks, groundhogs like to be clean.Apart from the resting place and the place of raising kids, groundhogs also have a place to defecate. The groundhog will dispose of all the poop in the toilet area. When this area is full, the groundhog will cover up the place and dig a new place to dispose of the poop. The groundhog may occasionally take the dried feces and bury it outside the burrow. It does this to cover its scent, which can easily be tracked by predators. This is similar to the behavior observed in cats.Can my dog get sick from eating groundhog poop?If you suspect your dog has eaten groundhog poop, look for symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, gas, and bad breath.If the symptoms persist, take your dog to a veterinarian immediately. The chances of your dog getting infected with a virus or parasite carried by the groundhog are high.How do you identify animals from their poop?Animal poop does not interest anyone until it is found on their property. Just like the differences between every animal, their droppings also vary from one another. Notice the color, the area covered, and the shape of the poop. Since poop is just the waste food matter, you will find remains of the food. Knowing more about animal droppings and the diet of an animal can help identify the animal correctly. Here is what we have noticed about some of the animal poop found commonly.Groundhog Poop: Groundhog poop looks very similar to that of rodents. The droppings are dark brown or black and of medium sizes. Woodchuck scat is oval-shaped.Rat Poop: Rat scat is brown. The texture is quite firm. It is only 0.5 in (1.3 cm) long and is circular. Rats can produce 40 or more droppings overnight. Rats don’t poop in one place. Since they live in colonies, their waste is left all over the place.Coyote Poop: Coyote waste is similar to dog waste. Coyote scat is 3-4 in (7.6-10.6 cm) long. In winter the poop can be in deep color. Undigested fur and bone pieces can also be found in their poop.Possum Poop: Possum droppings are also confused with the waste of dogs due to their large size. Possum poop is brown and has white or yellow mold. When you find possum dropping on a surface, always remember there is more underneath. Since they defecate in the same holes, the droppings start piling up.Racoon Poop: Racoon poop is tubular shaped and dark. It resembles the poop of raccoons.Snake Poop: Snake scat is dark brown, and it stinks a lot. Their dropping look like long lines. This is due to the watery consistency of the poop. You will mostly find undigested parts of animal flesh and bone in a snake’s poop.Did you know there is an app that helps you identify scant? Yes, you read it right. The app is called iNaturalist.Hazards Of Groundhog FecesGuarding droppings don’t carry any disease except for tularemia, which is transmitted to humans.Tularemia: Tularemia is also known as rabbit fever or deer fly. It is an infectious disease that typically attacks the skin, eyes, lymph nodes, and lungs. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Groundhogs get this from insects which can be passed on to humans while handling the scat of a groundhog. When Francisella tularanesis enters the human body, it causes a skin ulcer and swollen lymph glands. It can cause another discomfort. Some of the symptoms are chest discomfort, cough, and breathing difficulties.The majority of homeowners believe that touching groundhog feces can spread rabies. This is a myth since you can only get infected if you come into touch with groundhog saliva through a bite.Where can the droppings be found?People rarely come across the oval-shaped groundhog poop.This is because groundhogs defecate in chambers that are built underground. These tunnels can be 4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m) deep. You can find the scat of a groundhog in the bases of trees and plants or near their burrows. The droppings found in your yard belong to a groundhog only in rare cases. It is most likely the poop of a raccoon. Droppings of rodents are wrongly identified as the scant of groundhogs due to the similarity.Wondering what to do if groundhogs’ droppings are found? There are several control strategies to reduce or stop groundhogs from defecating in your yards or lawns. Groundhogs occupy the regions near residential areas. When you discover groundhog scat in your location, inspect the area. If you notice droppings in the same location repeatedly, look for holes or burrows and seal them completely. This must be done as soon as possible to avoid further inconveniences. Wear masks and gloves before handling the poop. Dispose of the coverings or carpets on the surface areas. Use disinfectant to clean the area. Place all the waste in a bag and seal it tightly. Dispose of it in an outside container. Wash all the materials and clothes you used with hot water. Thoroughly clean your hands and nails with a handwash. If you suspect groundhog infestation, you can contact pest control for safe removal.Great Uses For Groundhog PoopGroundhog scat is an excellent attractant. To control or prevent groundhogs from popping or digging holes in your property, you have to capture them. Capturing them can be tough without the help of pest control services. However, you can try trapping them. This is where you can use the groundhog scat. All animals like to smell the poop of other animals. You would have noticed your dog sniffing cow dung or the poop of other dogs. Groundhogs are also attracted to the scant of other groundhogs. There is no logical explanation for this. Experts say that it might be curiosity or territorial behavior. So you can use the poop of one groundhog to trap all others on your property. If this looks like a tedious task, you can always opt for professional removal.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for groundhog poop then why not take a look at groundhog vs woodchuck, or groundhog facts pages?
Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are members of the rodent family.
