Groundhogs are also known as the woodchucks and used to live in burrows. However, these animals are experts in climbing and swimming as well. These animals have also known as rodents and belong to a family of rodents called Sciuridae. However, as we know that raccoons are on the list of rodent’s predators. So do raccoons eat groundhogs? Let’s dig into it.
And if you are interested to know about it, then navigate this article as it will look through this topic.
However, groundhogs are not on the list of raccoon’s prey because of several reasons. First, and the main reason is that groundhogs are large and heavy than usual rodents. That’s why it would be difficult for raccoons to hunt a groundhog.
Do Raccoons Eat Groundhogs?
Raccoons are omnivores animals and can eat both plant and animal base matter. Not only this, they are good scavengers as well. And because of these habits, they are famous as opportunistic feeders.
Because they can eat whatever they get, raccoons always try to get a portion of food with little effort or free food. And that’s why they can scavenge food from your trash bins as well. They can raid your gardens and houses for food as well.
Not only this, raccoons can eat your pet foods as well. However, raccoons can eat fruits, nuts, vegetables, flowers, insects, worms, fish, frogs, rabbits, squirrels, kittens, etc. Furthermore, raccoons can eat dead animals as well.
As, raccoons can eat such a variety of foods, but why they don’t look at groundhogs as their prey. However, the reason is that, as I earlier said that they always look for small animals to hunt.
And groundhogs are quite large animals, and sometimes they are closer to the size of a raccoon, that’s why raccoons don’t think about them as their prey.
Not only this, there are several other reasons due to which raccoons don’t think about groundhogs as their food. Firstly, raccoons are nocturnal animals means that they are active in the night hours and live in their dens during daytimes.
But the groundhogs are opposite to raccoons as they are diurnal animals and stay in their burrows at night. And because it is difficult for these animals to cross their ways.
Secondly, groundhogs are excellent climbers and swimmers, and because of this, it is hard to stalk a groundhog for raccoons. As raccoons are not heavier in weight and cannot waste their energy to catch a groundhog.
As we already discussed, raccoons are always up to a free meal or a meal they can get with a low effort. That’s why raccoons don’t look for groundhogs as their prey.
Read also: Do Raccoons Eat Lizards?
Do Raccoons eat Dead Groundhogs?
Raccoons are not picky eaters and can eat whatever they get. Even they look for free meal or a meal with little effort. And that’s why they can eat from your garden and trash as well.
However, eating meat is necessary for raccoons as they need proteins for their proper body functioning. And meat is a good source of proteins for everyone around the world, including raccoons.
So because of it, raccoons have to hunt or struggle to eat meat to fulfill their body needs. As they are opportunistic animals, that’s why they would never mind if they get the meat from a dead animal. Not only this, but meat from your trash is also welcome to raccoons.
And that’s why they can eat the dead groundhogs for meat. As the meat of a dead animal is still offering some nutrients with protein.
Not only the meat of dead groundhogs, but raccoons can also eat the dead meat of several other animals like rats, mice, squirrels, etc.
Do Raccoons And groundhogs live together?
A precise answer to this question is no, as raccoons and groundhogs don’t live together. However, there are certain reasons behind it that’s why they cannot live together. Firstly, both these animals belong to different species and have separate living styles.
As groundhogs are rodents and used to live in borrows while raccoons can live wherever they want. For example, they can live inside the holes of trees and in your attic as well.
Secondly, raccoons are nocturnal animals and forage food in night hours, while groundhogs are diurnal animals and look for food in day hours.
Because of these reasons, raccoons and groundhogs cannot live together, but they can live in the same area.
Do Raccoons Use Groundhog Holes?
As I earlier discussed, groundhogs are rodents and live in the burrows or holes inside the earth. And if groundhogs abandoned that burrow, then these holes stay as it is for years.
That’s why many animals can become the second user of these burrows, including raccoons. However, raccoons usually live in hollow trees, rock crevices, abandoned burrows, attics if available, etc.
Moreover, abandoned burrows by groundhogs can also occupy some other animals. For example, skunks and possums. However, skunks like the most abandoned burrows because they don’t have to dig them themselves.
Are Groundhogs Good for Anything?
Nothing is without any purpose on the earth, so groundhogs play a useful role in our ecosystem. And the main thing is that they are consumers of several animals and plants. Not only this, they are also a source of food for several animals of the ecosystem.
Let’s firstly talk about the animals and plants to which they are consumers. However, they are the consumers of snails, grubs, insects, etc.
At the same time, groundhogs are the food source for several animals of the ecosystem. As they are the prey of larger animals of the ecosystem than raccoons like dogs, foxes, coyotes, humans, etc.
Not only this, the baby groundhogs can be the prey of birds like hawks, eagles, owls, etc.
A Final Thought:
Raccoons can eat whatever they get and usually hunt small rodents like rabbits, squirrels, kittens, rats, mice, etc. As groundhogs also belong to rodents that’s why this article explores that do raccoons eat groundhogs?
However, raccoons can eat a wide variety of foods, but they don’t eat groundhogs. Because groundhogs are not small in size that raccoons can kill them. Furthermore, both these animals have different time zones for foraging their food. That’s why raccoons don’t look at groundhogs as their prey.