What do groundhogs do in autumn?

What do groundhogs do in autumn?

Groundhogs are very fat in the autumn, just prior to hibernation. If they are living in a colony, groundhogs snuggle in family groups to conserve heat during the winter. They occasionally waken from their deep sleep to feed.

What is the weight difference from the spring to the fall for the average groundhog?

Weights of adult groundhogs typically fall between 2 and 6.3 kg (4.4 and 13.9 lb). Male groundhogs average slightly larger than females and, like all marmots, they are considerably heavier during autumn (when engaged in autumn hyperphagia) than when emerging from hibernation in spring.

Why do groundhogs lose half of their body weight in hibernation?

An extended winter could delay the growth of the plants they need to eat after their long hibernation. They will delay their mating season and emerge later to make sure that there is food available. Since they lose over half their body weight during hibernation, this is very important for their survival.

Why do groundhogs get fat?

In the summer and fall groundhogs increase their consumption to accumulate fat reserves, which they use to survive through their winter hibernation period.

How many groundhogs can live in a burrow?

Male groundhogs and female groundhogs don’t live together. They live alone separately in each of their burrows. Whenever a young groundhog has grown mature, it digs a burrow for itself. Only during mating do two adult groundhogs live together in a burrow.

How many groundhogs usually live together?

What time of year do groundhogs have their babies?

spring
Groundhog mating season is in the early spring and, after only a month-long pregnancy, mother groundhogs typically give birth to a litter of two to six blind, hairless babies.

Do groundhogs really scream?

If you whistle at a good-looking groundhog, he (or she) might whistle back. True. Groundhogs make a shrill whistling sound as an alarm call.

Do groundhogs have more than one hole?

Groundhogs often have two separate burrows, one for summer (grassy field area) and one for winter (wooded area). During the approximately three month hibernation period, groundhogs enter their winter burrows which have only one entrance. Summer burrows have multiples entrances with a mound of soil next to them.