Should I ever poison a groundhog?

As with other animals, it is possible to use poison to kill the groundhog. However, there is no specific type of poison to use in killing groundhogs. People use rat poison to kill the groundhogs since the poison substance is strong enough to kill most small animals.

When people use the poison to deal with the groundhog, they will sprinkle the poison near the hole where the animal lives, and it will not miss such poison while going out or coming inside. However, this will not mean that whenever the groundhog sees the poison it will be encouraged to take it, and this may lead to many problems.

Using poison is not reliable, and the poison can be toxic to both animals and humans. Pets may get where you have put the poison and eat it while it also impacts human health. After killing the groundhog, you will also have to deal with a rotting and toxic rodent on your property, which you should try to dispose of. The body smells awful when it starts to decay underground, and it can attract even more pests. The clean up period can be dangerous and time consuming.

The best way to deal with the groundhogs instead of poisoning them is to prevent them from entering into your yard. The best way to keep the groundhogs out is to install a wire mesh fence near the garden or the yard so the animals will fail to enter the property. Since groundhogs are burrowing animals, it is better to have the fence under the ground at least six inches so that they do not dig their way under the face.

If you already have a groundhog at your place, the best method is to catch the animal and relocate it away from the garden at a good distance. Sometimes you can do this on your own or you may have to hire a professional. When you put a cage in place with vegetables to act as bait, you will be successful in catching the groundhog and relocating it.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Groundhogs page or email us if you have any other questions about Should I ever poison a groundhog?