Category: groundhogs

One of the worst things to happen to a perfectly landscaped and blossoming garden is a groundhog. In search of food, these large mammals will mangle crops, plants and flowers, ruin your garden’s aesthetic, and burrow tunnels beneath the ground, destroying its structural integrity. Fortunately, there are a few natural solutions you can use to get rid of groundhogs in your garden.

Natural Groundhog Prevention Techniques

Some efficient and eco-friendly methods to help deal with a growing groundhog problem include:

• Household Ingredients: Spices, like garlic and pepper, can deter groundhogs by overwhelming their sense of smell. Crush up some garlic and pepper and sprinkle it around groundhog burrows, or dilute the mixture in a spray bottle with water and spray it around your garden. The powerful scent will drive the pests away. Furthermore, cayenne pepper can add an extra layer of defense than ordinary pepper because it contains capsaicin, the chemical compound that provides its intense heat level. Groundhogs and other rodents are especially sensitive to capsaicin because it can easily irritate their fur and face. Whether you sprinkle it around your yard or grow the peppers in your garden, cayenne pepper can act as an effective natural groundhog deterrent.
• Household Predators: Groundhogs rely on their sense of smell to determine whether predators are nearby. Household cats and dogs, while friendly to humans, are a natural threat to groundhogs. When your pet runs around your garden, they’ll leave behind a scent that will naturally scare off the pests.
• Fencing: Regular fencing may sometimes not be enough to deter groundhogs because they can dig around or beneath the fenceposts. To isolate your garden, dig a 2-foot-deep trench around its perimeter, and sink your fence two feet further underground. This depth protects your crops by ensuring groundhogs cannot penetrate your garden.
• Scaring Them Off: Despite their large size, groundhogs are skittish critters. If they sense danger, they will usually flee instead of standing their ground. Sudden unexpected noises, such as windchimes, a radio, or motion-activated lights and sprinklers can activate their fight-or-flight.
• Humane Trapping: While all trapping methods come with an inherent risk, live traps are the most natural and humane option. Check your traps often, and transport any trapped groundhogs far enough away from your property so they won’t return.

While natural solutions may be temporarily effective, the best way to get groundhogs and other nuisance pests off your property is by working with a wildlife removal professional. Fortunately, the licensed and trained experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh are equipped and ready to help.

Safe and Effective Professional Groundhog Removal Services

The experienced pest control technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will quickly and safely remove nuisance pests and invasive wildlife from your Pennsylvania property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our quick and efficient groundhog removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

It is important to address and eliminate any pest infestations you find on your property as soon as possible, especially if you are dealing with groundhogs. As the burrowing rodents dig underground, they will destroy your lawn, cause damage to your plumbing, and disturb the foundation of your home and other outdoor structures, like your shed. To help reduce costly damages, here are some of the best ways that you can effectively evict groundhogs from under your shed.

Best Way to Get Rid of Groundhogs Under Shed

• Ammonia –Groundhogs hate the smell of ammonia, so a cheap and easy way to deter groundhogs away from your property is to purchase ammonia and pour it in any holes or mounds you find near your shed. If you don’t have ammonia on hand, vinegar works just as well.
  
• Noisy Groundhog Deterrents –Groundhogs tend to avoid noisy areas or those that experience heavy vibrations. To scare off groundhogs, you can try installing ultrasonic devices that emit high frequency pulses that only rodents can hear. Hanging wind chimes or setting up a small radio near groundhog mounds around your property can also create constant noise and movement that may disturb the groundhogs and encourage them to leave.
  
  If you don’t want to spend money on new backyard devices, sending out your dog or cat to scare the groundhogs can also have a similar effect.
  
• Groundhog Traps –Groundhog-specific traps can be purchased online or at your local hardware store. While baited traps may be a more direct method for groundhog capture and removal, they require you to handle the critter and there are risks involved when handling a wild animal without proper training and equipment. Instead of attempting to remove and relocate a groundhog on your own, the best way to get rid of groundhogs under shed is to rely on the groundhog removal services provided by the licensed, trained, and experienced wildlife control experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Effective and Affordable Groundhog Removal Services

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, we are dedicated to providing you with efficient and safe groundhog removal services that will remove groundhogs from under your shed quickly and permanently. To schedule an inspection of your property and receive a free estimate for our groundhog removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

If you have a groundhog infestation on your property, there are many different ways that you can approach it. Traditionally, deterrent methods like chemical repellents and traps have been used; however, these days, many of those things are considered inhumane. As a humane alternative, natural methods of repelling groundhogs have been becoming more and more popular. Here are some ways to repel groundhogs naturally.

Ways to Repel Groundhogs Naturally

• Spread Hair Clippings in Problem Areas

The idea behind spreading hair clippings around a mole hill is to convince the groundhogs that a human is nearby at all times and, therefore, encourage the pests to relocate. While it may seem a little odd, simply collect a bag full of hair clippings from your next haircut and scatter them where moles persist. It is a cheap, harmless, and potentially effective way to get nuisance moles to vacate. 

• Send in the Pets

Pet urine is another great option to ward off the burrowing rodents. Groundhogs are just as afraid of dogs and cats as they are of people. By having your pets urinate near active groundhog burrows, the overwhelming ammonia-like stench will likely force the critters to leave.

• Consider Using Castor Oil

Certain oils produce pungent and aromatic scents that rodents find putrid. Castor oil is one such scent that groundhogs strongly dislike. The best part is that you only have to use a small amount; just mix a few drops of castor oil with water in a spray bottle and spray the mixture in areas of your property where moles are present.

While the above methods may prevent groundhogs from infesting your property, they are rarely effective at removing the pests once they’ve nested or preventing the property damages they can cause. To put an end to a growing groundhog infestation, rely on the wildlife control experts who have the expertise and experience needed to remove groundhogs in ways that are both safe for your property and the animal.

Repel Groundhogs Naturally with Critter Control® of Pittsburgh

If nuisance groundhogs are infesting your Pittsburgh-area yard, rely on the effective and affordable groundhog removal services provided by the licensed, trained, and experienced technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh. Our wildlife removal experts are highly trained and equipped to remove and repel groundhogs naturally with our safe, humane, and environmentally friendly groundhog control methods. We can even implement preventative measures that will evict the unwanted pests without disrupting your yard or the plant life on your property.

To schedule an inspection of your property and receive a free estimate for our groundhog removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

As a Pennsylvanian, you are likely familiar with a certain famous groundhog from over in Punxsutawney, or you have probably even seen your fair share of the critters around the Greater Pittsburgh area as the groundhog is one of the most common wild critters in Pennsylvania.

While cute, groundhogs can cause serious damage to your Pittsburgh residential or commercial property. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the signs of a groundhog infestation and understand some of the effective prevention methods to help get rid of the burrowing pest.

Dangers of a Groundhog Infestation

Groundhogs, like most critters, are constantly on the prowl for food and shelter. In their search for nourishment, they will rummage through and destroy your yard, garden, crops, and landscaping. To make a shelter, groundhogs will dig an underground tunnel system for them to nest in and travel through. In doing so, they will create multiple holes in your lawn that will serve as tripping hazards for you and your lawn equipment to get stuck in. If they dig deep enough, groundhogs could also sever underground cables, destroy plumbing and sprinkler systems, and ruin the foundational strength of your home.

5 Ways to Get Rid of Groundhogs

1. Make some noise. Groundhogs dislike loud noises and vibrations. Placing noisemakers, wind chimes, pinwheels, and any item that emits a sonic output around your property and near their burrows can work.
2. Turn to your spice rack. Believe it or not, groundhogs hate the scent of garlic and pepper. You can spread these spices in and around their burrows or around your garden to deter them.
3. Enlist your pets. If you have pets, save some of their fur after a grooming session to place around your property to drive groundhogs away. Their intimidating presence outside can also scare groundhogs away.
4. Install fencing. Construct some deep fencing around your garden or crops to keep groundhogs from digging under them.
5. Hire groundhog removal professionals. When it comes to the most thorough and effective way to get rid of groundhogs, your best bet for complete removal, exclusion, and prevention is to contact wildlife removal experts.

Safe and Effective Groundhog Removal Methods

Groundhog removal is a task not recommended to be taken on alone, and store-bought DIY methods and materials aren’t effective or safe enough to truly get rid of groundhogs. Fortunately, the trained specialists at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh utilize a humane four-step CritterSafe® strategy to permanently get rid of nuisance pests that includes: 

1. Inspection
2. Removal
3. Prevention
4. Restoration

Get Rid of Groundhogs With Critter Control® of Pittsburgh

The experienced pest removal technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will quickly and safely remove nuisance pests and wildlife from your Pennsylvania property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our humane and efficient groundhog removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Generally associated with their namesake holiday on which they predict a longer winter or an earlier spring, groundhogs are small, furry, brown mammals that love to dig for food and shelter. Unfortunately, their digging can destroy gardens, lawns, and structural foundations—not exactly what you want happening around your Pittsburgh home. Fortunately, there are several ways to rid your property of groundhogs and keep them from coming back.

8 Ways to Get Rid of Groundhogs From Your Home

If you are having a groundhog problem on your Pittsburgh property, follow these tips to help get rid of the destructive critters:

1. Target their home. You can flood or fumigate the groundhog’s home to make it less conducive for living and to discourage further occupancy.
2. Use repellents. Pesticides used for other rodents will work just fine when placed at the entrance of a groundhog’s hole.
3. Trap and release. Cage type traps are best as they allow for an easier release of the groundhog in a more appropriate location, but be sure to check your state’s rules on traps before using one.
4. Scare them away. Using devices like solar stakes that release ultrasonic pulses can scare the groundhogs away from their homes.
5. Install fences. Deep fences around your property can stop groundhogs from accessing your yard.
6. Keep your yard clear. Constantly taking care of your yard and removing debris will reduce groundhog hiding spots and discourage them from lingering.
7. Plant aromatic deterrents. Plants with strong fragrances such as lavender, mint, sage, and thyme will keep groundhogs out of your yard.
8. Contact groundhog removal professionals. The above tips may work to reduce groundhog activity on your property; however, to permanently get rid of groundhogs and keep them away, you’ll need the equipment, experience, and expertise of the licensed wildlife removal professionals at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Expert Greater Pittsburgh Area Groundhog Removal Services

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, our trained professionals have developed a proven, CritterSafe® groundhog removal method to help free your home from the critters in four simple steps:

1. Comprehensive Inspection of your property
2. Complete pest removal
3. Repair and restoration of damage
4. Permanent pest exclusion and prevention

If you are having groundhog problems, then keep a safe distance from the critters and contact us immediately. We will ensure that your home is secure from destructive groundhog activity and remains so for the foreseeable future. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our humane and efficient groundhog removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.