Groundhogs or woodchucks always stay in hype for the special Groundhog Day on the 2nd of February. These lowland creatures of North America can be found in Eastern United States, Canada, and Alaska too!
If you want to search for a wild groundhog, you will find them in the forest edges, open fields, streams, meadows, etc. However, they prefer living inside their burrows. Do rodents live underground- is a groundhog a rodent? A flat yes for an answer, they are rodents.
And today, we will skim through some interesting facts about the woodchucks and will also learn why they are considered rodents!
What Classifies an Animal as a Rodent?
Rabbits and bunny rodents are not actually classified as rodents. Despite their small size and similar habits, rabbits belong to the order Lagomorpha, not Rodentia. One key difference is their teeth – rodents have a single pair of incisors that grow continuously, while lagomorphs have two pairs.
Is a Groundhog a Rodent?
Yes, groundhogs are rodents. Often called whistle-pigs or woodchucks, the groundhogs are just the larger form of the squirrels.
They are mammals and fall under the Rodentia order just like any other rodents. These true hibernators live in the burrows and safeguard themselves from threats.
While some rodents live together, groundhogs live alone in their burrows. They rely on vegetation mostly as rodents do. But in reality, they are omnivores.
Groundhog as Rodents
The Coat
A groundhog is a rodent- anyone will tell it to you. If you look at a groundhog, you can see all those fur coats on their bodies.
The bushy tail is also a symbol of being a rodent. Though they have a fluffy body, their body is quite robots like any other rodent.
Body Shape
Most rodents have round bodies compared to the other furry animals that have longer bodies. The rats, squirrels, and mice, no matter which rodent you go for, have a rounded body shape.
The same goes for the woodchucks, their body is rounded. Though they are a lot larger than the squirrels, their round body gives the idea that they are rodents.
The Toe Count
A major symbol for the rodents is their toe count- almost all of them have four front toes and five hind toes. The same goes for the rats and mice as they are rodents.
And for the groundhogs, the story is identical. They too have four front toes and five hind toes. It makes it clear that they are rodents.
Incisors
The most important feature of rodents is having incisor teeth. They have ever-growing incisors that never stop growing till the end. Their teeth can get longer than their mouth too.
For keeping their balance, they have to keep grinding their teeth to keep them sharp. Otherwise, their teeth can grow into their brains! The story is the same for the groundhogs, they too have incisor teeth.
Wrap Up
Now you know they are rodents, you can get them as pets. However, make sure that there are no groundhogs under your house- it can damage the building. These excellent swimmers are pro on the water, on the ground, and even under the ground!
