Discussion: Woodchuck

I wonder how long he had been waiting for his chance to sneak into the kitchen.

First, is there some way of knowing it was a he? Second, was it really heading for the kitchen (it could have just been the lure of central air on this stifling day)? Third, might this be behavior suited to a rabid woodchuck? Fourth, are there any rabid woodchucks? More research is needed, though I'm not sure how to progress on any of this.

Meanwhile, I find myself a little paranoid, looking around carefully when I open the garage door to see if there are any new visitors.

Gail was quite amused. And concerned about her tulips.

From the CDC:

...from 1985 through 1994, woodchucks accounted for 86% of the 368 cases of rabies among rodents reported to CDC. Woodchucks or groundhogs (Marmota monax) are the only rodents that may be frequently submitted to state health department because of a suspicion of rabies.

I have one who has taken up residence under my shed - or perhaps it's just one of many hangouts in the neighborhood. It's eating the tops off lots of my plants; I wonder what it would take to get it to go elsewhere?

Deep in the south side of St. Louis with 30-foot wide lots & with lots of neighborhood dogs and cats, we have had bunnies, opossums, and raccoons visit (including the opossum that got in our kitchen), but no woodchucks - not urbanized yet?

young chuck living under neighbors garden. it is scouting my backyard for something to destroy. I am looking for a nice trap to remove him - dead or alive. Are woodchucks actually good for anything?

Good for anything?
(Don't click if it's going to make you unhappy — you know where that link is going...)

...from 1985 through 1994, woodchucks accounted for 86% of the 368 cases of rabies among rodents reported to CDC. Woodchucks or groundhogs (Marmota monax) are the only rodents that may be frequently submitted to state health department because of a suspicion of rabies.

They may have been 86% of the cases among rodents, but I'd guess the numbers for raccoons, skunks, foxes, and dogs would be a lot higher, with woodchucks a rather low percentage of the overall total. But maybe things are different in the Midwest.

I prefer this one.