As the name suggests, groundhogs are good at digging burrows, usually with more than two entrances for safety. Groundhogs also have the ability to swim and climb. Most of them are active during the day, they like to live in groups, and they are good at digging soil. Instead of storing food, they store fat in their bodies in summer to hibernate in burrows in winter.

The groundhog has short, strong feet to aid in the digging action, and many people think the most fascinating aspect of the groundhog is that Cute tail and short chubby hands and feet. The front legs used to take food each have four long and sharp claws, and the strong hind legs each have five claws to support the weight of the body when standing. The total number of teeth is 22, which will continue to grow over time. There is a pair of long front teeth in the front row, which is quite flattering.

The groundhog is shaped like a rabbito But not as docile as a rabbit, solitary in temperament, aggressive and aggressive, with a stubby tail, an adult rat is about 2 to 5 kg. In nature, it can only give birth once a year, and the number of litter is about 3 to 6.

Groundhogs are mainly vegetarian, and their food is mostly vegetables, alfalfa grass, lettuce, apples, peas, corn and other fruits and vegetables. They can eat up to five times a day. kg of green vegetables and fruits. When artificially raised, in addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, it is recommended to feed rabbit feed instead of mouse feed to reduce cardiovascular, endocrine disorders and overweight diseases.

Groundhog and Squirrel , beavers, chipmunks, etc. all belong to the family Rodentidae. The average weight is 4.5 kg, the largest can grow to 6.5 kg, and the length is about 56 cm.

The most charming thing about the groundhog is its cute tail and short, fat hands and feet. It has a pair of long front teeth in the front row of its mouth, and its silly appearance is quite flattering. Groundhogs are very alert. Not only do they often check their surroundings, but they also have special guards who are responsible for guarding their surroundings. In the early days of family breeding, they are relatively timid, and it is best not to harass and frighten them.

There are two teeth (incisors) up and down the front of the mouth, which are mainly used to cut food. The front teeth grow very fast, so it is necessary to chew foods high in fiber often, otherwise it will happen that the front teeth grow too long to eat.

Burrowing, as the name suggests, groundhogs are good at digging burrows. Usually, the burrow has more than two entrances for safety. Most of them are active during the day, they like to live in groups, and they are good at digging soil. Instead of storing food, they store fat in their bodies in summer to hibernate in burrows in winter. Groundhogs are not voles. One of the differences with other rodents is that the hole of the marmot is larger, and there are traces of the road that the marmot often walks outside the hole.

Prairie dogs dig holes in the ground to make a home. Living in the savannah, where the weather changes dramatically throughout the seasons, their burrows need to withstand temperature changes, floods and wildfires. Groundhogs dig burrows at different depths in the ground, each with a different purpose, such as a baby room. The baby room is located deep underground, with a more stable temperature and better protection for the little marmots from ferocious predators. Burrows closer to the ground act as shelters, helping adult marmots avoid predators. Other caves are used to store food or monitor the movements of predators.

The groundhog can live up to 10 years. It must be supplied with water and food every day. Its excrement has a smell and sometimes makes noises. Also chews on things. There must be psychological preparation before feeding. Also, make sure there are no other animals in the house that could harm it, such as cats and dogs. In the early days of agriculture, groundhogs have always been a pest in the eyes of farmers, they will continue to destroy crops and cause farmers' economic losses. It was not until they entered the new economic model that they gained the attention and favor of the world with their simple and honest faces and cute appearances, and were able to The pet market is booming.

Feed

Groundhogs are mainly vegetarian, and their food is mostly vegetables, alfalfa grass, lettuce, apples, peas, corn and other fruits and vegetables. They can eat up to five times a day. kilograms of green vegetables and fruits, fresh water and food should be supplied every day. In captivity, it is recommended to feed rabbit Feed instead of rat feed to reduce cardiovascular, endocrine disorders and overweight diseases.

Feeding methods

If it is too late to prepare a nest for it when you buy it, you can find a box (wood or plastic or even a cardboard box) and put some clean rags in it. Because the ink in the newspaper is not good for small animals, do not use it. This box is only temporary, because when it adapts to the environment and becomes more courageous, it will start grinding its teeth with the box, and maybe sneak out. So you must prepare a suitable sturdy box to make a nest for it. You can buy boxes for small animals on the market or special boxes for groundhogs. The former rearing box is divided into two layers, the bottom layer is a tray, and the middle is a wire mesh. The advantage is that it is easy to clean, but the disadvantage is that the groundhog's feet are easy to get caught between the wires and cause injuries. The groundhog-specific breeding box has only one layer, which is slightly larger and has an opening at the top. When feeding with it, the interior must be covered with sawdust and sawdust, etc., and the groundhog is easy to move. The disadvantage is that the excrement is not easy to clean, and the bedding must be cleaned frequently. Note that the breeding box should be as large as possible, otherwise it will gain weight because it does not get enough exercise, and even cause problems such as mental stress. This is especially true when feeding more than one. The storage location should avoid cats and dogs, avoid direct sunlight and wind and rain, and pay attention to ventilation.

Food bowl: Avoid plastic or other materials that can be eaten. It should be made of ceramic or stainless steel, and there is a certain weight that is not easy to be knocked over.

Drinking water: In order to keep the tank dry, it is recommended to use a licking water dispenser.

Cushion: The function of the cushion is to absorb the moisture and odor of the excrement, so that the groundhog feels comfortable. Sawdust, sawdust, hay, rags, etc. can be used. Cat litter is also a good choice, as can shredded paper from a shredder.

Breeding temperature

The little marmot that is less than two months old before the beginning of June needs to keep warm at night, especially the temperature in the north. If the temperature is too low, it is easy to catch a cold. Add a little more padding to them, change the padding in the morning, and pay attention to ventilation during the day. After the end of June, mice need to pay attention to heatstroke prevention and cooling during the day. Heatstroke caused by too high temperature is also fatal to groundhogs. You can keep indoor air circulation, put a few bottles of cold water in the cage during the day, put a tile, etc., if he feels too hot, he will lie down on it to cool down, all of which can prevent high temperature heatstroke.

The gestation period of a groundhog is approximately 60 to 70 days. Babies are born with teeth and fur, their eyes are open, and they can start eating right away. However, it is recommended that the young mice should not be kept alone within 2 weeks of birth, and it is better to be taken care of by the mother mice. Pups reach maturity after about 3 months. It is moderate in size, neither too small like a mouse, nor too large like a rabbit, and more suitable for playing in the hand (about 15-20 cm). It's clumsy and cute, not like a mouse or squirrel once it runs away Unable to catch, it is very suitable for feeding children or the elderly.

Feeding techniques

Marmots are herbivorous animals, and can be fed with the feed that cattle, sheep and rabbits eat. Harvest grass, locust, poplar, willow, apricot and other broad-leaved plants and corn, wheat, sorghum, bran, bean cake, etc. can be fed after being crushed and wetted with water. In order to maintain nutritional needs, they need to be fed with concentrated feed.

1. Concentrate formula for young otters and pregnant otters: corn 40%, bean cake 10%, bran 44%, bone meal 2%, salt 1%, blood meal 3% , 5 grams of multivitamins and a small amount of trace elements are added for every 1000 grams of feed.

2. Concentrate formula for lactating female otters and cubs: corn 30%, bran 16%, broken rice 10%, bean cake 15%, blood meal 5%, bone meal 3%, salt 0.5%, growth hormone 0.5%, plus 10 grams of various microorganisms per 1000 grams.

Marmots do not drink water and mainly meet their water needs from feed. Marmots eat fast and can be full in ten minutes. The main feeding time is two hours before sunrise and two hours before dusk. There is no need to prepare forage, but they should insist on regular feeding, and keep the ratio of green and concentrate at 7:00. 3 ratio feeding.