In article ,
(glowworm) wrote:

Hi-

strange posting you may think, but I'm looking to adopt an orphaned
groundhog. I'd like a pet groundhog and am looking to pay someone for
their "garden-unfriendly" baby groundhog.

I know that a lot of people might not think this is a great idea, but
I've done a good amount of research on it and am willing to give it a
go.

I don't want to go and just take one from the wild, but I've been told
that come October and November a lot of groundhogs become orphaned
when their mothers get hit by cars, shot or otherwise disappear.

I live in New York and would be willing to drive (a reasonable
distance) to come pick up the goundhog. However, because I'm raising
the animal in captivity, I need to start with a baby groundhog rather
than taking a full grown adult out of his element.

If you've got some groundhogs that you might not want and you'd be
willing to trap him HUMANELY, I will be willing to pay for the little
guy.

Thanks,
marianne



It's supposed to be easier to live with a highly social prairie dog than
with a comparatively antisocial groundhog, but way back when I had a
housemate with a pet prairie dog, cute as the devil was, the key word
there is "Devil" rather than cute. Destructive, smelly, hated being caged
so very noisy if not let out, & when fully mature, dangerous to strangers.
Groundhogs can make interesting pets but it takes a special sort of weirdo
to not mind having ones stuff destroyed & getting bitten now & then. If
not neutered or spade, they WILL manifest many difficult to forgive wild
animal traits at maturity, & sometimes get unamanageable even if they are
"fixed."

Still, many people live with semi-tame groundhogs in their gardens tell
wonderful positive tales of happy interactions (less happy tales from
people who try to keep them indoors). If one's gardens are large enough,
they're not TOO destructive of garden plants overall, especially if used
to getting their main food from people. There is quite a lot about pet
groundhogs throughout this website:
http://www.hoghaven.com

I'd recommend you connect first with wildlife rehabilitators to see if
they need volunteer help. Raising an orphan for release will give you some
expertise that will first of all probably change your mind about keeping
one permanently. But if it doesn't change your mind, rehabilitating will
also put you in the way of perhaps being able to keep one, as occasinally
an orphan is injured & permanently crippled so cannot be released to the
wild. If not so injured, keeping them is otherwise discouraged by
rehabilitators, and in many places would be illegal.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/